Be Encouraged (Scripture)
What better thing than to look to God’s Word.
Over and over again, the Scriptures describe the faithful not as those who never saw trouble, but as those who cried out to God in the midst of crisis. The men and women we remember as models faced great times of trouble and days of distress. And God heard their cries for help. He was not deaf then — nor is he today — especially in crisis.
With all the notices and notifications I thought it might be a blessing to simply share a message of HOPE from God’s Word. Look to the Psalms which, in particular, celebrate God’s eagerness to hear and help his people in their “day of distress” and “time of trouble.”
- David testified that God had been to him “a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress” (Psalm 59:16, also 9:9; 37:39; 41:1)
- The psalmist Asaph has, perhaps, the most striking refrain of all in Psalm 107 (four times): “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (verses 6, 13, 19, 28).
Over 200 boxes packed, organized, and distributed today.
Our God is at his best in our crises.
- Jacob’s life was a succession of crisis moments, and God proved himself faithful as the God who hears and answers (Genesis 27-36)
- Just as God saw Leah in her crisis (Genesis 29:31) and remembered Rachel in hers (Genesis 30:22), he sees, he hears, he remembers, he cares.
- He is the living God who wants us to turn to him, to wrestle with him (Genesis 32:22–28), not just our circumstances, in our time of crisis.
- Joseph is an example of overcoming adversity, managing crisis in a national famine and overcoming what some may see as insurmountable odds. The scripture notes several times how “God was with Joseph” in the midst of injustice and trials. (Genesis 37-45)
- This is the God of Nahum (Nahum 1:7), Obadiah (Obadiah 12, 14), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 16:19), and Hezekiah (Isaiah 37:3).
- We see Job crying out to God especially in the fear and anguish of night (Job 7:4) and yet was able to conclude, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him!” (Job 13:15).
Star of Hope staff and volunteers working while the various church representatives line up for pick-up.
Everyone of us will have some kind of affliction we will need to face but our God is too real, and too big, to allow them to overcome us. He always sees us. He always hears us. And in Christ, He will answer.
Be Encouraged!
Be Proactive!
Pastor Matt Andersen
SOHM Executive Director
973-742-1222 x18
mandersen@sohm.org