Encouragement in the House of God

Philippians 1:6 – 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:

1 Thessalonians 5:11-13 – Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

When we look at our life or even someone we might know, family or friends, we notice that there are times we need encouragement, an uplifting, from a situation or problem or just life in general. Now, we might even know someone that needs encouragement but it’s also difficult for them to ask for it. Whether we need it for ourselves or for others, encouragement can do much for the one that needs it.

It can keep someone that’s digging a small hole from digging an even bigger one. It can take the one that has no place to turn to and give them a place to turn to. It can help the one that is about to give up at school, family, work, or even life: to help them realize there’s a way and, not only that, but the God of the universe is with them.

Thessalonians 5 shows us that we should comfort others and that also means comforting ourselves. We should edify each other by helping and instructing each other in problems and situations. The devil in this generation has twisted and fooled many of us to think that we are alone and there is no one that can help us or that we can turn to. THIS IS A LIE, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT. We have one of the biggest families in the world so wherever we go, we have brothers and sisters in Christ, throughout the world, Glory to God.

First of all, all that are in God’s family should be respected, for all have sacrificed much for God’s calling. This is what we learn from 1 Thessalonians. We must realize that all have a part to complete in the body of Christ and we all have a specific part to complete in teaching, pastoring, evangelizing, praying, administration, deaconing, cooking, Sunday school teaching, media, and many other categories. We must realize that without all of us working together in harmony, the work of God would be damaged: not because God is not capable but because of us.

Let us become more encouraging disciples of Christ to others in the body of Christ and by doing so, we will become better disciples.

Let us also not forget that 1 Philippians states that we should be confident that He who has started a good work in us shall also perform it. This means that as long as we remember that it’s not us that is fulfilling the work but rather that we are His instrument for Him to complete the good work, that we shall know that Jesus Christ is more than capable of achieving His goal through us.

We must just be willing to keep the instrument ready for His disposal, if we do this then stay encouraged and be uplifted for God is with you and if He is with you then who can be against you. That is what the Word of God teaches us.

1 Thessalonians 3:7 – Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

Romans 1:1,12 – First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the world. 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Joshua 24:16-17 – And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

Acts 14:21-22 – And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

In life we all go through hardships and problems, temptations and trials, their is no way around this. The Word of God does not teach us that we will not go through this, in fact, it tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him, it tells us to deny ourselves. The Word of God tells us we shall have sacrifices, we will have sufferings, but do not be afraid because if we stay with Him we will have gained eternal life.

Instead let us encourage ourselves, like it says in 1 Thessalonians it says, ‘therefore, brethren we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith.’ Even when we go through problems, let us realize that there are also others in the family of Christ and through the faith in Christ they have become victors over the problems, temptations, and trials. And by this we will be comforted because we will realize that God will not send anything our way if we can not handle it. He has already made a way out for you and me through any problem and trial.

LET US STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH with the rest of the family of Christ.

And when we stay firm in the faith, just as Paul did in Rome, that faith can be heard throughout the world. The faith you and others can have in Christ through the hardships of this life can become an encouragement towards others in their faith as well as a living testimony to the rest of the world about Jesus Christ. This alone is worth giving glory to God in all things.

Romans 1 also includes that through the hardships that we shall be comforted together for our mutual faith. This indicates that when we hear about, or are together, in the hardship of this world we shall be encouraged by this for we are one body in Christ we shall cry with each other, we shall have joy with each other, we shall be together in Christ.

We see in the book of Joshua that people said, ‘God forbid us to serve other gods.’ Because God had taken them out of Egypt, out of bondage, and through all this performed miracles and signs and not only this but He preserved them among all the other nations. Let us be encouraged for if God is with us we can go through anything and become victors over all. Let us not forget that He who has started a good work in us shall complete it as well, when we allow Him to be God and Lord of our lives.

And just as in Acts, if we comfort and exhort our brethren and sisters in Christ (disciples) and keep the faith until the end, we that must go through much tribulation to enter the kingdom of God. Another passage says that we will go through tribulations but we will keep ourselves through encouragement and exhortation; we will keep the faith no matter what, for God is with us – we shall enter the kingdom of God for this.

Conclusion

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Psalm 138:3 – In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

There are times that we cry unto our God just as David did many times and when David cried, the Lord answered. Let us be strengthened just as David was in his soul, for the Lord God is with us and He answers in the perfect time, He responds when it is right.

For God knows all the thoughts He has towards you, and they are for peace and not for evil and to give you a proper end. Let us stay comforted by this that our God is looking towards us for the best, for our life to be the best in the perfect plan that He has created you for. All is for peace and good and not evil. Give glory to God that He has created you for a purpose and for His perfect plan.

LET’S STAND FIRM IN FAITH AND WE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE!

TURN TO GOD IN REPENTANCE, ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD

GOD BLESS YOU ALL