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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
No matter what our discouraging situation, there are encouraging verses in the Bible that can give us hope: When you've lost something, or someone, who has been very precious to you: Matthew 5:4 "...
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Singapore Moses
Supporter
"Cast all your anxiety on God because He cares for you" (1 Pet 5:7) Satan has found that discouragement is the most effective of all tools he employs against God's people. No saint in the Old or the New Testament could escape this. Otherwise how do you explain Prophet Elijah, a champion on Mount Carmel, becoming the coward of the worst sort the very next day under a juniper tree? It's the experience of men and women of God that they get dumped in discouragement usually following a mountaintop experience with God or a meritorious exploit done for His Kingdom. Apostle Paul enjoyed abundance of divine revelations. But he was bothered by a thorn in the body. He calls it "a messenger of Satan" sent to beat him (2 Cor 12:7). How he wished he could get rid of it! He didn't casually pray about it but repeatedly "pleaded" with God that this pricking arrow of Satan would be removed from him. Instead of delivering Paul from this problem, God strengthened him to live with it. It was grief no doubt, but by the grace of God the mourning was turned into dancing! (vv 9,10). The devil was defeated again. Instead of burying himself under the heaps of discouragement and depression, Paul bounced up with a hilarious declaration, "When I am weak, then I am strong!" Life was much simpler for the earlier generations. We are at the zenith of scientific and technological advancement. We now have more gadgets and facilities than ever. But the end result is a life filled with tension and anxiety. Diseases unknown to our forefathers have become common today. Satan uses all these to discourage God's people and depress them. But the Bible, which has answers to our problems of yesterday, today and tomorrow, teaches us to throw all our anxieties on God because He cares for us. Otherwise we will become an easy prey to our adversary the devil who "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour!" (1 Pet 5:7,8). Prayer however does not guarantee solution to all problems and deliverance from pain, but it does promise the peace of God which is beyond understanding (Phil 4:6,7). This is the joy of the Lord which becomes your strength to resist Satan steadfastly. The knowledge that every other saint suffers like you is another encouragement (1 Pet 5:9). Worry worry until worry worries you no longer!
Nani Babu Nelli
Supporter
I usually being encouraged everyday with word - 1 Corinthians 2:5 (KJV) [5] That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. I hope every day meditation on this verse will bring new fountain of life from word of God.
James Kraft
Supporter
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me, and ALL that come to me I will in no wise cast out. Eternal security. John 6:39 An this is this is the Fathers will who hath sent me, that of all that He hath given me I should lose nothing but raise it up again at the last day. Eternal security. John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that every one who seeth the Son and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day. Eternal security. First John 5:13 These things have I written unto you, that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know ye have eternal life, and that ye my believe on the name of the Son of God. Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly, (all of us) his faith is counted for righteousness. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace ye are saved, though faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, not of works, (what we do or do not do) lest any many should boast. Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace; but if it be of works; then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more work. It is all AMAZING GRACE. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Eternal security. John 1:12 Burt as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name. The gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4 That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures. If you believe it, you are saved and have eternal life. John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, hath everlasting life. Eternal security. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, (everybody) that He sent His only begotten Son, (Jesus) that whosoever, (anybody) believeth on Him, (Trust Jesus as their savior) will not perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. Eternal security. Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let them be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again,If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be accursed. There is only one gospel, That Jesus died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again after three days, according to the scriptures. All we have to do to be saved and have eternal life is to believe it to receive it. If there was any other way to be saved, then Jesus died in vain. Galatians 2:21 I do not make void the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Salvation is a free gift of God and once we accept it we are saved forever because Jesus paid it all and we paid 0.
Olusegun Engr. AFOLABI
Supporter
If there is faith, and one believe in the bible then the concepts of encouragement in the scriptures will be an understatement. Since it was said that every aspect of the word of God is encouraging, and no word in the bible is considered not acceptable, then by the general definition of the word, the scritures are encouraging and similarly the word of God pleasant to the hear and worthy of emulation. Jeremiah 29:11, "for i know the plan, i have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
I like Romans 5:17 NIV:
"Those who receive God's abundant provision of grace... REIGN IN LIFE through the one man, Jesus Christ."
For if, by the transgression of the one man, 1 death reigned through the one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ!
NET © Notes
1 sn Here the “one man” refers to Adam (cf. Romans 5:14).
“In the New Testament the term basileuein (βασίλευειν) "to reign," is used to illustrate and emphasize the power of sin, death and grace (Rom 5:14,17,21 and Romans 6:12). Because sin was reigning in men’s lives (Rom. 5:21), death was also reigning (Rom. 5:14, 17).Sin, the vitiating/ruining mental factor, is to be looked upon as being constantly and resolutely bent on maintaining or regaining its hold upon man, its power being exercised and reinforced by the lusts of the body. Death, the logical outcome of sin, at once testifies to the power of sin and its inherent corruption, while grace is the restoring spiritual factor following up and combating... the pernicious/harmful influence of sin. It strives to dethrone sin, and to establish itself in man as the only dominating force.” --William Baur
If relied on, God's grace is most powerful!
And someday, we will reign because He will reign!
1 Cor. 15:25
"For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet."
("He won't let up until the last enemy is down--" -- MSG)
Mark Vestal
Supporter
When sharing the gospel of the grace of God, it's good to know where to find the verses that offer salvation by grace through faith (Paul's gospel for today), OUR good news! From the King James Version... 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Ephesians 1:7: “In whom [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Colossians 1:14: “In whom [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” 2 Corinthians 5:19: "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Romans 4:5: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 7:23-25: 23 "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Acts 16:30-31: 30 “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
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