Encouragement Study: Edition #21

Good morning all,
How are you today? How was your time with God? When you see the title here "wait and see" what thoughts go through your mind? Do you struggle with the waiting? How do you overcome the fact that you have to be patient to see something come to pass that you have hoped or prayed for? The city of Cleveland has waited over 50 years for some type of championship to come to them. There is no promise from God saying that they will have one but my point is that, even our hopes have to be patient. Habakkuk 2:3 (NLT) This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. God makes it very clear several times and gives me a lot of reassurance, when God gives His word, you can count on it! What promises have you read in God's word that seem like they are taking a long time to be fulfilled? Have we waited as long as Abraham waited to see God's promised fulfilled? How about God's promise to David? How about Moses? Even as I type that I can want to think, yeah but that was a long time ago they didn't live our modern age, where things are moving at the speed of light. Yet, when I sit back and really think about it, their time may have been slower but these three examples still have the same needs I have. Hebrews 6:12,15 (NLT) Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance. Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

Father Lord God, you know my heart, you know the pains in which I go through to try to be patient for your plan and your promises to be fulfilled in my life. Lord give me the strength and the courage as I wait and help me encourage others as I wait. I pray you all have a great day today, I love you all!!!

Your Radically Loving Brother in Christ,

Raymond

-I wanted to share Ray's quiet time. I find it encouraging to get his emails. I read some and others I honestly do not read. But just to have an email from Ray, just to see his quiet time in my inbox, well, it is encouraging to see.

Life is tough enough as it is. It's even tougher when we're headed in the wrong direction.

One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on target. His life never got off track. Not once do we find him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative assistants or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to do. He kept his life on course.

As Jesus looked across the horizon of his future, he could see many targets. Many flags were flapping in the wind, each of which he could have pursued. He could have been a political revolutionary. He could have been a national leader. He could have been content to be a teacher and educate minds or to be a physician and heal bodies. But in the end he chose to be a Savior and save souls.

Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it from Jesus himself. "The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them" (Luke 19:10). "The Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people" (Mark 10:45).

The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one task. The day he left the carpentry shop of Nazareth he had one ultimate aim--the cross of Calvary. He was so focused that his final words were, "It is finished" (John 19:30).

How could Jesus say he was finished? There were still the hungry to feed, the sick to heal, the untaught to instruct, and the unloved to love. How could he say he was finished? Simple. He had completed his designated task. His commission was fulfilled. The painter could set aside his brush, the sculptor lay down his chisel, the writer put away his pen. The job was done.

Wouldn't you love to be able to say the same? Wouldn't you love to look back on your life and know you had done what you were called to do?

-This is from "UpWords with Max Lucado', an email I get, I think weekly. Either way, I get these emails with encouraging scripture. Encouragement can come in many forms. It can come from a friend that you are chatting with over lunch. It can come in an email. It definitely comes from scripture. Still... it can come from a simple hug. It can even come from a simple look. Jesus did look at people and loved them from a simple look. How cool is that? Are am I encouraging others? How about you? How do you encourage others?

Encouragement Study: Edition #20

Proverbs 24:13-18

Eat honey, dear child—it's good for you— and delicacies that melt in your mouth. Likewise knowledge, and wisdom for your soul— Get that and your future's secured, your hope is on solid rock. Don't interfere with good people's lives; don't try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces. Don't laugh when your enemy falls; don't crow over his collapse. God might see, and become very provoked, and then take pity on his plight.

-In this few verses, you have it all. Seek knowledge AND wisdom. Don't interfere with other people's lives. Take pity on even your enemy when they fall. God will bless it. Do these things and you will encourage others.

Encouragement Study: Edition #19

Apathy (noun):

• Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.
• Lack of emotion or feeling; impassiveness.
• Absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
• Lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.

Empathy (noun):

• The intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
• The imaginative ascribing to an object, as a natural object or work of art, feelings or attitudes present in oneself.
• Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives.
• The attribution of one's own feelings to an object.

Sympathy (noun):

• Harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another.
• The harmony of feeling naturally existing between persons of like tastes or opinion or of congenial dispositions.
• The fact or power of sharing the feelings of another, esp. in sorrow or trouble; fellow feeling, compassion, or commiseration.

Psalm 72:1-19

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor. He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more. He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts. All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

-Taking pity is a quality of God. If you take pity on someone, you are not being apathetic, but empathetic and sympathetic. Does God want me to oppress others? Does God want me to help others? Let's just assume that God wants me to help others. If I express empathy and sympathy toward others, I am expressing a form of encouragment. And encouraging others is a great

Encouragement Study: Edition #18

Luke 12:1-12
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

"I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever publicly disowns me will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

"When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

-Jesus gives out some encouraging words. I like to bring up Jesus, since he is the one I should immitate. He stressing that we should fear God only. I am worth more than many sparrows. I am worth much, much more. On some days, that is what I cling to, whereas other days, I find it easy to think I am worth something. I guess on those days, I struggle more with pride.

Encouragement Study: Edition #17

Isaiah 1:2-

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. Ah, sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil. Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. Daughter Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a city under siege. Unless the LORD Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah. Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

-Wow. God lays it all out right here. He doesn't like sacrifices. He wants righteous actions and a righteous heart. He wants people to CARE about people, to have a genuine concern for others, so that the actions aren't forced but a natural response to a person in need.

Encouragement Study: Edition #16

Job 16:2-8
"I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing? I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away. Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household. You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.

-What I like about this passage (not the rebuttal against Job's friends) is that I can see what encouragement does and when it is absent, I plainly see what no encouragement has on a person. Job needed to be encouraged. He got bickering friends. When I have a friend in need, do I bicker or encourage?

Encouragement Study: Edition #15

1st Thessalonians 5:12-15

And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

-Encourage the stragglers. What is a straggler?

Straggler (noun):

• One who straggles, or departs from the direct or proper course, or from the company to which he belongs; one who falls behind the rest; one who rambles without any settled direction.
• A roving vagabond.
• Something that shoots, or spreads out, beyond the rest, or too far; an exuberant growth.

Some might see this as a person who is weak. Maybe that might be the case... but it is definitely someone who is not taking part with the whole.

Encouragement Study: Edition #14

Colossians 4:5-9

Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

My good friend Tychicus will tell you all about me. He's a trusted minister and companion in the service of the Master. I've sent him to you so that you would know how things are with us, and so he could encourage you in your faith. And I've sent Onesimus with him. Onesimus is one of you, and has become such a trusted and dear brother! Together they'll bring you up-to-date on everything that has been going on here.

-Encouragement is lifting others up in faith. The goal is to bring out the BEST in others.

Encouragement Study: Edition #13

Proverbs 29:9-12
A sage trying to work things out with a fool gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble. Murderers hate honest people; moral folks encourage them. A fool lets it all hang out; a sage quietly mulls it over. When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil.

-Moral people encourage honesty. Cool.