Verse of the Day 2/17

Verse of the Day 2/17

1 Samuel 23:16  Then Saul's son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and encouraged him in his faith in God,     Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

David Jeremiah, in his devotional book "Hope for Today", writes that "to encourage means to  in-courage, that is to instill fresh courage into someone who  is faltering.  This encouragement can come in many ways and many forms.  Some of  them, as in today's verse, involve direct action and communication between two or more people.  At other times the encouraging may be in the form of being an example as we saw yesterday with Jean's friend's testimony of how she had been encouraged by Jeff.

One of Satan's greatest tools in bringing us down is discouragement.  This also can come in many ways and forms, but all of them attempt to bring us down, to cause us to be down in the  dumps or worse.  Throughout the Bible we find God's followers who run through times and  even seasons  of discouragement, even some of the greatest saints who lived lives with great testimonies had their times in the dumps of  discouragement.  David here, Elijah, Moses and right through to the disciples and beyond.  Time and time again through the Bible, God brought encouragement to them in the form of other people, angels and even ravens to meet the needs of His people.  But the greatest thing that He gave us is His Son.  We have also have His Word and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Helper  who  comes alongside to encourage us.

Sometimes as in the case of Jonathan, there is great risk involved. With his friendship with David, he risked the very wrath of his father that David was fleeing from.  Our  risk may be fear of any number of things including a loss of pride.  We need to get over it and get on with it, get on with encouraging someone who needs it today.

I remember a song that I learned at Promise Keepers many years ago, "Be Bold, Be Strong", by Morris Chapman.  Read or sing the words and may we be able to tell someone, "come on and walk in faith and victory for the Lord God is with you".

Be bold, be strong  For the Lord your God is with you  Be bold, be strong  For the Lord your God is with you  I am not afraid  I am not dismayed  Because I'm walking in faith and victory  Come on and walk in faith and victory  For the Lord your God is with you

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

1 Samuel 23:16-18The Message (MSG)

^16-18 Jonathan, Saul's son, visited David at Horesh and encouraged him in God. He said, "Don't despair. My father, Saul, can't lay a hand on you. You will be Israel's king and I'll be right at your side to help. And my father knows it." Then the two of them made a covenant before God. David stayed at Horesh and Jonathan went home.