NEED ENCOURAGEMENT?
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE SCRIPTURES we might have HOPE. Now may the God WHO GIVES perseverance and ENCOURAGEMENT…” -{Rom 15:4-5}
“GOD WHO GIVES… ENCOURAGEMENT…” He does so through “THE SCRIPTURES…” so that you might have”…HOPE…” Need encouragement? Then come to His Word and ask Him to encourage you and then extend the encouragement He gives from it to others…Take time to “meditate …day and night…”-{Psalm 1:2}. Psalm 119 the longest chapter and is in the middle of the Bible is about characteristics of His Word. Years ago I used to read a section before I started studying whatever subject I was doing and this was my “warm up,” and what a blessing to look at the characteristics of His Word and see God’s provision from it . His Word is to lead us to Him, “…And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. “-{Luke 24:27} “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY…” Be rich in the Word, it is the foundation for teaching and singing from your hearts to the LORD! –{Read Col 3:16}. Take a verse and think on it, word by word, phrase by phrase and in the context it is written and renew your mind with it. So it may align your thinking up with God’s and influence your decision making that is worthy of Him.-{Read Rom 12:2}. And remember one reason He has preserved His Word d is to encourage His people!
“To encourage is to refresh find solace in, comfort.(paraklesis from pará = side of + kaleo = call) means literally the calling to one’s side and so refers can refer to exhortation, solace, comfort (that which gives strength and hope and which eases the grief or trouble of another) and consolation (that which alleviates grief, sense of loss, or trouble of another).“-{preceptaustin commentaries}
Vincent has this note on paraklesis, writing that…
Consolation (paraklesis). From para, to the side of, and kaleo, to call or summon. Literally, a calling to one’s side to help; and therefore entreaty, passing on into the sense of exhortation, and thence into that of consolatory exhortation; and so coming round to mean that which one is summoned to give to a suppliant — consolation. Thus it embodies the call for help, and the response to the call. Its use corresponds with that of the kindred verb parakaleo, to exhort or console.”
Times over the years with my chronic illness in particular, I have needed some encouragement and have asked Him to encourage me and how often He has through bringing a verse to mind or allowing me to read something.
A Good prayer is to ask the LORD to encourage you when you come to His Word…
One such verse has been “This is my comfort in my affliction YOUR WORD has revived {preserved my life} my soul.”-{Psalm 119:50}
God comforts, refreshes, encourages through HIS Word… for He is the God who”… GIVES ENCOURAGEMENT…” to what end? In these verses that we might have “HOPE!” Not the “hope of a gambler, the “hope of chance,” but the “Hope of certainty!”
LET GOD ENCOURAGE YOU… HIS WORD IS A MEANS TO THAT END!
And you wonder why the evil one tempts you to keep away from His Word … for the enemy does not want you ENCOURAGED…
Choose God’s Word and see Him “Give ” …you encouragement!”