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Encouragement "Wherefore
encourage (comfort)
yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also
ye do" ~ "For
whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for
our learning, that we through patience and encouragement (comfort) of the
scriptures might have hope. "Now
the God of patience and encourage
(consolation)
grant you to be likeminded one toward another according
to Christ Jesus." "If
there be therefore any encouragement
(consolation)
in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of
the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy,
that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one
accord, of one mind." |
Comfort "I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself." ~Psalm 119:52~ "Let,
I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, "For
the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and
her desert like the garden "Who
comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them
which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God. For as the
sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation
also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it
is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual
in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also
suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for "Therefore
we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and
exceedingly the "Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts." ~Ephesians 6:22~ "For
we have great joy and comfort
(consolation)
in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are
refreshed by thee, brother." Nave's
Topical Bible - Comfort & Affliction,
Consolation In |
Look
at this verse: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and
hymns and spiritual If there is no one else to comfort you, get your Bible and go to a quiet place and start to read the Psalms. There is such comfort in the Psalms. |
1 John 1:9 says " If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all from all unrighteousness." Many Christians don't realize that this chapter is being written to believers, not the unsaved. Isn't that so amazing. What a loving God we serve. The Word of God is full of so many wonderful promises. Dig in and read them. They will bless you. "But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God |
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"Blessed
be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;" Sometimes even when we can't see the forest for the trees or we become more introspective than is probably wise, God WILL provide a way out for us. Remember that: "When God closes a door He opens a window." Even "Job" after loosing everything: health, wealth, children, home, friends and more, was given a NEW beginning. A second chance at happiness, if you will. Nothing could replace what he had lost. Job had three well-meaning friends who gave him sympathy and advice. But Job's friends even though they were well meaning, did not giving him wise or Godly advice. "And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath." ~Job 42:7~ Job's turning point was when he prayed for his enemies. "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before."~Job 42:10~ WOW! That must have been REALLY difficult. He actually prayed for them. I can only imagine, after his tremendous ordeal how truly difficult that must have been for him. Sometimes it is ONLY, when we get to the end of OUR rope, that we come to God. We may say "I can't do it on my own anymore Lord". We may be angry or hurt. We may even feel sorry for ourselves. But the Lord has never left your side. He wants you to come to Him. He wants you to ask for help. But, often it is then that we want to take control of the situation back and take care of it all by ourselves. Trusting can be hard even with people that we know and can actually see. How much harder it is to trust the Lord when we can't see Him. Let go. CRY. He wants to wipe away your tears. SCREAM. He will listen. But talk to Him. He is listening when no one else is. If
you haven't read the end of the book of "Job"
let me share
Let's be patient and wait expectantly for the blessings that the Lord has planned for us. He loves us with an unconditional love. Trust Him. You are not alone.
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Tomorrow |
Corrie ten Boom was born in Holland. She is now in Heaven. But she had such a wonderful story and testimony. In her book "The Hiding Place", Corrie and Betsy, her sister were being taken to Ravensbruck a concentration camp during World War II. Two specific incidents have been imprinted in my memory. The first one was when they were being shuffled into the camp. Betsy had a small New Testament attached to a string around her neck. Corrie had explained to Betsy that she would surely be shot or punished for trying to smuggle it into the barracks. But Betsy had a strong and childlike faith in the Lord. She trusted the Lord and knew in her heart that the Lord would provide a way. They were drawing close to the guard, when all at once a lady just passed out a few people in front of them. So the guards, to discourage anymore chaos just pushed all the rest of the ladies through without searching them. The Lord had seen fit to give them supernatural protection. That could only have come from the Hand of God. The
next example from her book is when Betsy and Corrie were
having a prayer and Bible study in their barracks. The
conditions were horrific. They were beyond our
imagination. During the prayer Betsy prayed "Lord
thank you for the FLEAS!" Corrie could not go on
without stopping her sister and saying "Why did you
say that?" Betsy lovingly just explained from her
heart, "Corrie don't you see. The Lord provided the
FLEAS. That way the guards would not bother us in our
barracks, we can pray and worship freely." WOW.
Betsy had "Eyes" to see and she was blessed to
understand. We should strive to have such
"childlike" faith. It is definitely something
to strive for. Corrie ten Boom had an amazing ministry all of her life. She traveled all over the world sharing her story. Her message was the importance of these three words: "forgive your trespassers". She really forgave people for what they did to her. Isn't that amazing? When I traveled to Amsterdam, I really wanted to see the home that Corrie and her family hide the Jews in. I was amazed that the people of Holland hardly knew who she was. They kept saying "Oh yes, the Americans always mention her". But I was not able to see her home. I would encourage you to read her book "The Hiding Place", I know that the Lord will use it to impact your own life in a mighty way. I purchased two copies of her book in Dutch and gave them to the front desk clerk and the tour guide. All that I asked of them was that once they finished reading it, that they share it with someone else. The Lord knows how the book touched different lives, even if I don't. I just had to listen to the still small voice and obey.
More Links: CORRIE TEN BOOM HOUSE & Corrie ten Boom. I have a search page that I typed in her name for you already right HERE. Reading biographies of Missionaries and Great Christians of History can really encourage and uplift you. It can remind us of what the Lord has done for others and can strengthen our faith. Visit my Annie's Verse A Day Page to find "Learn about A Christian Life in History" section. |
Here
is a quote from "amazing love" by Corrie ten Boom: The reality of the victory of Christ can be seen only by faith, which is our radar. Our faith perceives what is actual and real; our senses perceive only that which is limited to three dimensions and comprehended by our intellect. Faith sees more." |
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So
"Be Encouraged", my friend. Listen to what the
Word of God says: |
Barnabas: In
the Nave's Topical
Bible we learn that Barnabas accompanied Paul
and other disciples. The disciples referred to him as an
"Encourager". Acts 4:36-37 "And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation, or Son of Encouragement) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus." If you do a search in the Bible for "Barnabas" there are 28 matches. He's mentioned over 35 times in the New Testament, and many times in the book of Acts. Only Paul and Peter are referred to more. Most Christians don't even know who Barnabas was. He lived to serve and encourage others. His actual name was Joseph, but to his friends he was known as "Barnabas" because it meant "son of encouragement". Barnabas came to people in their times of need and helped them. Acts 9:10-28, Acts 15:36-39 You
can find many more Bible Study Helps at my |
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Are you looking for other pages to help you become an Encourager?
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Other Related Pages by Annie for you to visit:
February
1st is Be An Encourager
Day!!!! |
Annie's
Featured Holiday Page |
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