3 Reasons to Be Encouraged

Romans 15:4 “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.

The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope.

(NCV)

Introduction• Life has a lot of discouragements. Everyone has felt like

giving up at some point or another.• What does encouragement mean? • It means two(2) things:

1. support that inspires confidence

2. something that encourages• God knows how difficult life is and so He has given us

many encouragements in his Word. • Three (3) reasons to be Encouraged:

I. GOD NEVER CHANGES HIS MIND, PURPOSE, NATURE

• “I the Lord do not change. So you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed” Mal. 3:6 (NCV).

• A. EVERYTHING CHANGING BUT ONE 1. A lot of people change their mind about like they change their clothes; all the time! Husbands and wives change their minds. Umpires change their minds about a call. 2. Two of the rules for a Happy Marriage.

• B. THE VALUE OF GOD’S STABILITY 1. Aren't you glad God doesn't change His mind? He’s one person we can always count on, that will never let us down. He’s the same, yesterday, today, and forever! (Heb.13:8) 2. “Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” Ps. 119:89. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Mk. 13:31. 3. What confidence we can have about the future and our status with God! We stand on the unshakable promises of God!

II. GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL OUR NEEDS

• “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19.

• A. THE SCOPE OF HUMAN NEED 1. It seems like our needs are so great; we need everything -- money for houses, cars, insurance, food and clothing, gas, utilities, and a 1,000 other things. we keep running and running and never seem to get anywhere.

• B. GOD IS SUPER-ABUNDANT TO MEET THEM 1. God didn’t promise to supply all of our "wants," but to supply all of our "needs.” The apostle Paul said, "if we have food and clothing, let us therewith be content.

III. GOD CAUSES EVERY TRIAL TO HAVE MEANING• “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of

those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 (NLT)

• A. A PURPOSE TO RANDOM TRIALS?1. Many times it seems impossible to imagine that our trials have any purpose.2. If He can do all that, can’t he arrange all the minutes of your life? Why does He allow us to suffer? I don’t know. His ways are “past finding out” Job 9:10; Rom. 11:33. 3. Paul said, “3 We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. 4 And patience produces character, and character produces hope. 5 And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (NCV)

CONCLUSION• 12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will

give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches” Rev. 22:12-16.

• Let’s pray about someone we can encourage!