Tag: strengthens

The Righteous Abide Forever

The Righteous Abide Forever

What does it mean to ‘abide forever’?  This is talking about living in eternity in bliss and joy, in the center of eternal glory with a holy God and Savior.  There is no sin, sickness, suffering, or misery of any kind with the Lord.  Death will be unknown.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.  (Ps 112:6 NIV)

The righteous will never be upset or knocked off balance, spiritually, because they cling to this promise and it strengthens them.  Righteous people will be remembered forever.

The mentioning of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.  (Pro 10:7 NASB)

Remembering the life of a righteous person is a blessing.

Throw your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you.  He will never allow the godly to be shaken.  (Ps 55:22 NET)

When we rely upon the Lord, He will support and uphold us.  He will not allow us to be surprised because He knows how to warn us and to prepare us for difficult battles ahead. 

And our faithfulness to Him and to His Word will be repaid by untold blessings.  Glory to God!

Discouraged Versus Encouraged

Discouraged Versus Encouraged

Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’  (Deu 1:21)

Discourage means to dishearten; to dash someone’s hopes; to hinder or to restrain.  When you discourage someone, you hinder them from a plan or a project that they intended to complete.

When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.  (Act 11:23, underscoring added)

. . . that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ . . .  (Col 2:2)

Encourage means to embolden; to inspire; to support or assist someone.  When you encourage someone, you inspire them.  You assist them by expressing your confidence in their ability and their resolve to complete their mission.

As followers of Jesus and children of the living God, let us be channels of blessing on the earth to encourage fellow believers in their faith, and to encourage non-believers to accept the precious gift of salvation offered to them by God, our Father.

The Bible demonstrates in many passages that believers encourage one another in their faith, and it strengthens them.  (See Ac 11:23; 16:40; 20:2; Rom 1:12; Eph 6:22; Col 2:2; 4:8; 1 Thes 3:2)

The Word pleads with us in this verse:

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.  (1 Thes 5:14 ESV, emphasis added)

Here is another Scripture passage that demonstrates a way to encourage one another:

Then you will recite to one another psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; you will sing and make music to the Lord with your hearts . . .  (Eph 5:19 ISV)  If we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to the Lord—even alone in our quiet time with the Lord—we will encourage and embolden ourselves in our faith.  God bless you.