There are times when Christians can get discouraged. The bible tells us that God is the God of all encouragement and he desires for you comforted and to know Him as one who is near. In this address you will hear from the scriptures how God encourages us. We will look at four examples where God encourages his people to contiune in service for Him and remain faithful in a ever changing world.There are times when Christians can get discouraged. The bible tells us that God is the God of all encouragement and he desires for you to be comforted and to know Him as one who is near. In this address you will hear from the scriptures how God encourages us. We will look at four examples where God encourages his people to contiune in service for Him and remain faithful in a ever changing world.
Bible Scriptures: Darby Translation
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions, and God of all encouragement;4 who encourages us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to encourage those who are in any tribulation whatever, through the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged of God.5 Because, even as the sufferings of the Christ abound towards us, so through the Christ does our encouragement also abound.”
1 Kings 19:9-21 “9 And there he went into a cave, and lodged there. And behold, the word of Jehovah [came] to him, and he said to him, What doest thou here, Elijah?10 And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I am left, I alone, and they seek my life, to take it away.11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before Jehovah. And behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Jehovah: Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake: Jehovah was not in the earthquake.12 And after the earthquake, a fire: Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire, a soft gentle voice.
13 And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice [came] to him and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?14 And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I am left, I alone, and they seek my life, to take it away.15 And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when thou comest, anoint Hazael king over Syria;16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint prophet in thy stead.
17 And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.18 Yet I have left [myself] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.19 And he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing [with] twelve yokes before him, and he with the twelfth; and Elijah went over to him, and cast his mantle on him.20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and I will follow thee. And he said to him, Go back again; for what have I done to thee?21 And he returned back from him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. And he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.”
Philemon 1:1-7 “1 Paul, prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timotheus the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-workman,2 and to the sister Apphia and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the assembly which [is] in thine house.
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.4 I thank my God, always making mention of thee at my prayers,5 hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints,6 in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ [Jesus].7 For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.”
Acts 28:11-15 “11 And after three months we sailed in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian, with [the] Dioscuri for its ensign.12 And having come to Syracuse we remained three days.
13 Whence, going in a circuitous course, we arrived at Rhegium; and after one day, the wind having changed to south, on the second day we came to Puteoli,14 where, having found brethren, we were begged to stay with them seven days. And thus we went to Rome.15 And thence the brethren, having heard about us, came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Tres Tabernae, whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage.”