Be Encouraged

Today’s message summary of March 22, 2020 from Pastor Gus Brown:

I sincerely hope that you are seeing more than what is going on around you, but that you see how God is working in your life.

God has not given us the spirit of fear, but we are reminded to be cautious at this time.  The Scripture reminds us that God is our Shelter and Protector.  All of this is a matter of faith.  We are to depend upon Him.

Don’t stop praying.

I just want to encourage you.

Be encouraged with the understanding that this, too, shall pass.  It is not here forever.  The question through all of this is why do we go through trials and difficulties? How do we respond as Christians?

From the human side, we can be fearful. For example, why does God allow earthquakes, tsunamis, and disease outbreaks to take place. If you travel to India, for example, you are made aware of diseases that are not present here in the United States. In Colombia, there are places where there is no running water, and there are people carrying buckets of water along the road back to their homes. Is it possible that people in the United States need to see some kind of struggle like this to remind us of the world’s overall condition.

Even in all of this, God is more than able.

Matthew 6:25-27

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what will you eat or what will you drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”

Jesus says not to worry about your life. He’s not saying not to be concerned. He wants us to remain alert, but life is not supposed to stop in its entirety, for he wants you to think about others, as well.

If your life is hidden in Jesus, then He is your defense against those people or things who oppose you.

Man can do all that he desires to do, but unless God provides the protection, we are unprotected.

Don’t be anxious.

Philippians 4:5-7

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Remain prayerful to God. Have you asked God for His protection and to work on your behalf. He will give you peace of mind. He provides this peace for you in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty. Pray.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Humbling yourself is something that you must do. Ask God, and seek after Him for wisdom.

Perhaps he is bringing some of us in this nation to a place where we need to humble ourselves before Him. He does not do this as a matter of rebuking us, because He truly loves us.

God will not put upon us more than we can bear.

We are to remain confident in this time because of the presence of Christ.  Go directly to Him.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Trust God. Lean on Him. He is always available.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

The righteous–those who are relying on Jesus Christ–will not be forsaken by God.  He will make a way for you.

Do you have the confidence that God is going to sustain you?  This is a matter of faith and trust.

When you say, “Lord, I don’t know what to do or what to expect,” He will reassure you that He is in complete control.

2 Chronicles 20:9-12

‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you–for your name is in this house–and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy–behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Keep your eyes upon Him. Look to Him for guidance in this difficult time. See Him do some miraculous things in this time. There are not only the ones who have passed on. There are still those who have come through with miraculous healing. Seek Him and all of His righteousness with all humility.

Today is yet another day that the Lord has made.  We are called to rejoice in Him and in this day.  You are to cry out to God with all humility and with the need for His help to get through these days and times.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

If you are not in Christ at this point, I ask that you look to Him and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior.

Cast all of your fears, worries, frustrations upon Him. He is greater than all of these things that are going on right now.

Be encouraged. This, too, shall pass.