SUNDAY
Encouragement When You Have No One To Turn To
When we get discouraged it is great when we have a Christian family member or friend who can help us with words of encouragement. But, what about the times when we feel alone and don’t know who we can turn to? David and his 600 men had been away and when they returned to Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had taken the women and children captive and burned the city. Have you ever cried until you just couldn’t cry anymore? That’s where we find these men in I Samuel 30. The people were so distressed they talked of stoning David. Where did David turn for encouragement? “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” We can always turn to Jesus! He will never leave us!
“3 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.
4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6 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 LORD his God.” (I Samuel 30:3-6)
MONDAY
Encouragement When It Seems That No One Cares
David went through times when he felt that no one cared. We see this in Psalm 142. In verse 4 he said, “no man cared for my soul.” But, he finds his answer as he reaches the last verse.
“4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.” (Psalm 142:4-7)
Our verse of encouragement today is I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Jesus always cares!
TUESDAY
Encouragement To Stand For The Cause
Israel was in a battle against the Philistines and Jesse sent David to take food to them and see how his brothers were doing. The Philistine giant cried out to Israel, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” (I Samuel 17:10)
“26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” (I Samuel 17:26-29)
David was willing to stand and fight for the cause. His brothers were angry at him. King Saul told him that he was too young. David had faith in God and ran to meet Goliath and used a sling and a stone to kill the giant. There is a battle between good and evil. We have a cause! And if God calls us to stand for the cause He will give us what we need for the battle and encouragement. We can find that encouragement in the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18. In verse 13 Paul says, “and having done all, to stand.” Sometimes it is all we can do to stand. So what do we do next? “Stand therefore..” When it seems as though all we can do is to stand, let’s keep standing!
“10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
WEDNESDAY
Encouragement When God Says, “No”
Has God ever told you, “No”? Maybe about getting a certain job, or buying a certain house or car? Or maybe about healing? Before my last surgery I prayed and asked God, if it was His will, would He not let this be cancer? But, it was cancer and now there is a chance that I also have thyroid cancer. Sometimes when we pray for something, the answer is, “No”. During these times we need encouragement from the Lord. Doctors can tell us what they find in the diagnosis. Family and friends can try to encourage us. But, when God tells us no, He can also give us the encouragement we need to overcome the trial.
I am still reading about David, and I came to the story of when God told David no. David wanted to build a house for the Lord. And Nathan, the prophet, told him to build it. But God said, “No”. Surely King David was disappointed, but hear what the Lord said, “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (II Samuel 7:16) God told him no for the present time, but He had plans for the future. David praised the Lord. Sometimes God tells us no for the present time, but He has plans for our future. We find encouragement for our disappointments in God’s Word.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
We also have the words that the Lord told the Apostle Paul when he asked the Lord to remove his thorn in the flesh. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (II Corinthians 12:9)
THURSDAY
Encouragement When We Are Weak
David was the youngest in his family and was watching the sheep when he went to the battle of the Philistines and killed the giant. He fought in many more battles. He had to hide from King Saul who tried to kill him. He even hid in the land of his enemies. He was only 30 years old when he began to reign as king, so he had been through a lot of trials and battles at a young age. There are several Psalms of David that tell us he was weak and weary. “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.” (Psalm 6:2) “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:1-2) Sometimes we are bowed low, and we are weak and weary, and at times we feel overwhelmed. God’s Word can be an encouragement to us during those times.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
“The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” (Psalm 118:41)
FRIDAY
Encouragement When We Are Sorry For Our Sin
David was a great man and he is described as a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22) But, he was not perfect. In II Samuel 11, we read that David had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in battle. David tried to hide his sin, but in the next chapter God confronts David through Nathan his prophet. The child died and later David’s son, Absalom, rose up against him.
“13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.” (II Samuel 12:13-14)
Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of confession and plea for mercy.
“1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.>> Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” (A portion of Psalm 51)
We can find encouragement from the Lord when we confess our sin to God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)
“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17)
“10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:10-12)
“He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)
SATURDAY
Encouragement When We Grow Old
When I began the week with David encouraging himself in the Lord, I did not realize that I would have a whole week of examples from the life of David. Here we see some of the last words of King David.
“1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:” (I Kings 2:1-3)
Moses also gave Joshua encouragement before he died.
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.” (Deuteronomy 31:6-7)
We can keep getting encouragement in the Lord, even in our old age.
“14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.” (Psalm 71:14-21)
