Get Encouraged

Category: Uncategorized

  • Jesus is Our Guiding Light

    Night time in an unfamiliar terrain can be a scary place. With darkness all around, a traveler is not sure what lies ahead. The pitfalls of the land are unknown, so anxiety increases and nerves grow razor-thin. Have you ever been in this situation?

    Israel was. As they were leaving Egypt, they found themselves in the unfamiliar territory of the desert. They were unsure what lie ahead, but the Lord gave them guidance. Exodus 13 records the Lord leading Israel by a pillar of fire. The light provided by this pillar:

    •  Gave Israel protection.
    • Provided salvation. 
    • Helped the people remember the Lord was with them.

    Like Israel, life may place us in some unfamiliar territory, and the Lord will give us guidance in these moments. Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Just as Israel followed the pillar of fire, we can follow him.

    Jesus is our guiding light.

    Through Jesus:

    • We find protection.
    • We find salvation.
    • We find the truth the Lord is with us.

    Jesus is our light in unfamiliar places. Jesus is our light guiding us through the darkness of this world. What areas of life do you need the Lord’s light to shine?

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  • Claiming Victory: A promise from Psalm 118

    “My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory” (Psalm 118:13-14).

    These words of the Psalmist can bring great encouragement to you and I. They were written at a time of high stress and tension.

    During this time, the Jewish people were struggling to rebuild their community and their temple in Jerusalem, and they faced opposition and persecution from their neighboring nations. Despite these challenges, the psalmist expresses confidence and trust in God’s protection and salvation, and celebrates God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

    Perhaps today is a time of high stress and tension for you. Look again at these words of the Psalmist. The Lord is his strength. The Lord has given him victory. Though we are surrounded by stress and tension, we can be assured the Lord is bringing about a victory.

    If you’re struggling today, cling to this promise. The Lord is your strength and your song; he will give you victory.

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  • Divine Provision: How the Lord’s Manna for the Israelites Teaches Us About Trusting in God to Meet Our Needs

    The people of Israel found themselves in the desert where there are not a lot of food choices. Walking through the desert day after day is bound to strike up a hunger, so they had to eat something. They did not know what they were going to eat so the people grumbled. They had been pulled out of the fertile lands of Egypt and placed in the dry, parched desert. How on earth were they going to survive? Anxiety levels elevated; the Israelites quickly forgot how the Lord brought them out of Egypt.

    But the Lord had a plan. Exodus 16 reveals the Lord sent manna each day for the Israelites. Verses 21-22 record, “Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much, two omers, for each person, and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses.” For the entirety of their trip, the Israelites were provided manna. The Lord met their needs.

    The Israelites were taught a valuable lesson. The Lord can provide for our needs. What seemed impossible to them, was easy for the Lord. They saw a dry and parched land, but the Lord saw a bread basket. The Lord had provisions to meet the need. All the Israelites had to do was trust him.

    Later, Moses recalled, “He humbled you, causing you to hunger then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). The people spent 40 years in the desert, yet they had food, water, clothes that stayed wearable, and feet that were not swollen. The Lord continually met their needs.

    The Bible teaches the Lord is still in the need meeting business today. John 6:35 says, “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

    Like the Israelites, our anxiety levels may be high. We may not understand how the Lord could possibly meet the needs in a situation or circumstance we are facing, but he put manna on the ground. What needs do you need to trust the Lord to meet today? Like the Israelites, he desires for us to trust him with our needs.

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  • Success Starts With Submitting

    No one likes failure, and everyone strives to achieve success. Tucked away in James 4 is a suggestion to help us find true success.

    Submit to God (James 4:7).

    True success comes from the Lord, and finding it requires allowing the Lord in our lives. This means…

    • We accept his wisdom and will.
    • We trust his power and love for us.
    • We follow his teachings.

    Nothing will detour Satan faster than a close relationship with the Lord, so if you’re looking for true success, start by submitting to the Lord.

  • The Good Shepherd: How Jesus Fulfills the Role

    Taking care of sheep was a commitment, not just a job. Sheep required around-the-clock care and protection. A good shepherd would care deeply for his sheep, and he would tend to their needs in a compassionate way. The Bible teaches Jesus is our good shepherd.

    In John 10:11 and 14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” This means Jesus acts toward us as a good shepherd acted toward his sheep. Here are just a few of the characteristics that make up a good shepherd.

    A good shepherd knows his sheep.

    A good shepherd knows his sheep. He knows everything about them. To many, sheep all look the same, but to their shepherd, they are unique.

    • In John 10:3, Jesus says, “…the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
    • “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me,” Jesus says in John 10:14.

    Jesus knows us. He knows our thoughts, hurts, passions, and everything else about us.

    A good shepherd goes ahead of his sheep.

    Jesus says in John 10:4, “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them and they follow him because they know his voice.” A good shepherd goes ahead of his sheep to keep them out of danger. He leads them to water and green pastures so their needs are met. As our good shepherd, Jesus guides are lives.

    A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

    Standing between the sheep and their predators is the shepherd, and he is willing to give up his life to save theirs.

    Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Standing between us and the penalty of sin is Jesus. He laid down his life to save ours. He is our good shepherd.

    David writes in Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want.” And, the Lord is a good shepherd. He knows us and he tenderly and compassionately cares for us. Take a moment today to thank him for being the good shepherd.

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  • Hope for the Hopeless: Psalm 118 Reveals Who to Trust

    Hope is easy when we do not really need it, but when circumstances around us seem hopeless, we truly discover where our hope can be found.

    Friends who say call if you need anything may or may not mean it. Politicians may promise hope, but they are not able to deliver a true hope. Hope in money can eventually run out. The Lord, however, can provide a true, constant hope in the most hopeless of situations.

    Psalm 118:8-9 reminds us “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

    The Lord can give hope to the hopeless. In the darkest of hours, he can be a ray of light that changes everything. Where is your hope placed today?

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  • Finding Deliverance in Psalm 118: Overcoming Fear and Defeat in Difficult Times

    “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;

    he brought me into a spacious place.

    The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.

    What can mere mortals do to me?

    The Lord is with me; he is my helper.

    I look in triumph on my enemies” (Psalm 118:5-7).

    “Between a rock and a hard place” is how a lot of folks may describe their current circumstances. They may not see a way out, but Psalm 118 reminds us of the Lord’s power.

    The Psalmist says he was hard pressed; he was having a difficult time, so he cried out to the Lord and the Lord brought deliverance.

    • The Psalmist felt hard pressed, but the Lord gave him breathing room (verse 5).
    • The Psalmist fear was taken away by knowing the Lord was near (verse 6).
    • The Psalmist knew the Lord would bring victory (verse 7).

    As the day begins, you may share those same feelings. You may feel hard pressed, fearful, and defeated, but the Lord offers the same deliverance to us. Follow the Psalmist example of crying out to the Lord.

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  • Enduring Love: A Promise from Psalm 118

    “Give thanks to the Lord. He is good; his love endures forever” proclaims Psalm 118:1.

    This is a promise of unshakable love for us.

    When Psalm 118 says that God’s love endures forever, it is expressing the idea that God’s love is constant and unchanging. The Hebrew word for “love” used in this verse is “hesed,” which is often translated as “steadfast love” or “unfailing love.” This word conveys the idea of a loyal, faithful, and committed love that endures through all circumstances and challenges.

    In the context of Psalm 118, the psalmist is giving thanks to God for delivering them from their enemies and for being their salvation. The psalmist recognizes that God’s love is the foundation of this deliverance and salvation, and that it is an enduring love that will never fail.

    This idea of God’s enduring love is a theme that is echoed throughout the Bible. For example, the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Similarly, the apostle Paul wrote, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

    Overall, when Psalm 118 says that God’s love endures forever, it is expressing the idea that God’s love is unwavering, unchanging, and always available to those who seek it.

    Remember, whatever life throws at you today, the Lord’s love endures forever.

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  • Shining Through Hopelessness

    Jesus was close to Lazarus and his sisters. Lazarus was ill, so the family sent word to Jesus requesting he come and help. Jesus does go, but the Bible teaches he waited before going.

    We know Jesus waited until Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days before helping. At this point, all hope had been lost. No one believed there was a chance Lazarus could be brought out of the tomb. However, the Bible records that is not the case.

    John 11:23-25 says,  “Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

    Jesus is getting ready to display his power over death. Life and death battled, and life won. Death’s grip could not hold Lazarus in the grave because of Jesus.

    Because of Jesus, death’s grip cannot hold us in bondage. Jesus says he is the resurrection and the life. Ephesians 2 says it is in Christ we are made alive by grace. Jesus question to Martha is the same one he asks us, “Do you believe?”

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  • Finding Peace in God

    “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

    This is an awesome piece of advice we can apply today. No matter what’s going on, we can exchange stress and anxiety for peace. Notice a couple words.

    Anything

    Merriam-Webster defines the word as “a thing, no matter what that thing may be.”

    Every

    Merriam-Webster defines the word as “all members of a group or set.”

    There are no restrictions. No problem or situation is too big or too small. Whatever is going on, Scripture says we can pray about it, and the Lord will give us peace.

    So, as you face the stressers and anxious moments of today, remember to pray. And, God’s peace will come.