Tag: Encouragement For The Downcast

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God Our Present Help

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. ~ Psalms 46:1-3

Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel surrounded by strangers? Even though those around you are your friends and acquaintances, you still feel abandoned and alone, like no one loves you or cares about you? Proverbs 18:24 says that there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, and that friend is Jesus. He is our refuge in times of stormy weather. He is our strength in times of weakness. He is our very present help in times of trouble.

It doesn’t matter what others might say about you. It doesn’t matter how they try to make you feel. Even when others insult you and say all manner of evil against you, there is one who will never leave you nor forsake you. Again, His name is Jesus. Even when all the world comes against you and the earth seem to give way beneath you. Wild things are happening all around you, things that cause the strongest heart to flutter; Jesus is your peace.

How do you receive such peace? First, you have to come to Jesus and accept Him as the LORD and Savior of your life. Then you must learn to trust Him with everything in your life. Trust that He will do the right thing by you even if it doesn’t feel like He is at the moment, trust and believe. You can only get to that point in your life if you learn His ways and learn who He is. How? By reading the Bible. The Bible is God’s written revelation of Himself to us. If you want to learn who God is and how He operates or works, then read His revealed word to us. You cannot trust someone you barely know. You must form a relationship with Him through constant prayer, through worship and through the study of His word.

So, the next time the mountains around you seem to shake and quiver, or even if they seem to be moved and fall into the heart of the sea and its waves roar and foam, remember God is for you and can and will deliver you, so trust Him to do what is right for you, and He will deliver you. Heavenly Father, thank You that You are my Help in times of trouble. Thank you that You hold all things in Your hands, and no one can pluck me out of Your hands. Help me to understand who You are and to know Your ways. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Tending Sheep

10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” ~ 1 Samuel 16:10-12

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, all except for his youngest, David. The first was tall and strong; surely God must be pleased enough with him to make him king. But no, he was not chosen. The others passed in like manner, but they were not chosen either. Finally, Samuel asked, are these all of your sons? No one even thought about calling David. He is young, giddy-headed, just a keeper of sheep; he will never be chosen. These big sons of mine have fought in the army. They have followed Saul to war. Surely, God will choose one of them. But God did not choose any of them.

Sometimes, people, even your own family, may not see your potential; they may just think of you as a child keeping the sheep. They may see you as worthless, no good, or in the menial task you are performing now. That is because they only see the raw material, but the cool thing is that God sees the finished product. Maybe the CEO of a corporation, or the next senator, or President. Maybe the next successful small business owner with a huge outreach. He sees you for who you are, not where you are.

It does not matter where you are right now physically; it matters where you are spiritually. God wants to bless you and use you. So, continue tending those sheep to the best of your ability until your anointing brings you your crown. For if you are faithful, God will open the door of opportunity. Just be faithful in the little things, and God will give you big things in your time. That needed job or promotion you’ve been praying for is on its way. So, hold on, hang in there; your Samuel is on his way.

Father, bring peace and joy to the hearts of your people as they labor in the fields, waiting for their door of opportunity to open. We believe You are a faithful God who delights in giving His children good gifts. Thank you for hearing us today. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.

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God’s Favor

5 For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. ~ Psalms 30:5

If God loves you, and He does, He will discipline you, and that is how you know you are a son or a daughter because God does not discipline an illegitimate child. But know this: when God does discipline you, it’s only for a short time because He loves you. But His favor, His love, and His mercies last a lifetime; they are forever.

His favor will open doors that were once closed; His love brings that promotion that was out of reach. His mercies will protect the wayward child and restore the broken relationship. His kindness is the reason why weeping will only last a night, but when the sun comes up, it brings joy, new hope, renewed mercies, and fresh blessings.

Here is a truth: God does not want to be angry; He would much prefer to be generous. And when He is angry, He will always look for ways, or for someone to stand in the gap so that He will not have to carry out the deserved punishment. Whatever God does, it is always for our own good.

Rejoice in the fact that God loves you and cares for you. Rejoice that He notices you among all the billions of other people that inhabit Earth. We are like His pride and joy, and He loves us.

Be blessed today, be joyful today, and be hopeful and optimistic today; God loves you and cares for you.

Father, we, Your children, come and present to You the offering of praise. Receive it today and leave behind a blessing. Thank You, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Our Risen Savior

1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. See, I have told you.” ~ Matthew 28:1-7

Early Sunday morning, the day we Christians call Resurrection Sunday, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb of Jesus. But they found an empty tomb. Jesus was not there; He had risen as He said He would. He lived, though He was dead, and now He is alive forevermore. Paul said that if Jesus indeed had not risen from the dead, then we have no salvation, and we are still in our sins, and we Christians are most to be pitied of all people. Not only that but they are found to be false witnesses about God because they testified that He raised Jesus from the dead.

Friends, I want to assure you that Jesus did die a physical death; He was buried and laid in the tomb for three days and three nights, and He did rise again, holding the keys of death and Hades in His powerful hand.

There is something else I want you to notice. The Scriptures declare that an angel descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. But the account does not say anything about Jesus coming out of the grave at that time. Instead, it says,

… the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay …”

Jesus had already risen by the time the angel got there. Because, after all, it was not the angel’s job to let Jesus out, but to let the believers in, and to prove to the world the empty tomb. If the angel had not rolled the stone away, the world would never know that the tomb is empty. But the soldiers saw the angel come down. They saw him roll the stone away. They saw that the tomb was empty but did not see Jesus emerge from the tomb, yet they had seen His dead body go into the tomb, and they feared greatly, so much so that they became as dead men. There was no denying that Jesus had risen from the dead. The empty tomb proved it for them.

You and I can rejoice in knowing that what we believe is true. What we hold on to is not a cleverly devised lie but the everlasting Truth. We can be assured that what was passed down to us about the Resurrection is an eyewitness account. So, rejoice in your salvation, and rejoice in the resurrection of your LORD and Savior.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, who was obedient to You and accomplished everything that You sent Him to accomplish. I accept His free gift of life, and I rejoice in the fact that He is alive forevermore and that He is coming back for me. Help me to live for You and to serve You wholeheartedly without becoming disillusioned or weary. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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A Justified Enemy

9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by His blood, will we be saved through Him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life. ~ Romans 5:9-10CSB

Christ died for us while we were still His enemy. He didn’t die for the righteous because there was none to die for; no, instead, He died for the unrighteous—the sinner and betrayer—the very ones who put Him on the cross and the ones who would blaspheme Him in the future. Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, died for His enemy.

This is the reason salvation is so important because, without it, you will die as an enemy of God. What does that mean? Jesus refers to Hell as a place of gnashing of teeth. This isn’t because of the pain that the people will be in, but that they’ll be tortured in Hell. That there are torturers who are tormenting those in Hell because they’ve chosen to be an enemy of God. So, those torturers are gnashing their teeth against those in Hell on behalf of God.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for every temptation I have given into. Please continue to wash me clean and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Thank You for Your blood that washes me clean. Thank You for Your sacrifice because I don’t deserve it. Thank You for Your perfect love that keeps me safe from all evil. Thank You, LORD, for calling my name and forming me into a new creation in You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Unclean To Clean

31 You must keep the Israelites from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling my tabernacle that is among them. ~ Leviticus 15:31CSB

In the Law of Moses, God explained that certain natural bodily functions were unclean; some even required a sacrifice at the end of the days they were unclean for. At first glance, this sounds unfair and quite mean of God, but when you take into account that God is preparing them for the new and better covenant, it begins to make sense.

See, in the Law of Moses, bodily functions out of our own control made us unclean, but today our fleshly desires that feel natural and out of our own control, are what make us unclean. No longer are the things out of our control what is separating us from God. Instead, no temptation that has ever come to us not tempted someone else. In fact, we overcome because Christ first overcame.

No longer is our own uncleanness out of our control. Now, we have been given the power, authority, and weapons to overcome all temptation of the enemy. No sin is who we are. No sin did God plague us with. We are called out of darkness into His everlasting Light so that we might be transformed by the renewal of our mind and be the very dwelling place of God Himself.

Dear LORD, please forgive me for every sin I’ve given into. Please forgive me for every sin I’ve claimed as just who I am. Cancel my words of death, lies, and separation from You, for You created me to be with You. Your desire is for my good and not for evil. Please fill me with the Spirit of Discernment so that I might know the difference between Your Truth and the lies of the world and my flesh. Please cover me in Your precious blood and protect me from every attack of the enemy. Teach me to put on the full armor so that I might stand strong in the day of temptation. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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God Is Concerned About You

7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.” ~ Exodus 3:7

Have you been crying out to God? Has He not answered yet? Maybe you feel like He doesn’t love you or even care about you. Please be assured God HAS heard your cries, and He IS concerned about you. The time will come when He will rend the heavens and come down to see about you. He will send you a deliverer, someone who is in a position to help you or to open a now-closed door. He may send someone just to encourage you, to lift up your spirit, or to let you know you are not alone.

The Father has done it before, and He will do it again. He will come to your rescue. In times past, He saw our misery, even though we ourselves did not see it, but our sins and iniquities had condemned us to an eternity in the Lake of Fire with no chance of release or parole. We needed a Savior, but there was none. The Father knew and understood that we needed a Savior, and so He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross for us. We were all lost because of sin. We were all separated from God because of disobedience, but in the fullness of time, God sent His Son to die so that we might live. We had no hope, but the Father gave us Hope in the form of His Son, Jesus, who was crucified but was raised to life on the third day.

Make no mistake—God knows where you are. Keep trusting, keep doing good, keep on keeping the faith, and know for sure your good deeds are not in vain in the LORD. Since the Father sent Jesus to die so that we might live, do you think He will withhold any good thing from us? The answer is no. No, He will not withhold any good thing from those who seek His face and call upon His name.

Heavenly Father, I pray for persistent faith today. The type of faith that overcomes all adversities, crushes all obstacles, and cannot be moved but can move mountains. LORD, revive the faith that may be dying or has died, and breathe life into our dry and thirsty souls. Let Your Holy Spirit be known, and let no doubt remain that it is profitable to serve You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Alone And Forgotten

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. ~ Job 1:1-5, 13-22

Have you ever felt really alone, like God isn’t hearing your prayers? Like maybe God has forgotten you and maybe doesn’t even want you anymore? Things keep going wrong? Your heart feels heavier and heavier each day? Memories that you once suppressed have resurfaced, and God doesn’t seem to help you deal with them? I’ve been feeling this way lately. Many nights and days in tears. Then, finally, I told my parents how I was feeling, and my Dad sat me down and encouraged me.

He reminded me that even though Job sacrificed on behalf of his children continually, all of his children died. Even though Job was righteous and ran away from evil, everything he had was taken from him. Job could have easily been discouraged. He could’ve easily claimed God abandoned him and forgot about him. He could’ve easily felt like God no longer wanted him because the very thing he was praying and sacrificing to protect was taken away in a single day, along with every other thing Job had.

During this time, God remained silent. Job cried out to God and received no reply. His friends sat and accused him, yet God still remained silent. Job’s own wife even told Job to curse God and die, and God still remained silent. God didn’t respond to Job until Satan had finished testing Job.

Each of us will be handed over to Satan for a time of testing. It won’t be easy. You’ll feel alone, forgotten, and even forsaken by God, but no matter what the enemy tries to discourage you with, God’s promises are True and steady to stand on. When we’re being tested, God remains silent so that He might see what is truly in our hearts. This is why we store up the Word of God in our hearts so that when God feels distant, we can encourage ourselves with His promises. We can cast down every word spoken against and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Because no matter what the Devil throws at you or tells you, God has not forgotten you. God has not abandoned you. God has not changed His mind and no longer wants you. God loves each and every one of His creations and desires that all repent and come to the acceptance of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Dear LORD, thank You for never leaving me nor forsaking me. Thank You for wanting me and calling me to You. Thank You that even when I’m being tested, You are with me; even if I don’t feel like You are, You are with me always. Thank You, LORD, for loving me and wanting me. Please help me to hold fast my integrity no matter what great I must stand. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Blessings For Generations

40 The Lord told Moses, “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names. 41 You are to take the Levites for me — I am the Lord  — in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.” 42 So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43 The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273. ~ Numbers 3:40-43CSB

When we read in the Scriptures that Israel and its people are God’s chosen nation and people, it’s easy to feel unloved by God or even less than them as if they are better but that’s not the case. To be the chosen people of God doesn’t mean that God loved them more than us or that He sees them as better. How can we be sure?

Within the 12 tribes of Israel, God had a chosen tribe that He kept for Himself. It wasn’t the tribe the Messiah came through either, it was the tribe of Levi. Why? Because of Moses and Aaron. God chose Israel because of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham was called a friend of God. His faith was accounted to Him as righteousness because He believed God. So, His descendants were chosen. His offspring was chosen to save the entire world. This was Abraham’s reward.

Moses spoke face to face with God and Aaron went and spoke on behalf of Moses when he refused. So the Levites, their tribe, were chosen by the LORD as His special tribe. God honors those who honor Him.

Dear LORD, thank You for choosing me. Thank You for having a plan for my life. Please help me to stay faithful to You, so that I might bring a blessing upon my children and my children’s children until You return for Your own. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Just Passing Through

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. ~ Isaiah 43:2

There is no mistake or confusion; we are not promised a rose garden with only sunshine and blue skies. We WILL have trials; we WILL have temptations; we WILL have hardships. We WILL be called haters and bigots because we love Jesus and have a burning desire to ambitiously share His saving grace with a world that does not want to hear. We will face all manner of evil that is desperately trying to hush up the Gospel. So, be prepared for some rain. Plan to do some weeding, and be ready for a whole lot of sweating. In short, be prepared for some hard work.

But there is good news. For even though we go through the waters, even though we pass through the fire, they will not sweep over us; they will not set us ablaze; they will not overcome us. They will not defeat us. For the LORD, our God is with us and not against us. He is our buckler and our shield. His name is a strong tower that the righteous can run into and be saved. He WILL NOT let our circumstances defeat us or destroy us. So, we should not either.

Be determined beforehand how you will react to certain circumstances. Be bold and confident because He is there with us, shielding us and protecting us. For when you go through the stormy waters of trials, He is there. When you struggle through the fiery tribulations of life, He is there; when you face joblessness or closed doors, fear not, for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Our God will never leave you nor forsake you; He will even carry you if necessary.

My Heavenly Father, LORD God Almighty, please give my sister comfort in her troubles today; please grant peace to my struggling brother and provide for that family who is trying to make ends meet and finding it difficult. May their day be like no other day, with open doors and new opportunities. Please grant favor to Your children, and please open our eyes to see the way out that You have provided. Please bring Your people safely through whatever troubles we face today. In Jesus precious name, amen.

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