Encouraging Word for Today

James 4:6-10

6. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

We need the grace of God to stand daily against the enemy. These verses tells us how and the result that comes from doing

what it says.

Psalm 34:19

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

The definition of affliction is: the cause of continued pain of body or mind, as sickness, losses, calamity, adversity, persecution.

As a Christian we may face many or all of these situations, but we have the promise of God (who cannot lie Titus 1:2) that he will deliver us in his time.

1 John 4:7-11

7. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Over 2000 yrs ago a virgin named Mary gave birth to a baby which was conceived of the Holy Ghost in a place called Bethlehem so that you and I and all that will accept him (Jesus Christ) as their Saviour could be saved and live through him.

Proverbs 18:24

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

We have a best friend who is always with us and his name is Jesus.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14

12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13. 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.

14. For the body is not one member, but many.

Some points from this scripture that helps me:

1. God set the members as it pleased him

2. Feeble are necessary

3. Members we think to be less honourable, bestow more honour

4. Care one for another

5. Suffer and rejoice with each other

We are the body of Christ, he is ours and we are his. Do our duty no matter what part of the body we are and keep looking up for he is coming to get those that are his.

James 5:7-8

7. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Patient : Having the quality of enduring evils without murmuring or fretfulness; sustaining afflictions of body or mind with fortitude, calmness or christian submission to the divine will; as a patient person, or a person of patient temper. It is followed by of before the evil endured; as patient of labor or pain. Not easily provoked; calm under the sufferance of injuries or offenses; not revengeful.

May we all, especially me, grow in this virtue this coming new year so that we may be found faithful to the Lord in whatever situation that the enemy may try to provoke us into.

Psalm 37:3-5

3. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Trust in the Lord and he will provide. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will bring joy and happiness. Commit yourself to him and he will go before us. Three wonderful biblical aspects that will definitely help us more this coming year if we will apply it to our everyday walk with the Lord.

1 Peter 5:8-11

8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

It's easy many times to see what the devil is trying to do and is doing in other people's lives but, before we can be a help to them, we must watch and pray to be aware what the enemy tries to do to us. May we be spiritually sober (clear mind) and spiritually vigilant ( keeping our guard up) so that we will be able to give God all Glory and when someone needs our help in spiritual matters, we will be ready and willing.

2 Timothy 3:15

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

The Bible says in Psalm 127 that children are an heritage of the Lord. Children are precious and it should be our desire to train them up in the ways of the Lord. May we be a good example in all things before them. Take them to Church. Encourage them with instruction from the Bible. It matters what we teach our children because if we don't teach them the truth, the world will teach them a lie.

Proverbs 3:6

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths"

Acknowledge is:

1. To know and confess that Jesus is our Saviour and Lord

2. To understand that daily he loadeth us with benefits

3. To take responsibility of our own actions regarding his will

4. To not be ashamed of our witness of Jesus to others

5. To pray without ceasing

These are just a few things we do to acknowledge our faith in God. He will always direct us in the right way for his namesake when we acknowledge him.