encouragement Archives - Page 16 of 18

Monday

12

September 2016

Encouragement: Psalm 138:3

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

Psalm 138 is one of the most encouraging psalms. Written by David, a man after God’s own heart, Psalm 138 is filled with some amazing truths.

“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.” Psalm 138:3

One of David’s psalms, Psalm 138 is so encouraging and inspiring. It speaks of whole-hearted praise for God, worship of His Holiness, God’s lovingkindness and truth, the power of God’s Word, God’s ways, and so much more.

Perhaps my favourite verse from this Psalm of praise is verse 3, when David says: “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.”

This verse tells me at least four facts:

God is always there for me, I just need to seek Him. “When I cried out…”
God’s answers prayers. “You answered me…”. It may not always how we think He will answer, or how we think He should answer, but God hears our prayers, and He answers our prayers. Thank you, Lord!
God makes me bold. “You…made me bold.” We all know Proverbs 28:1, which tells us that “the righteous are bold as a lion”. True boldness comes from Christ. D.L. Moody once said, “When we find a man meditating on the words of God, that man is full of boldness and is successful.”
God provides strength for my soul. “…with strength in my soul.” God is more than capable of bringing me through anything. I’m reminded me of one of the other encouraging psalms, with the incredible promise of Psalm 27:14: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” God will provide the strength you need for whatever you’re facing this week. Note it doesn’t say that He’ll remove the problem in front of you, but He will, HE WILL! provide the strength you need to come through it. Praise the Lord!

We serve an amazing God, and He longs to have a relationship with us, and to provide for us. If you’re looking for examples God’s goodness, check out any number of the encouraging psalms. Written by various authours who faced various challenges—and received various blessings—throughout their lives, the psalms are some of the most inspiring and incredible chapters of the Bible. All we need to do is cry out to Him! Wherever you are today, God is there for you, He will answer your prayers, He will make you bold, and He will provide you with strength for your soul! God is good!

Monday

22

August 2016

Monday Encouragement: John 14:27

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

The beginning of a new week is an opportune time to consider the peace that comes with knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.

In John 14:27, we understand God’s peace is given to us as a gift. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:”. God’s peace can’t be had apart from His presence. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? There is no true peace apart from God.

“not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” If we limit ourselves to the gratification of earthly pleasures, we’ll sell ourselves short of all the blessings available to us through a personal relationship with the Lord. Don’t be deceived by what the world praises as good and successful; true goodness and true success — true peace, — can only be found in Jesus Christ.

“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” There are many verses throughout the Bible which encourage us to be strong in heart. Take Joshua 1:9, or Isaiah 41:10 as examples. When our heart rests in the Lord and we have His peace, He will provide us with the strength and the courage to face whatever is before us.

Wherever you’re at this Monday morning, claim it: Peace is yours if you’ll trust in the Lord, and He will provide for every area of your life if you’ll let Him! Find your strength and courage in Him.

Monday

15

August 2016

Monday Encouragement: Isaiah 41:10

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10 is a great example of the encouragement found within the book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah is filled with so many countless encouraging verses, which all reflect on the power and love and providence of our Lord God.

In verse 10, there are several layers and parts that stand out to me, and that provide reassurance, hope, strength, and peace:

“Fear not, for I am with you”: God is always with us. He is with you, day and night, no matter what you’re going through. That’s a promise! I love in the first part of verse 10 how we are commanded to “Fear not,” because God is with us. What a promise! What an encouragement! We have no reason to fear, because God is with us.

“Be not dismayed, for I am your God”: Dismay is another word for distress, usually instigated by something unexpected. In Isaiah 41:10, we are encouraged to be not dismayed. Why? “for I am your God”. We serve the Living Christ, Who conquered death for us, so there is no reason to be dismayed. This is something I need to constantly remind myself of, especially when life throws curve balls my way.

“I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you”: God promises to provide us with strength, and with help. When you’re feeling like you can’t go on or you just don’t know how you’re going to get through the day, God will be right with you to provide you with the strength and help you need, to get through whatever you’re facing.

“I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”: God promises to uphold us. More than that, He promises to uphold us with His righteous right hand. That means, when you lose your footing, He’s going to be there to hold you up, if you’ll trust in Him. What I love about this verse, is that we are told God will uphold us with His righteous right hand. Righteous: Pure, virtuous, upstanding, ethical, honest. Regardless of your circumstances, God is righteous. And He will uphold you with His right hand. His right hand! Throughout scripture, God’s right hand is mentioned several times. Historically, to be put on someone’s right hand is to be held in equal honour. God’s right hand also symbolizes His power and His greatness.

Whatever you’re facing this week, remember Isaiah 41:10 and claim it for yourself!

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Monday

25

July 2016

Monday Encouragement: Philippians 1:6

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Wednesday Wisdom

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

Paul wrote the book (or letter) of Philippians while he was in prison. The 11th book in the New Testament, Philippians has long been one of my favourite books of the Bible, because joy,—among other fruits of the Spirit,— is the main theme of the epistle.

Philippians is a book filled with encouragement, gratitude, and rejoicing.

No matter where this week finds you, if you trust in God, you can find encouragement in Philippians 1:6. Here are just a few reasons why:

“He which hath begun a good work in you…” God started the work in you. It was nothing you did. God is the One working in each of us. It’s nothing that any of us can do.

“…will perform it…” God will carry the work that He started in each one of us to completion. He will perfect the work that He has started in each one of us.

“…until the day of Jesus Chrsit:” The day of the Lord; this is the day when God’s glory will be revealed to His people. This is a great reminder and encouragement to each of us to persevere, to keep on, because God started the work in us, and He will finish it. He is the great Designer and has promised eternal life to all those who trust in Him.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6

Wednesday

20

July 2016

Wednesday Wisdom: God Will Help You Find a Way

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Wednesday Wisdom

“God did not remove the Red Sea, He opened it: He will help us find a way through our problems as well.” Brad Wilcox

How many times have we read in Exodus how God parted the Red Sea for Moses, allowing the Israelites to walk on dry ground and cross to safety while being pursued by their enemies? We’ve heard the event shared time after time after time; this is classic Sunday School lesson material.

Exodus 14:21-22 (KJV) tells us, “And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.”

Notice anything interesting about this selection of scripture? It wasn’t until I came across author Brad Wilcox’s awesome quote that the truth struck me: God divided the waters of the Red Sea for the Israelites so they could cross to safety.

“God did not remove the Red Sea, He opened it: He will help us find a way through our problems as well.” Brad Wilcox

Wow.

Sometimes we can hear a truth over and over again, but until it’s explained in the simplest of terms, we don’t necessarily understand the breadth of it.

God’s not necessarily going to remove our problems, but He has promised to help us through whatever challenges we’re facing.

David testified in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Psalm 46:1 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Isaiah 41:10 instructs us, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus promises us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

God is with us, always, if we trust in Him. God is our refuge, and our strength. God will give you the strength to get through whatever challenge or problem you are facing, if you will trust in Him. God is the one who will provide us with rest. Seek Him, learn about Him, trust Him.

We don’t need to fear problems or eliminate them when we have the choice to face them with God on our side.

“God did not remove the Red Sea, He opened it: He will help us find a way through our problems as well.” Brad Wilcox

Trust God, and let Him help you today!

Monday

18

July 2016

Monday Encouragement: Deuteronomy 4:29

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

Last Sunday in church, both Wes and I were struck by the speaker’s simple yet profound sermon about surrendering complete control to God.

It seems like such an easy thing, doesn’t it? Or at least easy to say?

God is in complete control.

Acknowledging that God is in complete control is the first step to contentment.

But living it,—acknowledging that in each of our lives, we will only ever be completely content after we acknowledge that God is in control,—living it is a completely different thing.

We think if we pray harder, or differently, if we do certain things, or speak in a particular manner, that God will somehow be more apt to hear our prayers.

And that’s just not true.

The truth is, that it’s when we really seek Him with our whole hearts,—all our hearts,—and our whole souls, —all our souls,— that we will truly find God and He will find us.

Sometimes, all the time, all we need to do, is surrender.

No ritualistic prayers, no special speech, just ultimate surrender. “God, you are the One Who is in complete control.”

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

Monday

11

July 2016

Monday Encouragement: Lamentations 3:22-23

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

How about these verses for some instant encouragement? Our Lord’s compassions are new every morning. Every. Morning.

Even on the days you don’t feel like you can face the day, or on the days when you feel too tired to get out of bed and wonder where you will get the strength to make it through the day.

We serve a God Who is merciful and faithful, and Whose compassions fail not and are new every morning.

4

July 2016

Monday Encouragement: Luke 1:37

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37

This verse has long been one of my favourites, and is a clear reminder that the things we think are impossible, are possible with God. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all feature iterations of this truth:

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37

No matter where you are today, even if the task at hand seems impossible or like it just won’t work out, trust God. He has a way of working things out exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think, if we’ll only trust in Him!

Wednesday

29

June 2016

Wednesday Wisdom: Remember to Rest (Thoughts on Psalm 23:2)

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Wednesday Wisdom

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:2

Psalm 23 is a frequently-quoted chapter from the Bible, and as such, I think we often overlook the significance of its verses.

Take verse 2 for example.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Anyone who lives in farming country knows that the pasture is the place where the grazing animals go, whether cattle or sheep. Typically the animals in the pasture,— especially in David’s time when he wrote this Psalm,— were well-tended and protected by the shepherd. They were safe.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:”

He is God. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. God doesn’t just want us to rush through this life, no, I’d venture to say from this verse that He wants us to take time to rest, to be at peace, to learn to be still, and to trust Him.

Green pastures also indicate goodness and provision; God will provide more than we can imagine if we’ll trust Him. In Benson’s Commentary, he says it like this: “God provides for His people, not only food and rest, but refreshment also, and pleasure. The waters by and to which he leads them afford them both a pleasant prospect and many a cooling and refreshing draught, when they are thirsty and weary.”

“He leadeth me beside the still waters.”

I don’t know about you, but imagining the idea of a green pasture and still waters brings to mind the most peaceful, colourful, and serene setting.

The other fact that I love about Psalm 23:2, is that David says God leads us. He leads us, because if we were left to make our own path, it would only lead to our demise.

If you’re feeling anxious, or stressed, or like you just need rest, take refuge in this:

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:2

Tuesday

28

June 2016

Encouragement: 1 Peter 5:7

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Encouragement

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

That’s the traditional King James Version, however translated into other versions, the “care” referred to in 1 Peter 5:7 is also translated as anxieties and worries.

Isn’t that an incredible thought? We can cast any of our anxieties, worries, and fears on the Lord, because He cares for us. He cares for us.

Whenever I read 1 Peter 5:7, I’m also reminded of Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus offers rest and peace of mind:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28-30

Only God can truly give us rest. For anyone who is heavy laden and filled with cares, cast them on God! 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all your care — not just some of your care. God wants it all. And in exchange, He’ll provide you with the peace that passes all understanding.

If you find yourself with so many cares and if you’re feeling anxious or worried, take heart! Cast all your care upon God; He cares for you!

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encouragement Archive

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Encouragement: Psalm 138:3

22

Monday Encouragement: John 14:27

15

Monday Encouragement: Isaiah 41:10

25

Monday Encouragement: Philippians 1:6

20

Wednesday Wisdom: God Will Help You Find a Way

18

Monday Encouragement: Deuteronomy 4:29

11

Monday Encouragement: Lamentations 3:22-23

4

Monday Encouragement: Luke 1:37

29

Wednesday Wisdom: Remember to Rest (Thoughts on Psalm 23:2)

28

Encouragement: 1 Peter 5:7

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