Encouragement

One word, title, encouragement. With all the bad news in the world, we could sure use some good news today. In considering what topic I should address today, I ask myself, what is the main thing that each person in the Church of God needs? For that matter, what does each person on the face of the earth need at this time?

I believe it is encouragement. This sermon is not about understanding world conditions. It's not about some technical doctrinal issue. Or it is not about many of the things that you might think of. But it's about how to be encouraged and also how to encourage others. I believe that every person on the face of the earth needs encouragement and comfort at this time. We need the strength and wherewithal to keep on keeping on in the face of everything that we hear about, see about, and even the issues in our own life.

So yourself and ask yourself, and what I ask myself, who am I and what can I say that would provide comfort and encouragement to each member of the body of Christ? And for that matter, anybody who might be listening or eventually hear about or listen to a sermon like this, of course, many times I feel that I need the same thing that is encouragement. We realize that we must look to the source of strength, look to the source of strength and comfort. We can all be filled with courage, strength, and joy unspeakable if we are in tune with the giver of every good and perfect gift.

Look at James chapter 1 verse 17, and you'll see who is the giver of every good and perfect gift. It is the father of lights with whom there is no variable in this need of shadow of turning, so we shall read it. James 1 verse 17, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights with whom his no veribleness, neither shadow of turning, of his own will, begat he us with the word of truth, of his own will.

We have been called, our minds have been opened to the truth, we have been given the opportunity to embrace, to defend the great pearl of price, the pearl of great price, the truth of God, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creation. We live in a negative age in which virtually every nuance of speech and body language is critiqued and judged.

What did he mean by that? What about that look? Why did he say that? What was that gesture about? And so on it goes with the critiques and the critics of the day. So many are obsessed with their image and looking good instead of being good. God communicates his will and his way to us through his word. We can know the will of God and we can know how to become as he is. In fact, Matthew 5, 48 says, The Holy Spirit write the law of God on our inward parts if we do not know what the law of God even says.

Look at Psalm 119 in verse 9. Psalm 119 verses 9 through 11. Psalm 119 in verse 11. In Psalm 119 verse 9, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? If you have compulsive, addictive behavior, how do you cleanse your way? If you have any kind of sin that you are dealing with, that you are battling with, or attitude or frame of mind, by taking heed thereto according to your word, with my whole heart have I sought you? O let me not wander from your commandments.

Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. And so we can ask ourselves, am I hiding the word of God in my heart? Is the word of God hidden in my heart already? And am I building on that? The word of God must become our meditation, as the Psalmist writes, O how love I your law.

It is my meditation all the day. Meditation means to think on, to dwell on, to reflect on. Why would you do this? Why would you do that? And the answer is because Jesus says, the words I speak, they are spirit in their life. That's why you would think on, you would dwell on, you would reflect on, you would hide in your heart.

If we really believe God means what he says, then we must do what he says. Or we are in the same mode as it talks about in James 2, even the devils believe and tremble. So you have to go a step beyond belief to really be encouraged. Note what the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians chapter 4 verse 13. We have so many things to say here today and to try to give help, to try to give comfort. And it begins, of course, with the word of God, your view of the word of God, which is under attack more and more.

In almost every dimension that you can possibly think of, and more and more in the news, is this thing about gender identification. I was listening for a few minutes to one of the preachers on television. He said, well, I went to Walmart this week and I told him, I want you to build me a pond. And he said, what do you want us to build you a pond? Because I identify with a bullfrog, and so I want you to build me a pond.

Of course, he was talking about gender identification, and now they're going even beyond gender identification with what they call gender fluidity. And I don't know exactly what gender fluidity means, but it has to do with you just eventually choose, and it's a fluid situation. A fluid situation as to whether you are male or female, and the way you were born biologically doesn't have anything to do with it.

And the school board in Fairfax, Virginia just passed a law and a new curriculum to embrace this nonsense. I said Colossians 4 and 13. I'm not there yet. I was in... No, I said Philippians 4 and verse 13. In Philippians 4 and verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So do we really believe that. See, the foundational key has to do with having the mind of God and Christ, and the mind of God and Christ, the minds of God and Christ, are revealed through the Scripture.

The Apostle Paul writes in another place that we should be content. He says, "...whatsoever state that I find myself in therewith, I am content." The reason Paul could be content with whatever state he was in was because of his living, active faith. So faith comes by hearing and hearing by how? The Word of God.

We're talking about encouragement. How do you get there? How do you encourage yourself? And how do you encourage others? And we have many steps to go through. Paul knew and knew that he knew that God was faithful, who had promised. God, who cannot lie, as it says in Titus chapter 1, has promised that he would deliver us from every trial that comes upon us. Even though people may be mistreating you, these kinds of feelings and attitudes of helplessness, hopelessness, and discouragement are not from God.

God is not a discourager. God is not discouraged. In fact, God commands us to be of a good courage, as he commanded Joshua, and we'll read that a little bit later.

If God be for you, who can be against you? That's what it says in Romans 8.31. So ask yourself, do you believe that God is for you? Do you believe that God will fight your battles for you if you do your part? So the attitudes of discouragement, woe is me, wallowing in the pittypits, is not of God. It's from the devil. That's where the devil wants you to be. If you were asked, and I'm asking you now, what would have to happen in your life to encourage you the most? Just think about it for a second there. What would happen at this instant for you to be encouraged the most? Well, when I think about this, I oftentimes think about events of the past that have occurred.

Events that at the time were perhaps very discouraging. But then I realized, I cannot change the past. Are you discouraged by the past? I can learn from the past. I can repent of the past. But I cannot make that which is crooked straight. I can't redo anything that I've done in the past. I can cry out for God's mercy, as you heard in the sermonette. And He's faithful in just, forgive us of all unrighteousness, if we come before Him in repentance and a contrite, humble heart. I have a saying that goes like this, what is is and what isn't isn't. And I have to deal with what is. And each one of us has to deal with what is. And the alternative is, I can let what is defeat me and give up. Just let it roll over you. Many of the things of the past that I would like to correct and make straight are not my doing. Many are. But whether it's my doing or from someone else, we may be grieved by those things and think about, well, I wish I had done that differently. But we can't change them. As I said, we can repent of them. We can learn of them. But the main thing we need to do is to press forward. Life is filled with bitter and sweet moments. Bitter and sweet. So how can we be encouraged based on all the things that are happening in this world, coupled with all the things that are happening in our own lives? This question reminds me of Rudyard Kipling's famous poem titled, If. Rudyard Kipling was a famous British author, mainly poet, who was born, I think, in the 1850s or so. Eventually he was born in India. Eventually he lived in the US, returned to India. He wrote this poem, If, in 1910.

In 1914, of course, World War I broke out. His only son, his only son or daughter, went to war, wanted to enlist in the war, was able to enlist in the war. In the Battle of Luce, L-O-O-S, in northern France, he was killed.

Rudyard Kipling was crushed by that. Of course, he'd already written this poem in 1910. He spent four years looking for his son, and he never found him. In recent times, the BBC did a documentary saying they believe they have found Kipling's son. He was in the grave of an unknown soldier, and they said, based on his uniform and the things on it, they concluded that, but it just seems it's still not conclusive. If, by Rudyard Kipling, if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too, if you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about don't deal in lies, or being hated don't give way to hating, and yet don't look too good nor talk too wise, if you can dream and not make dreams your master, if you can think and not make thoughts your aim, if you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same, if you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life to broken and stoop and build them up with worn-out tools, if you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss, and lose and start again at your beginnings and never breathe a word about your loss, if you can force your heart and nerve and sin you to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there's nothing in you except the will which says to them, if you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings or lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men count with you but none too much, if you can feel the forgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, yours is the earth and everything that's in it, and which is more, you'll be a man, my son. Four years after Kipling wrote this, he was tested to the very core of if. One of the first steps in being encouraged is to come to truly understand that you cannot change the past. Crying over spilled milk will not put the milk back in the bucket or the bottle. One must be careful to realize that oftentimes our grief over past events has to do with how they affect us personally, what so and so did his mistake cost me so dearly. And I would think that God would want us also to be thinking about the other person. Also, how did it affect him or them? We can easily become concerned with the burden that their mistake placed on us or me, instead of being concerned with the burden that is upon them. One of Satan's principal strategies is to have you become obsessively concerned with yourself. Satan is obsessively concerned with himself to the point that his focus is on deceiving the whole world, as it says he is doing in Revelation 12.9. He is deceiving the whole world, and his goal is to have them worship him instead of worshiping God.

When we think of encouragement, oftentimes we think of how someone else can encourage us. If so and so would just do such and such, then I would be encouraged.

But so and so never does. Such and such, and thus I'm never encouraged.

What a pitiful trip, trap to fall into.

And I would hasten to add that just about everybody in this room has fallen into that trap at one time or another. The old saying goes something like this, Give a man a fish, and he will envy you, teach a man to fish, and he will love you.

Can you learn how to encourage yourself?

We're talking about encouragement. Let's look at this in 1 Samuel 30 and verse 6. In this situation here, David was facing a terrible situation, a situation that probably none of us will ever experience anything this dire. We read verse 6 as our key verse, but we want to read into it from the beginning of the chapter in verse 1. So 1 Samuel 30 and verse 1. And it came to pass when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the south in Ziklag and smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire.

Now, listen to what happens. What happened in that? And had taken the women captives that were therein, they slew not any either great or small, but carried them away and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep.

They cried, and they cried, and they cried, and they say they cried themselves to sleep. They couldn't weep anymore. You have your wives and your family taken from you by enemy forces. You don't know if you'll ever see them again or not. There's no closure, of course. And David's two wives were taken captives, a Hinnom and the Jezreelites, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal, the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him. They blamed him for the situation.

Of course, he was in the same boat that they were in with regard to wives, because the soul of all the people was grieved in every man for his sons and for his daughters. But David encouraged himself, and the Lord his God. He encouraged himself, and the Lord his God. And oftentimes there is no one else to encourage us except the Lord our God.

Somewhat like you heard in the special music, in view of all the things that God has done for us, why don't we love him more? God, in fact, even commands us to be of good courage. Let's look at Joshua 1. After Moses died, Joshua was ordained to lead the people into the Promised Land. We want to read three verses here about the very hard core of God's instruction to Joshua, as he was given this responsibility of leading Israel, the twelve tribes, and just remember all the situations that Moses had to deal with them in their journey toward the Promised Land.

Joshua 1.7. Joshua 1.7. Only be you strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper whatsoever you do, or whatsoever and wherever you go. In verse 8, the book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night. We've already talked about that.

It is my meditation. Day and night, as the Psalmist writes in verse 97, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then you shall make your way prosperous, and you shall have good success. Joshua did have good success. He was able to bring them into the Promised Land. To a large degree, the book of Joshua, of course, is about them coming into the Promised Land, and each one of the tribes receiving their portion, their possession in the Promised Land. Then, verse 18, Whosever he be that does rebel against your commandment, and will not hearken unto your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death, only be strong and of a good courage.

Don't get down in the dumps, regardless of the situation. How many times did Moses have to face the crowd? They were at times wanting to kill him, wanting to stone him. But he continued on. Now, one of the principal ways that we can be encouraged is by helping others. The reason that is true, and so true, is because we get the focus of ourselves onto others.

Remember, it is more blessed to give than to receive, and love is expressed through outgoing concern for others. Now, there are many things that can be done, as we shall see as we go through this. And we'll talk about the positive, and we'll talk about what oftentimes people do.

And sometimes people withdraw. And it's like I read that news item that said Americans don't want to hear the news anymore, because it is so negative. It is so discouraging to hear all of the squabbles and everything that's going on. And when will we ever be delivered from it? If a person withdraws from the arena of life, does not fight the good fight of faith, no one can help them.

People that are discouraged, they are hurting in mind and spirit. He or she searches for ways to find relief from the internal torment. How can I be relieved of this? And of course, depression is one of the main maladies of Americans today. There is no telling how much money is spent on prescription drugs to treat depression. It is astounding the amount of money spent on it.

And oftentimes, in their quest to be comforted, people will withdraw to seek relief. Just let them have it. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of fighting this fight.

That strategy is perhaps the worst defense mechanism of all possible choices that one can make in dealing with their pain. Notice what the Apostle Paul writes concerning love and sharing one another's burdens. Let's go to Galatians 6. Galatians 6.

Galatians 6, verse 1. Galatians 6, verse 1.

Of course, this is one of the most loving things that can be done, and one that requires great spiritual courage. Probably more spiritual courage than anything else. But of course, historically, the attitude of Israel has been, who made you a ruler over us? Who are you? Consider yourself lest you also be tempted. You could be in the same boat that that person is in. Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.

The law of Christ is called the royal law. Love others as you love yourself. For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. When all said and done, you have to give an account, but you can help others very much. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate with them that teaches in all things. Him, let him communicate with it. The word translated communicate is koi no ne, koi no ne, to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, to be made a partner, to enter into fellowship. Join oneself to be an associate. Make oneself a sharer or partner. It's somewhat akin to empathy. To put yourself in that person's shoes. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate, share unto them that teaches in all good things. Before we can truly learn to serve others and thus be encouraged, I don't know if it's before, but going hand in glove with it would be learn to let others help us.

Learn to let others help us. If we refuse others the opportunity to help us, and I know I have done this before and I probably you have, oh, I can do this by myself. I don't need any help.

Another saying, I would sure like to help you with this, but no, we don't want any help. And thus we rob them of their joy and opportunity for encouragement. One of the main ways that bonds are built between peoples is sharing the load. Sharing the load. And oftentimes people don't even know, oftentimes I don't even know that people are hurting or whatever it is. Seems like sometimes the minister is the last one to know because I don't know what it is.

That people are hesitant to call out, to cry out.

One of the greatest tragedies of our current culture in the spirit of the times is that people tend to believe that life should always be filled with feast, feasting, frivolity. They hardly know anything about hard times. Bad times and trials will not sell much toothpaste or sexy clothes. So advertisers always focus on fun and frivolity in their commercials. If you'll just do what we say, you can have health, happiness, and yours, your life can just be filled with wonderment and excitement. If you buy our product, what are the three chief things that advertisers have to sell? Number one is sex. We live in a sexually charged, and it's been that way basically through the ages. If you buy this product, if you dress like this, if you drive this car, if you do this, if you do that, then you can be sexy. Closely associated with that is beauty. You can be beautiful, and then you can be youthful. You can be a perpetual adolescent all of your life. That's basically what the advertisers try to get, and so much of entertainment is pitched toward that. If you were to take sex and beauty and youth away from the advertisers, take it away from Hollywood, what would they have left as far as their pitch? Sex is Hollywood's cash cow, and it's going to get more and more graphic and more and more in your face. Trials and testing provide us with opportunity to show God and Christ that we understand what life is all about. It is an opportunity to show God and Christ that we know the purpose for trials. We know that it is through trials and testing that we can be refined and made into the image of Christ. Look at Ecclesiastes 7. I always read this in my funeral messages. It's about the only time you'll hear it read. You look at it and it says, I don't know if I believe that or not. That sounds so terribly negative, but it's in the book. So let's read it and see what it says. In Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 1, A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth. The day of death than one's birth.

It is better to go the house of mourning than to go the house of feasting. See, this world is based on fun, feasting, frivolity. All that's no fun. That's boring. And so we get the video game and we see these little men running to and fro and crashing into each other. And I wonder how many I can kill before they kill me and that kind of stuff.

I mean, to me, that's the height of the boring. It is better to go the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance, the heart is made better. Oh, we don't want to hear anything bad. We don't want to hear the truth of the matter. We just want to hear about the good. Life is bitter and life is sweet. But through it all, God wants us to be of a good courage, just as he instructed Solomon. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity, temporary. It lasts only a short time.

Now we look at 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 6. And what did I say? We know that it is through trials and testing that we can be refined and made into the image of Christ. Of course, on the way there we could quote James, which says, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into different trials, knowing that the trying of your faith works. Patience. In 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 7 or 6, 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6, Wherein you greatly rejoice now for a season, if need be you are in heavenness through manifold trials, that the trying of your faith, being much more than precious than of gold, that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Understanding how to deal with trials and testing is one of the things that separates the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, the wise virgins from the foolish virgins. What we're talking about here has to do with real spiritual understanding, spiritual maturity, spiritual growth, in other words, the meat of the Word. Note how the Laodiceans are counseled to go and buy gold tried in the fire. If you turn there to Revelation 3 forward a few pages. Revelation 3 and verse 15, gold is symbolic of the highest form of character in the Bible. We just said, the trying of your faith is more precious than gold. It's what Peter writes. We just read it in verse 6 of 1 Peter 1. Now in Revelation 3 and verse 15, That is, spiritual. You can have all the goods in the world. You can own all the stock on Wall Street. You can have all the gold in the world. You can go on and on with you can have all of whatever it is. But when it really gets down to it, only one thing matters and that is your relationship with God. And whether or not you are becoming a new creation. So, in view of where the Laodiceans are, the council is verse 18. I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire that you may be rich. You think you're rich? Oh, you may be rich physically. But you are very poor. You are naked and blind, spiritually.

And white raiment that you may be clothed. See, white raiment in Revelation 19 is symbolic of righteousness. White raiment, which is the righteousness of the saints. That you may be clothed in the shame of your nakedness. Nakedness is symbolic of sin.

Shame of your nakedness does not appear and anoint your eyes with eye salve. That is the true eye salve, the true ointment, the truth of God that you may see. As many as I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. And if you're without chastisement, God says in Hebrews that you are counted as illegitimate.

One can be greatly encouraged in the face of great trials if they really understand what this life is all about. Why were you born? It goes back to that. Why are we here?

We must never lose sight of that. We were born to become glorious, radiant spirit beings in the kingdom of God. As born spirit beings, one can be greatly encouraged in the face of trials if they really understand the trunk of the tree. The lay of the sins apparently thought that what mattered was the notion that they were superior to everyone else. We're superior to you because we got great riches. Oh, we do X, Y, and Z. Do you have your own little cliques and feel you're superior to others because of X, Y, or Z? None of us are superior to any other. All of man's righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. That's what it says in Isaiah 64 verse 6. And all have sinned come short of the glory of God. That's Romans 3, 23. Do you believe that since you are superior, you have the right to criticize others? Well, actually, none of us have the right to criticize others. But let him that is faithful and mature, if he sees his brother in need or in trouble, try to help him out. That's one of the main ways that you can encourage him to get him back on the right track.

When, in fact, the real cause of your discontent is not that you feel superior, but, in fact, you feel inferior and think that others are judging you. Of course, paranoia is one of the great maladies of the age as well. I read recently that the social scientists have basically tried to do away with the word paranoia and call everything schizophrenia.

Literally meaning split personality. But paranoia is a difficulty that so many people have to deal with, and it can be very painful.

So, if you have that kind of disposition or plague by it, in which you are plagued by inferior feelings and think that everybody else is judging you, oftentimes people will withdraw thinking they believe themselves, thinking that others think they are better than you are. Whereas the others may be thinking that you think they are better than they are. So, once again, all of man's righteousness is his filthy rags in the sight of God. That includes you and me.

It seems that historically, from the church in the wilderness to the present day, that people that God has called out and working with are unable to grasp that we are members one of another. Do we understand that we are indeed a spiritual family, that we are all baptized into one body by the same spirit? Look at 1 Corinthians. I've harped on this many times. I shall continue to. As God gives me breath, we come to understand it. I find that cliches, and we sent out the speaking schedule this week. There's probably a better word than cliche, that we try not to use cliches. I've always heard of just parrot what you think the truth is. In 1 Corinthians 12, 12, For as the body is one hath many members, and all members of that one body being many are one body.

If you've ever had real pain in your little finger, it actually was in this left little finger, I'm telling you it can bring you to your knees, because you know what was the source of the pain in my little finger? It was a nerve being pinched in my neck.

You can't disconnect that little finger unless you cut it off. We are members of one body, so also is Christ. See, the great rhetorical question of 1 Corinthians is 1 Corinthians 1.13, is Christ divided?

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit, for the body is not one member but many. Verse 25, That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care of one for another, and whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

So do we really understand what true encouragement is all about. I've been convinced and have been convinced for a long time that the reason so many people become lukewarm, disinterested, discouraged, fall away is because they're looking for a reason to do just that. They're looking for the loose brick. They're looking for an excuse.

This disinterested, distant kind of attitude can creep into a person's thinking almost imperceptibly. They're almost not even aware of it.

Note this and note it well. There are no loose bricks in the Word of God.

If it says, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, that's what it means. Or you can name any commandment in the book.

You know, in visiting relatives, and people that I know well, and so on, they're very religious, in a sense, and talk about prayer, and many diligent to go to their church on Sunday.

But they're not going to just simply obey what the Bible says to do. And you could say, well, they're deceived. Of course, many are, and that's the reason why they are where they are. But there are no loose bricks in the Word of God. God is not slack concerning His promises. There is no wavering in His love for you, with whom there is no verableness, neither shadow of turning.

You may waver, you may be a yay-butter, but God always has your best interests at heart, He is always faithful, and His mercy never fails. All of this stuff we come up with about why we're happy with this or that is just that stuff.

As the saying goes, in the grand scheme of things, they don't amount to a hill of beans. When you begin to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, all the things that so many people let get them down seem so trivial and so far away. When you hold the dying person in your arms or hold their hands, these kind of things disappear as vapor in the wind. We oftentimes think we're justified in what we're doing. We don't like the way so-and-so looks at us. We don't like what so-and-so said. We don't like the way the preacher talks. We feel like everybody's judging us. We feel like we don't belong. We would rather be somewhere else. Even though people may be mistreating you, these kinds of feelings and attitudes are not from God. They are from Satan, the devil. If God before you, who can be against you?

In reality, encouragement centers on living by faith, believing God, doing what he says, believing God, and doing what he says. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego face the fiery furnace, do you think they were encouraged or discouraged?

One of the things that I have a tendency to think is, why did God let this happen to me? He could have prevented it, but then I think this is an opportunity to show that I indeed know what it means to live by faith. I think about the men and women of faith that are chronicled in Hebrews 11. And I think about what the 12 went through before dying and martyrdom. And I think about one who was born out of deuces and the Apostle Paul, all the things he went through. These things were written as examples to encourage us to hold on, to hold fast to the promises. And keeping these examples in mind, I'm encouraged, and Satan is defeated. You want to put Satan on the run? Remember what James writes in James 4.7. Submit yourselves, therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. And praying, what do you ask God for?

This is anonymous. I ask God to take my pain away. God said, no, it is not for me to take away, but for you to give up. I ask God to make my handicapped child hold. God said her spirit was hold, her body was only temporary. I ask God to grant me patience. God said, no. Patience is a byproduct of tribulation. It isn't granted. It is earned. I ask God to give me happiness. God said, no, I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you. I ask God to spare my pain. God said, no. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me. I ask God to make my spirit grow. God said, no, you must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful. John 15. I ask God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, no. I will give you life that you may enjoy all things. I ask God to help me love others. As much as he loves me, God says, ahh. Finally, you get the point. Now, note the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Look at Daniel 3, verse 16. In Daniel 3, verse 16, I ask the question, do you think that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were encouraged or discouraged as they face the fiery furnace? So we want to go now to Daniel 3 and verse 16. Daniel 3, verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we're not careful to answer you in this manner, for if it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar, full of fury, threw him in the fiery furnace. And you know the rest of the story. When we live by faith, we can be encouraged all day, every day.

The apostle Paul repeats, the just shall live by faith five times in his epistles. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. We have talked about hiding the Word of God in your heart. The principal way you can cast your care on God is through prayer. One person wrote the following. The name of the person is Jan McIntosh. This was copyrighted in 1996 by Jan McIntosh. What Satan fears most is a man on his knees, not vast marching armies with great weaponry. He knows he can stand against the power of men to engage us in battle, his mere sport to him. But a man on his knees with his head bowed in prayer is something quite different to the prince of the air. For when he sees us in prayer to our God Most High, he knows we have seen through his devilish lies. That's what Satan fears most, a man on his knees, and will keep him trembling if our prayers never cease. What makes a man a real man? The strength of a man is seen not in the width of his shoulders, it's seen in the width of his arms that circle you. The strength of a man isn't in the deep tone of his voice, it's in the gentle words he whispers. The strength of a man isn't how many buddies he has, it's how good a buddy he is with his kids. The strength of a man isn't in how respected he is at work, it's in how respected he is at home. Hardly anybody learns that one. The strength of a man isn't in how hard he hits, it's in how tender he touches. The strength of a man isn't in the hair on his chest, it's in his heart that lies within his chest. The strength of a man isn't how many women he's loved, it's in how he can be true to one woman. The strength of a man isn't in the height he can lift, it's in the burdens he can carry. Written by Jacqueline Marie Griffiths, July 15, 1999.

So let's ask ourselves, is my life on fire for God? Am I consumed by the fiery trials of life, or is my life on fire for God? Thinking that all is lost and your life is being consumed and smoking flames is where the devil wants you. So someone wrote this essay describing that, Is your hut burning? The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small uninhabited island. He prayed fervishly to God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed to be coming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But one day, as he was out scavenging for food, he arrived to find his little hut in flames, the smoke boiling up in the sky. The worst had happened. Everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. God, how could you allow this to happen to me? He cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. How did you know I was here? asked the weary man of his rescuers. We saw your smoke signal, they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it. You say it's impossible. God says all things are possible. You say, I'm too tired. God says, I will give you rest. Come unto me, you that are labor and heavy laden, I will give you rest. Those who open the Lord will renew their strength. You say, nobody loves me. God says, I love you. God is love. You say, I can't go on. God says, my grace is sufficient. You say, I can't figure things out. God says, I will direct your steps. You say, I can't do it. God says, and we read this when you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You say, I'm not able. God says, I am able. You say, I'm not worth it. God says, it will be worth it. You say, I can't forgive myself. God says, I forgive you. Who are you to not forgive yourself? You say, I can't manage. God says, I will supply all your needs. You say, I'm afraid. God says, I'm not giving you a spirit of fear, but of sound mind. You say, I'm worried and frustrated. God says, cast all your cares on me. You say, I don't have enough faith. God says, I've given everyone a measure of faith. You say, I'm not smart enough. God says, I give you wisdom. You say, I feel alone. God says, I will never forsake you nor leave you.

The choice of whether we're going to wallow in the pits of self-pity or whether we're going to look to the hills from which comes our strength is up to us. Whether or not we will encourage ourselves, as David did, after his men were ready to stone him because of their life, because of their loss. The light in shining armor is going to come along and pull you or I out of the pity pits or out of self-despair. But there is one who is coming on a great white horse who is currently sitting at the right hand of the Father, one who ever lives to make intercession for us. So let us get our focus off ourselves and our plight and fight the good fight of faith. Let's cast all of our cares on him for he cares for you. Let us truly learn the keys to love, joy, peace, and true encouragement. Jesus says, And I hope God will give me the strength to do that all the days of my life. God who promised his faithful, he who has promised us eternal life, it will result in honor and glory, immortality, living forever in a state that is so wonderful that it defies humans to describe it. Eyes not seen, ears not heard, neither has it entered in the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him. So let's pick up the sword of the Spirit and go fight the good fight of faith, being fully persuaded that God has stored up for each one of us a crown of life.