Survey of Firstfruit Fundamentals

Lesson 9:  Encouragement    printer-friendly  MP3

"Success is nothing more than a few basic spiritual disciplines, practiced every day."

"Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals."
 

Lessons in Firstfruit Fundamentals – Lesson 9 – Encouragement

Over the years, in the Work of God, the question has been asked, "Faced with all the trials and tribulations of life, where can I find encouragement?"

The simple and straight-forward answer is:  Jesus Christ.

We know that Christ was the God of the Old Testament. We know that He conducted His three and one-half year ministry.  And we know that He was the inspiration for the Word of God.  Indeed, this is one of His names:

Revelation 19:13 
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Notice the commentary:

And his name is called the Word of God; the name of Christ, often used by John in his Gospel, epistles, and in this book, John 1:1 1 John 1:1. Of the signification, reason, and import of this name. The reason why he is called by it here may be partly to express his greatness, glory, and majesty, this being a name which principally belongs to him, is a person, as the Creator of all things, and as previous to his incarnation; and partly because all the promises of God in his word, and which are all yea, and amen in Christ, will be now shortly fulfilled. ~John Gill

I see encouragement right there in that commentary!

Quoted verses:
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 John 1:1-4
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

So, loaded with these facts and this truth, let Jesus Christ be our encouragement...continually.

Be encouraged by Jesus Christ.

Old Testament
To make it easy for those using there Bibles today rather than the text of the Bible study, I am giving all the scriptures in biblical order.

Deuteronomy 31:6
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.

Joshua 1:7
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Psalm 16:8
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Psalm 23:1 …read the entire chapter
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 31:24
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 32:8
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

"Delight" here means you delight in the perfections of God, his power, goodness, faithfulness, wisdom, love, grace, and mercy; in his works of creation, providence, and redemption; in his word, his Gospel, the truths and ordinances of it ~John Gill

Psalm 46:1-3, 7
1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Psalm 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Look at the commentary on the phrase, “be moved” as in God will never suffer us to be moved:

He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved - While a man is righteous, trusts in and depends upon God, he will never suffer him to be shaken. While he trusts in God, and works righteousness, he is as safe as if he were already [in the Kingdom of God]. ~Adam Clarke

Psalm 62:6
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.

Psalm 118:14-16
14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

What does it mean that the Lord is my song?  Notice the commentary:

The Lord is my strength and song - The Lord is the author and giver of strength, natural and spiritual; he is the "strength" of the hearts and lives of his people, and of their salvation; and therefore is their "song", the matter of it: they sing of his nature and perfections, of his works of providence and grace, of his righteousness and salvation. ~John Gill

Psalm 119:25
My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

Notice the commentary on the word, “quicken”:

Quicken thou me - Cause me to live; give me vigor and strength to break away from this which binds me fast, and to rise above these low propensities. ~Barnes Notes

Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Psalm 119:71
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Psalm 119:114-115
114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

Psalm 120:1
In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

Psalm 126:5 ...this verse fits perfectly in our study of Sorrow 
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10
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 43:2
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

New Testament:
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mark 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

John 16:33 ...or key verse in the Bible study on Sorrow
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 8:28
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 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 15:13
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 16:13
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Ephesians 3:17-21
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Notice the commentary on the phrase in verse 17 on Christ dwelling in your heart:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. - Expressions like this often occur in the Scriptures, where God is said to dwell in us, and we are said to be the temples of the Holy Spirit. ~Barnes Notes

Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Philippians 3:7-9
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

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

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Hebrews 10:19-23
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

1 Peter 2:9-11
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

1 Peter 5:7 ...the basis of our Assiduity praying [putting all things into the hands of God]
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 John 3:1-3
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1 John 3:22
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Be encouraged by Jesus Christ

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Below are two tables with gleanings from these scriptures.  One is a list of the encouragement and the other is a list of your responsibilities linked with those encouragements.

 
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