Encouragement by Matt Slick

2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 

"Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ."

Introduction

When life is tiring, when you are struggling with your sin, when family members aren't saved, when bills aren't paid, when school is difficult, when work is exhausting, when your health is failing, when your loved ones are hurt, when the future is unsure, and when a good friend leaves, it is easy to be discouraged.

Discouragement is a thief.  It steals your vitality, your zeal, your joy, your peace, and your contentment.  If discouragement dwells long with you, its friends will soon join.  Their names are fatigue, hopelessness, despair, self-pity, depression, doubt, and bitterness. Sometimes, discouragement can be so strong that you even don't want to go on living.

Discouragement is dissatisfaction with the past, distaste for the present, and distrust of the future.  It is the result of blindness.  It is ingratitude for the blessings of yesterday, indifference to the opportunities of today, and insecurity regarding strength for tomorrow.  It is unawareness of the presence of God, unconcern for the needs of our fellow man, and unbelief in the promises of His Word.

If we have nothing to rely on, or we forget our blessing and look to our circumstances, then that is when discouragement begins to take hold. Instead, what we need is encouragement.  We need hope and peace and the knowledge that the Lord knows our troubles has great concern and compassion for us and is not leaving us unloved or uncared for.

Keeping your eyes on Jesus is the best way to be encouraged.  In Him you can have comfort and peace and encouragement.  You need to find Him and His words, and by faith rest in Him.

Be encouraged because God is a God of mercy and comfort.  Verse 3.  Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort

God is called the Father of Mercies.

In the Greek the word "mercy" is oiktirmos.  It means compassion, pity, mercy.   And, it is something that is felt in the heart.  In God's very heart, He feels mercy toward you.

He is the author of mercy.  His mercy toward you brings salvation, the forgiveness of sins and deliverance from eternal damnation... and this, because of Jesus, because of His sacrifice, because of His shed blood for you.

God is the God of mercy: Psalm 86:5, "You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you."

The word in Greek for "comfort" is paraklesis.  It means, exhortation, comfort, and encouragement.

In fact, a form of this word, parakletos is used for the Holy Spirit. That is why the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter in the KJV in John 14:26: "But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

In the NASB the word is rendered "Helper."

All this shows you that God is a God of Comfort, of exhortation, and of encouragement.

All comfort comes from God who is the God of comfort, of mercy, and love.

It isn't an angel, or a cosmic force, a pill, psychotherapy, or a quick and clever slogan that warms your heart and lifts you up.  It is God.

But you may ask, "How is the Comfort received from God?"

By faith - because God says He is the God of comfort, then you need to believe it and act upon it; that is, you need to trust Him and receive His comfort as He provides it.

From others - God uses His people to comfort you.  When you have a problem doesn't the Lord send someone with an encouraging word, a helping hand, or a shoulder to cry on.

Through His word - reading and hearing - The words of God are beautiful and there for our instruction and encouragement.

By the Holy Spirit.  He is called the Comforter. He indwells you.

Take encouragement because God is there in your afflictions.  Verse 4 - "who comforts us in all our affliction . . . . so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Affliction (NASB) ("trouble" in the NIV) in the Greek is the word is thlipsis.  It can be translated as tribulation, trouble, anguish, persecution, burden, and, of course, affliction.

Afflictions come in all different shapes and sizes.

Sickness, financial difficult, loss of a loved one, an unsure future, an auto accident.  But also, and this is something very important, affliction occurs in the heart in that place where we get frustrated, confused, and hurt.

Why do we have afflictions?

Because we live in a fallen world.

And it takes a world with trouble in it to train Christians for their high calling as children of God, and to carve upon their souls the features of the face of Christ.

James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (NIV)

So then, afflictions are a way of making you better.  And that is how they should be tackled: as the testing and strengthening of your faith -- through the comfort and mercy of Jesus.

You don't have to worry whether or not He is going to take care of you.  He already has, (THE CROSS), He is currently doing so, and He will continue to care for you.  After all, aren't you more valuable than sparrows and He cares for them.

YOU SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED BECAUSE YOU CAN BE INSTRUMENTS OF COMFORT TO OTHERS.  Verse 4 " . . . so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

This glorifies God -- to comfort others.

Being used by God makes you feel good - that isn't the only reason to help someone, but it does feel good when the Holy Spirit uses you to do good.

You need to praise God that you have even had afflictions so that you can be able to help others.

How many of you, because of a trial, have been able to help another better because of that trial?

You see, God does not comfort you to make you comfortable, but to make you comforters.

Lighthouses are built by ship-wrecked sailors. Roads are widened by mangled motorists.  Hospitals are built by those who were sick.  Where nobody suffers, nobody cares.  When you suffer you learn to care.  That is why God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.

But don't forget, He suffered first.....

You should be encouraged because the comfort you receive from God comes through Jesus.   Verse 5.  "For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ."

This means that all comfort, encouragement, and hope that you receive through people, through the Word, or through circumstances are filtered through Jesus.

Therefore, the comfort is pure, good, and right.

It is received by faith.

Where our sufferings are abundant, so is our comfort.

This comfort is a spiritual comfort - received by faith, by active choice.

Conclusion

Encouragement is something that belongs to you as a Christian.  You do not have to live in a world of hurt and doubt.  You don't have to live alone. You don't have to weep in solitude.  You have the body of Christ to lift you up.  You have the Word of God to teach you.  You have the Holy Spirit indwelling in you who warms your soul.

You have the God of encouragement waiting to show you His mercy and love.

But you need to trust. You need to remember the Lord's blessing.  You need to depend on Him.   You need to keep your eyes on Jesus and Him alone.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest," (Matthew 11:28).

word4U2day

No Robes, No Problem

'Friends sharpen the minds of each other.' Proverbs 27:17 CEV

1 Samuel 18 has two strong friends performing an ancient covenant ritual. This was a bit like playground ‘blood brothers’, but much more serious—a promise to cover the other person’s back until death. ‘After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king’s son. There was an immediate bond between them…Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow and belt.’ (1 Samuel 18:1–4 NLT)

It’s a peculiar bit of Bible passage, isn’t it? Why would Jonathan go to those (probably fairly chilly) extremes to prove his friendship—what’s wrong with a coffee and a chat? Jonathan does something humble and costly by making a covenant with David. He’s the king’s son and heir to the throne. By handing over his tunic, sword and belt, he symbolises giving up his inheritance to David. Jonathan is dressing David to be the next king. Wow. The highest form of friendship puts others before ourselves. Do you want the best for your mate or do you secretly, even mentally, one–up them, so you have the higher status? Do you give up the things that you’ve been privileged with for your friends’ sakes? 1 Corinthians 13:4–5 NLT tells us, ‘…Love is patient and kind... not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.’ Every time you ‘covet’ something today, do a good deed for the person whose stuff you’ve wanted.

SoulFood: Gal 4-6, Matt 13:36-46, Ps 108, Prov 13:24-25

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.”

Ernest Hemingway

PROJECT WHAT YOU PERCEIVE

By

Zecharias E. Castro

When the Christian era began 2/3 of the Christians were slaves. These slaves were not following Christ to cease from being slaves. They were following Christ because Christ acknowledge their position in life to be the greatest position to be of use to everybody. And Christ recognize and acknowledge that the slave is the one that had the knowledge to execute the tasks their masters required of them to do.

Slaves in the time of Christ range from your typical home slave, to theater actors, dancers, singers and sport figures. The Greek theater offer the plays of the gods. Among the titan gods was Atlas, who was very daring and defy Zeus himself. For his bold defying Atlas was condemned to carry the heavens and the starry host upon his back.

The Christian not wanting to identify with this gods of debauchery and lewdness chose the condemnation of Atlas to be the very thing that would proudly represent them for what they did and managed to accomplish by being slaves. They knew that without them society would not run it’s natural course of grandeur and splendor.

In the words of Christ they found themselves described as children of The Most High God. Christ had said his followers would be those who had no place to call their own. No family, house or possession to cling to. Christ had said his followers would be constantly persecuted, ill-treated, cursed and defame( or evil spoken of) by all and eventually killed as a sheep that is bound to go to the slaughter house.

The slaves had lived all the words that Christ was saying but they had never consider themselves to be in the royal path that leads to and exalts the Creator and His Son Jesus Christ. When Christ told them they were the ones best suited in all society to bear his Good(useful) Name they gladly join the throng of believers and went with boldness to execute their tasks and chores of slaves knowing fully well in their hearts and minds God had redeem them from living to represent any man and He who sustains the Heavens in their place by the Word of His power had become their only Master.

The condemnation of Atlas became to the Christians the commendation of the Name of Christ. They were going to be a people zealous of Good(useful) works(occupations). They were going to despise idleness and any activity that would not make them do good( useful tasks) to all society. They were going to render to all their brothers and sisters in Christ all their knowledge and skills. All along they were going to be extremely careful to maintain the execution of an outpouring of good works the which the world they knew had never seen before.

These were the believers of the early church. Which of the icons above is being promoted by the church of The 21^st Century?.

Servant Of God

The Lord always makes the enthused servant/steward of God’s majestic and priceless wisdom eternally famous and wealthy in the revelation of His Love as that servant/steward strives to give, with everything he does and says - THE WORD - his most luxurious possession. As examples look at the prophets, the apostles, the fathers of the church, their names and teachings are still known to us. On the other hand, by giving you a world of fleeting fame and transitory fortune, The supplanting spirit of this age robs your everlasting soul of its eternal treasure.

Those who in this world seek to make THE WORD famous and wealthy in expression will get to see THE WORD, in the world to come, make them famous and fortunate for their bold proclamation.