Bible-Based Hope Comforts

To my readers: I am sorry for no blog yesterday, but the internet and the cable went out and it was out the rest of the day.  There was nothing I could do.  Thank you for your patience and God bless you. 


A particular way in which God provides comfort is through his written Word, which contains a marvelous hope for the future.  The apostle Paul wrote:  "All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4)  Paul made clear the link between true hope and comfort when he wrote:  "May . . .God our Father, who loved us and gave everlasting comfort and good hope by means of undeserved kindness, comfort your hearts and  make you firm in every good deed and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17)  This "good hope" includes the prospect of perfect, happy, and unending life on a paradise earth. -2 Peter 3:13. 

Such a sure and bright hope inspirited Laimonis, the alcoholic paralytic mentioned in the preceding article.  Reading Bible-based literature of Jehovah's Witnesses, he rejoiced to learn about the new world under God's Kingdom, where his health could be completely restored.  In the Bible, he read the following bright promise of miraculous healing:  "At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as the stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one  will cry out in gladness."  (Isaiah 35:5, 6)  In order  to qualify for life in that Paradise, Laimonis made great changes.  He turned from liquor, and his transformation has not gone unnoticed by his neighbors and acquaintances. He now conducts several Bible studies, sharing with others the comfort that Bible-based hope gives.

Next time: The Role of Prayer

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000