ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD!

Every one of us, in our Christian walk, have and will face times of discouragement. How do you stay “up” - how do you stay on top? When we face discouraging times it's important to rebound quickly. We're all human. We face discouragement and even depression at times. It's important that we know how to get back up. It's not a sin or a sign of weakness for a you to be discouraged. It is, however, a sign of weakness for you not to know how to get out it. I'm going to give you a Formula to Rebound

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the 1 Samuel 30:6Lord his God.”

There are two important statements in this Scripture: David was greatly distressed and

David encouraged himself in the Lord.

When you get discouraged about he future, look and see how good God has been in the past! Moses knew this secret. Nearing the end of his life Moses reviewed with Israel the things God had done for them (Deuteronomy 8:1-6).

For example, let's look at Deut 8:2, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years...” Moses reminded them of God's faithfulness. Remember how he fed you with manna? – cannot God feed you now? Remember how your clothes never wore out? – cannot God clothe you now? Remember how your shoes never wore out? - cannot God provide for you now? Cannot the God that used Moses when he was in his 80's still use you? Cannot the God of the past take care of the future?

What Moses was saying was “Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come, 'Tis grace hath brought me safe this far, And grace will lead me home” We must realize that God hasn't aged a bit! He doesn't have Alzheimers – He hasn't forgotten about you! He's getting along real well. And that same God is still alive! The great God who spoke the world into existence is still on the throne today. Can not that God take care of you in the future? We serve a living God today! Cannot the God who provided for and fed you back when times were tough take care of you now? Is God limited? Can He bless older men and women as well as He blesses younger ones? The God of the Bible is your God!

Cannot the God who led you through battle after battle lead you now? Cannot the God who sustained you through heartache sustain you now? Has His glory dimmed? Is He not the same yesterday, today and forever? Can He not do today what He did 40, 50 or even 60 years ago?

As a child of God you have no right to be discouraged! God is your Father. Your sins have been forgiven. The Holy Spirit lives inside you. Your name is in the Book of Life – and there is nothing recorded! Your name is written in heaven. God will not hold confessed sins against you. I'm not saying you will never get discouraged but you don't have to stay discouraged. With the Creator of the universe as your Best Friend how can you stay discouraged? God still rules from heaven. He still owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He's still the Healer. Cheer up! The God that raised Lazarus from the dead is your God! The eye opening and ear unstopping God is your God! The God of Mt Carmel – that sent fire for Elijah – is your God! The God who's preparing a place for you in heaven is your God! Moses' God is your God! Joshua's God is your God! Gideon's God is your God! Elijah's God is your God! HE'S YOUR GOD!!!!!!

Every promise in the Book is mine and every promise in the Book is yours! He's MY God! The God who fed the 5000 is my God! The God of Pentecost is my God! God hasn't gotten old and tired – He's the same! Remember the prophet Joel? He prophesied that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh and old men would dream dreams and young men will see visions. There's still some dreams to dream. There's still some mountains to climb. There's still some rivers to cross. There's still some battles to win. There's still some victories to obtain. There's still some people to be saved. There's still some things to do!

The God of yesterday is today's God. The God of today is tomorrow's God. The God of the past is the God of the present. The God of the present is the God of tomorrow. He's the same yesterday, today forever. That God who led you yesterday can lead you tomorrow. That same God will lead you home. Determine, “I'm going to push on – I'm going to go on anyway!”

You can't keep discouragement from coming – but you ought to have a way to get out of it. Learn to encourage yourself. Look back and see what God has done – not just for you, but for everybody.

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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