DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT - WEDNESDAY: ENCOURAGERS! #2

SCOTTISH SHEPHERD.

It is not hard for the Lord to turn night into day. He that sends the clouds can as easily clear the skies. Let us be of good cheer. It is better farther on. Let us sing Hallelujah by anticipation. -- C. H. Spurgeon.

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May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, - Rom 15:5.

Our God is an encourager and it is only right that we should be too! If we Christians would emulate the pattern of Christ, and obey His commands, there would be no contentions among us. We need to learn to put the gift of encouragement into practice, so that we can bring glory to the Lord by being obedient and living at peace with each other! It is easy to do, follow by example…

Encouragers have a heart like Jesus.

Encouragers have compassion on people… When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. - Mat 9:36.

Jesus saw them burdened down with all the religiosities of the day, the Pharisees instead of lifting them up as God did, have caused their harassment and helplessness with their doctrines! Jesus saw that they needed to comforted and care for, and needed to be led by those who would put the word of God into practice. Today huge numbers are as sheep not having a shepherd, and we ought to have compassion on them, and do all we can to support them.

Once during Queen Victoria's reign, she heard that the wife of a common laborer had lost her baby. Having experienced deep sorrow herself, she felt moved to express her sympathy. So she called on the bereaved woman one day and spent some time with her. After she left, the neighbors asked what the queen had said. "Nothing," replied the grieving mother. "She simply put her hands on mine, and we silently wept together." - Source Unknown.

Encouragers care for those that no one else does… And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." - Luke 5:31-32.

It was a wonder of Christ's grace, that he would call a publican to be his disciple and follower. It was a wonder of his grace, that the call was made so effectual. It was a wonder of his grace, that he came to call sinners to repentance, and to assure them of pardon. It was a wonder of his grace, that he so patiently bore the contradiction of sinners against himself and his disciples.

It was a wonder of his grace, that he fixed the services of his disciples according to their strength and standing. The Lord trains up his people gradually for the trials allotted them; we should copy his example in dealing with the weak in faith, or the tempted believer. - Matthew Henry Commentary on Luke.

Dwight Morrow, the father of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, once held a dinner party to which Calvin Coolidge had been invited. After Coolidge left, Morrow told the remaining guests that Coolidge would make a good president. The others disagreed. They felt Coolidge was too quiet, that he lacked color and personality. No one would like him, they said.

Anne, then age six, spoke up: "I like him," she said. Then she displayed a finger with a small bandage around it. "He was the only one at the party who asked about my sore finger." "And that's why he would make a good president," added Morrow. - Bits & Pieces.

It costs us nothing to encourage people, it is a free gift from our encouraging God, let us use it freely to glorify his name, and to extend the Kingdom of Heaven! Hallelujah!

Loving father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be an encourager! Help me to lift up the heads of people that are disconsolate, help me to have the compassion of your dear son Jesus, that I may bring comfort and encouragement to my community, to my city, and to my country! I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus! Amen!