Encourage Yourself
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Jeff Booth
The importance of encouraging oneself in the Lord during times of distress is highlighted through the example of David in 1 Samuel 30:6. Trusting God's promises and seeking His guidance are emphasized as essential for overcoming life's challenges.
The core takeaway is to trust in God's promises and seek His guidance to find strength and encouragement during times of distress.
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Encouraging Yourself in Times of Distress
In life's journey, we all face moments of distress and uncertainty. These challenges can leave us feeling overwhelmed and anxious. One powerful example of overcoming such distress is found in the story of David from 1 Samuel 30:6. This narrative teaches us the importance of encouraging ourselves in the Lord during difficult times.
Understanding David's Distress
David, a mighty warrior and leader, found himself in a dire situation. The people he led were speaking of stoning him because they were bitter in soul over the loss of their sons and daughters. David was greatly distressed, but he knew where to turn for strength. He strengthened himself in the Lord, his God. This act of seeking divine strength and encouragement is a crucial lesson for us all.
The Power of Self-Encouragement
As believers, we are often taught to encourage one another, to pray for one another, and to support each other in times of need. However, there are moments in life when we may find ourselves alone, without the immediate support of others. In these times, it is essential to know how to encourage ourselves in the Lord. This involves recalling past instances where God has helped us, remembering His promises, and trusting in His unwavering support.
Finding Peace in Jesus
In John 16:33, Jesus reminds us that in Him, we may have peace. He acknowledges that in this world, we will have tribulation, but He encourages us to take heart because He has overcome the world. This peace, which transcends human understanding, comes from a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It cannot be found in external circumstances or material possessions but only in Him.
Practical Steps to Encourage Yourself
When facing distress, it's important to take practical steps to encourage yourself in the Lord. Here are some actions you can take:
Recall God's Faithfulness: Reflect on times when God has come through for you in the past. Remember the victories and blessings He has provided.
Speak God's Promises: Verbalize the promises found in Scripture. Declare them over your life and situation, allowing faith to rise in your heart.
Seek God's Guidance: Just as David called for the ephod to inquire of the Lord, take time to pray and seek God's direction for your current circumstances. Trust that He will lead you and provide clarity.
Overcoming Personal Challenges
Distress can come from various sources, such as job loss, medical diagnoses, relationship issues, or even national and global events. It is important to acknowledge these challenges and seek God's help. Whether the distress is due to no fault of your own or a result of poor decision-making, God's grace is sufficient. He invites us to turn our hearts towards Him and find solace in His presence.
God's Living, Enduring, and Fulfilled Promises
Our God is a God of living promises. His promises are not dead but active and relevant to our lives today. They endure through all generations and are always fulfilled in His perfect timing. This assurance gives us hope and confidence as we navigate through life's difficulties.
Trusting God's Timing
One of the most challenging aspects of faith is trusting God's timing. His ways and timing often differ from ours, but they are always perfect. During times of distress, it is crucial to lean on this trust, knowing that God will never leave us or forsake us. He will sustain us, carry us, and lead us through every trial.
Conclusion
Encouraging yourself in the Lord is a vital practice for every believer. By recalling God's faithfulness, speaking His promises, seeking His guidance, and trusting His timing, you can find strength and peace in any situation. Remember, God's promises are living, enduring, and always fulfilled. As you turn your heart towards Him, He will provide the encouragement and support you need to overcome life's challenges.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Reflect on David's Distress: How do you relate to David’s feelings of distress in 1 Samuel 30:6? Share a personal experience where you felt similarly.
Remember God's Faithfulness: Discuss a time when you saw God’s faithfulness in your life. How did it strengthen your faith?
Self-Encouragement: Pastor Jeff emphasized the importance of encouraging yourself in the Lord. What are some practical ways you can do this in your daily life?
Community Support: While the sermon highlighted self-encouragement, it also mentioned the importance of community. How can our group better support each other during difficult times?
God’s Promises: Which of God’s promises have you held onto during tough times? How have they helped you?
Seek God First: Why is it important to seek God first before looking to others for advice? How can you practice this more consistently?
Prayer Time: Spend some time praying for each other, focusing on those who are currently experiencing distress. Ask God to give them strength and encouragement.
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Connecting our kids to what we as adults are learning and hearing on Sundays is vital to passing on our faith to the next generation. Use the summary below as a great way to talk about the message we heard with your kids.
David's Big Problem and How He Found Courage
Once upon a time, there was a brave warrior named David. He had lots of cool friends who helped him fight battles. One day, while David and his friends were away, some bad guys came and took their families! Everyone was super sad and mad at David because they thought it was his fault.
David felt really sad, too, but he remembered something important. He remembered that God could help him, just like He had helped him before. So, David decided to talk to God. He prayed and asked God what he should do.
God told David to go find the bad guys and get their families back. So, David and his friends went on an adventure, trusting that God would help them. Guess what? They found the bad guys, and they were able to rescue all their families! Everyone was so happy.
From then on, David always remembered to ask God for help when he was in trouble. And we can do the same! God is always there to help us, no matter what.
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1 Samuel 30:6:
1 Samuel is part of the Deuteronomistic history, a theological interpretation of Israel's history that covers the period from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile. In this passage, David is in Ziklag, a town given to him by Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, during his time of fleeing from King Saul. The Amalekites, a nomadic tribe and longtime enemies of Israel, had raided Ziklag. The historical period involves constant warfare and shifting alliances, with David navigating a precarious political landscape while maintaining his loyalty to God.
John 16:33:
The Gospel of John was likely written in the late first century AD, a time when early Christians faced significant persecution from both Roman authorities and Jewish leaders. Jesus’s words in John 16:33 come during His farewell discourse to His disciples, offering them comfort and hope amidst the coming trials. The Jewish people were under Roman occupation, experiencing social, political, and religious tension. Jesus's message was both a reassurance of His divine provision and a call to endure faith despite external hardships.
Geographical and Cultural Context:
1 Samuel 30:6 - Ziklag was located in the southern part of Judah, near the border with Philistia. This area was constantly disputed between Israelites and Philistines. David's time there reflects a period of tactical retreats and strategic alignments that played a crucial role in his eventual ascent to the throne.
John 16:33 - The setting is Jerusalem during the time of the Passover festival, shortly before Jesus's crucifixion. The tension between Roman rule and Jewish expectation of a Messiah was particularly high, making Jesus's message about peace in Him especially poignant.
Understanding the historical and cultural backdrop of these scriptures helps us appreciate the depth of their messages: David's distress in a hostile landscape and Jesus's promise of peace amid tribulation carry profound timeless truths for all believers.
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Well, hey there, everyone. I'm Daniel Hahn and I'm the online campus pastor here at Oxford assembly of God church. And this is our podcast. And I just want to thank you for listening today. We hope the message you're about to hear inspires you, builds your faith, and helps you see that God has a purpose for your life.
And now let's get into the message. I want to read one portion of scripture today. It's found in one Samuel, chapter 30, verse six, and it says this. And David was greatly distressed. Some of you came for a positive message.
I think you'll get it at the end, but we're going to start being distressed. David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord, his God. I want to talk for a few minutes just on the thought or the theme of encourage yourself. Look at your neighbor and say, encourage yourself.
Let me pray. Father, once again I ask you to anoint these lips of clay. Lord, let me say the words you want shared today. May I have your heart, your mind in this matter. And Lord, may our hearts be filled with faith to receive your word today, to be encouraged, to be built up, to be your ambassadors and your witnesses everywhere that we go in Jesus name.
Amen and amen. As believers, I know we have been taught, and it's biblically true and it's sound teaching, that we are to encourage one another. Just a few moments ago, we prayed for one another. That's encouragement to know that somebody has your back and they're praying for God's best for you and praying for God's answer for you. We're encouraged to pray for one another, love one another, forgive one another.
There's all these one anothers in the word that we are to practice. But hear me this morning. As followers of Jesus, there are times in our lives of growing spiritually, being spiritually mature. We have to learn how to encourage ourselves. There are times when we're not going to have one another with us.
There are times when Pastor Strickland is not going to be available to come see you or to take your phone call or one of the other staff member pastors. Not going to be able to get to where you are. Your fed group leader is not going to be able to get to. You're going to be in a place all by yourself and you're going to need to know how to encourage yourself in the Lord to get through that situation. See, Jesus told us this, we all know this to be true.
In John, chapter 16, verse 33. Jesus. This is Jesus speaking. I have said these things to you that in me, somebody say in me, in me you may have peace. Stop searching for peace in a bottle, in something you toke, something that you swallow.
Hello? Somebody in a relationship. Stop trying to find peace outside of Jesus. You won't find it. You get yourself in a deeper mess, a real peace.
In the midst of storms and troubles in life. Come in the person of Jesus Christ. He said, in this world, you will have tribulation, you will have trouble. We have oftentimes in the church not told the whole story because we sometimes in the past have liked to get people to the altar for numbers sake. Hello?
Somebody not this church. I'm talking about those other people down the road. Okay? But we fall prey to these things when sometimes we don't give people all the information. Listen, giving your life to Jesus doesn't mean you're not going to have trouble.
Matter of fact, you might have more. But you have an advocate with the father. You have somebody who's going to walk with you in this world, you're going to have trouble. But Jesus, I love this. Jesus says, take heart.
I have overcome the world. He's saying, so put your focus, your faith, your trust, your dependence upon me, and you will walk in peace no matter what situation you're going through. We'll get to David here in just a moment in our text. But I'm sure, like David, as I look around this room, that your lives are not just always peachy, peachy King. There's the word I was looking for.
Thank you. Little help? Little help? That would be good. We have trouble, right?
You've walked through moments where you fought, you've had distress, you've had difficulties come your way, and you've had to trust the lord in these matters. I remember growing up, my father left our home when I was, before I was eight or nine years old. So we were without a father in the home. He'd show up every now and then, but he was a long distance dad and felt abandoned and felt all the things that come with that. You can be distressed.
Hello? Somebody you can walk through distressed. A failed marriage can send you into distress. And distress, simply put, is that you're suffering from anxiety, sorrow or pain. That's distress.
Anxiety, sorrow or pain. The loss of a loved one way too soon can send you into a place of anxiety and sorrow and pain that is hard to deal with. Job loss. Terry and I got married and we got back from my honeymoon, they gave me my pink slip because I married the boss's daughter. And they decided while I was gone to come up with a nepotism policy.
That was kind of theme. A job loss can send you into a tizzy, you know, it can send you into distress. A medical diagnosis that you never saw coming. You've been the picture of health. And then all of a sudden, boom, you get faced with this.
What do you do? Tragic events in life will come without warning. How do we handle that? There are many in this room and around our country that are in distress about our country. They're in distress about the direction that our country seems to be going.
And can I just say this? I'm not going to get political on you if I do. I think they've got a hook back out there that they just yanked me off the platform. But, you know, we have a president right now that it's easy. He's easy prey to make fun of and to laugh and to mock.
But as believers, we should have no part of that. Whether it be on social media, in private little circles, we should have no part. As believers, our only role is to pray for those in authority over us. Scripture says we pray for them. Why?
Because it's God's desire that all men find salvation. That's what the word says, that all men be saved so that we can live in peace. We're just causing more turmoil when we decide to publicly criticize and make fun of. And the Lord says, get on your knees. Pray for that man.
Pray for your governor, pray for your mayor. Pray for those in authority over you so you can live a peaceful life. That is the mandate from our God. Oftentimes, I may say something political a little bit later, but we'll save that one. Oftentimes, distress is due to no fault of our own.
Life happens. This stuff just comes our way, and we didn't. We have anything to do other times, poor decision making. Sometimes selfishness brings distress upon us and others around us. And I'm not going to tell this whole story, but I felt like the Lord laid this message on my heart about David and being in distress and how he dealt with that, because there's a lot of that going on.
Pastor Amanda mentioned the needs folks going through stuff. It's distress, there's sorrow, there's pain, there's anxiety. And God is our help when we are in trouble. Right? And I thought about this.
I'm not always been the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm a tool. Okay.
And this, in two weeks, terry and I will celebrate 42 years of marriage. And she told me, she always tells me it's been the four best years of her life. But she. We've seen some stuff. If you live long enough, you see some things, right?
And we've had some things come our way that have rocked us but have sent us to our knees to seek the Lord. And in 2016, we faced distress that we had never experienced before. I was on, I think, my 9th trip to Okinawa, Japan, to minister at a missions conference. And really, I wasn't planning on ministering, even though I did. I went there basically to be with Bishop James Whitaker, just encourage him, because he was battling cancer.
And just a mighty man of God had poured into my life for many years, 20 years, and I just wanted to be there. I just want to sit with him during services and classes and just be with him and encourage him. It was a great conference together and got to spend time with him. And on my way out, I was taking my carry on bag through the examination thing, and it went through the good old USA in Omaha and Denver to Tokyo and on down to Naha, and everything was fine. And on the way out of Okinawa, they kind of gave me one of these, and I can't speak Japanese.
I just know what this means. They wanted to talk to you and they wanted to look in my bag. And long story short, they found one bullet in the bottom of my bag. And in Japan, they don't have a second amendment. The only people that have weapons are the government, the police officers, and japanese mafia.
So they don't take lightly to this. And they said in so many words, in broken English, we would like to invite you, sir, for a free extended stay in one of our facilities, jail. And I was rocked. I mean, I was rocked. I was just that close to getting on the plane.
And so they booked me and charged me with violation of arms and weapons and swords law. And they told me, you're either an arms dealer, you're selling weapons, or you're a terrorist. And I said, I'm just a preacher. I'm a terrorist for the devil. I'm a terrorist to the devil.
I'm trying to destroy the devil. But I was freaking out. I was distressed and I was in distress because I knew my wife would be in distress. I had anxiety. I lost 25 pounds in just a few days.
I was stressed to the max. I was worried about my mother. I was worried about our church. I was worried about our kids. We just had our first grandson.
And they told me, sir, you're going to. You need to get your mind around this us consulate. You need to get your mind around the fact you're going to be here for at least five years. We're going to have you making washers and dryers in northern Japan. And I'm like, you got to be kidding me.
There's one bullet. And so I knew there was, this was serious and I wasn't getting any help. And by the time word got to the local friends that I don't even know how, they found out that I was there, but prayer began going around, literally around the world. And long story short, the Lord allowed us to be released in twelve days, which was a miracle. And I say that because there were a lot of things.
That silly decision I made affected so many people. I didn't check my bag well when I left town, you know what I'm saying? And I should have checked better. And sometimes the little things can cost us the most. The small, careless things can cost us the most.
Almost cost me five years of my life, but God almost cost me missing my son's high school basketball career. But God. Hello? And I was worried about our church and all that was going on, but Goddess was faithful to us and it was a horrible experience, I'll be honest, it was horrible for the first three or four days. And then I remembered God's word.
They allowed me to have my Bible. I had my Bible literally all day long. And I would walk back and forth in this little room with two other men in it and I would just read God's word out loud. And I began to encourage myself in the Lord's promises and in my relationship with the Lord and knowing that, knowing that if I did have to stay long, God would take care of me. I didn't want that.
I did not want that. But I was trusting God in very difficult situation. I encourage you, just a side note we see in the news and this kind of made me relive some things. We see people overseas who are dealing with the same thing and just simple mistakes. Pray for them, don't criticize them.
Pray for them that they get home to their families, okay. That God would give them a release and relief. But this situation reminded me of David in one Samuel 36, David was greatly distressed for the people spoke of stoning him. David is a mighty warrior. David has warriors around him that have, have some incredible feats on their record.
They have defeated some mighty enemies. God has done great things through them. And these men are wanting to stone and kill David because of the situation we're in. You're like, well, what did they do? What happened?
We have to look into it. These people were bitter in soul for their sons and daughters. The story is David makes a big mistake because they're in Ziklag and he decides, of all people, to team up with. He says, let's go join up with the Philistines and let's go fight. Crazy.
Don't think there's record of him seeking God's counsel on this one. And he goes, because David is a bloodthirsty man. He is a warrior. He's a man after God's own heart, but he is a warrior. He loves to fight.
And so he takes his men. They leave Ziklag, they go and they fight. They go to fight, but they get there and they're told, we don't want you here. What are you doing here? Get away.
Go back home now. They're a few days away from Ziklag, and David's humiliated because he's a fighting man and he's been told, we don't need you. And so they're on their way home. And as they get closer, they see on the horizon smoke and fire, and they see that Ziklag is being burnt to the ground. And they find out that their sons and daughters and wives have all been taken captive, which in one way is God's mercy and grace upon David.
Because when David would take his men out raiding, they wouldn't let anybody live. They would kill everyone. They would annihilate everyone. So their wives and children are living, and David begins to be in a place of distress. But in one Samuel 36, he says, but David strengthened himself in the Lord.
Can you be honest just for a minute? If you're just going, you don't have to say what it is. If you're going through stuff, can you just go like this? Even if it's like this, can you just go? I'm just going through stuff.
David tells us what to do when we're going through stuff. Things that will distress us, give us anxiety, give us pain and sorrow. David says, this is what we do. We sit and remember the goodness of the Lord. We begin to remember the times that God has helped us back there, that God delivered us over there.
The time that God showed up here when we didn't know what was going to happen. He begins to see. Remember how God helped him kill the lion, the bear. God helped him take out Goliath, this giant. And this young man brings victory to all of Israel by standing up to a giant, and he went out there.
He says, you have all of your strength and your sword and your spear and your shield and all of your armor, but I come in the name of the Lord, my God. And he stands up to the giant, and great victory is brought to all of Israel. He begins remembering these things, and all of a sudden, faith starts rising. Can I just. I'm just, this is not in scripture.
I'm just. What I'm thinking and seeing happen is they're over here taunting David, saying, we're just going to stone him and kill him because he's jeopardized our families. He's got us in one we can't get out of now. And David has to lift his voice above the haters and the doubters. Hello, somebody.
He's got to open his mouth and say, you know, he's hearing all this negativity over here, and he's saying, but God will do it. I've seen him do it in the past. He'll do it again. My God is greater than this situation. He's beginning to verbalize.
No weapon formed against me will prosper. Hello? He's beginning to remember the goodness of the Lord and declaring it. And at that time, as he's declaring it, faith is rising in his heart. He's like, God will help us if I just turn my heart.
Hear me. This morning, some of you raise your hand because you're in stuff that you didn't cause to happen. Others, you may have done it like this because you might be responsible for what's going on, because you made a poor decision. Let me give you a little hope. God's not going to treat you differently because you messed up.
He's not going to beat you up because you made a poor decision. He's just over here. God's like, just turn your heart back to me. Call on me in the day of trouble. Just call on me.
I will help you. I'm here and I'm ready to help if you would simply turn your heart fully towards me. Now, I don't have this totally worked out, but there's some theologians that believe David was kind of in a somewhat of a backslidden state. At this point. I don't know if I believe all of that or not, but I've read that from some scholars.
And here, David, is that maybe you today. You may go to church, but your heart's far from goddesse. You may sing the songs, but you may not really love God, but you're in a pickle this morning. Can I tell you God's okay with you being in a pickle. He wants you to turn your heart towards him.
Today. He's wanting you just to call out to him, David. As he encourages himself in the Lord, he remembers, I can call on my father who loves me. He's not going to beat me up for this. He wants me to draw near to him in my time of trouble.
So he does. He draws near. And in one Samuel 37 eight, you'll look at this. And David calls for the ephod. In verse seven, David said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Ahimelech, bring me the ephod.
Ephod is that priestly garment that had the stones on it that they would use to seek God's desire in certain matters. Oftentimes in matters of battle, do we go or not? And they would seek the Lord using this. David says, bring that. Bring the ephod.
So Abiathar brought the ephod to David, verse eight. And David inquired of the Lord, can I say to somebody today, stop calling Mama.
Stop calling boo boo over here on the side. Stop throwing your stuff out there on social media and seeing what everybody else thinks you ought to do. Turn your heart to the Lord first. Turn your heart to the Lord. Inquire of the Lord.
Get in your prayer closet and inquire of the Lord. Then talk to mama. Cause that's what mama's gonna tell you do anyway. She said, don't talk to me. You need to talk to God.
That's what my mama would tell me. You in trouble? Go talk to God. I'll pray for you. But you better get in that closet and talk to God for yourself so he will give you direction.
See, he inquires of the Lord, shall I pursue after this bandaid? Shall I overtake them? I love David's relationship with God. It shows me I can talk to God about anything and everything.
I don't like to do marriage counseling because people never take your advice anyway.
Oftentimes, you know, we're just in love. Now. Hold up. You need to seek counsel. Is this the mate that God has for you for all your life?
Don't rush into this thing. When we were early in our marriage, we were struggling to have a family. And we suffered some miscarriages and went through some sorrow and some pain. And I thought, pastor, you know what I'll do? I'll go buy her a nice cardinal.
I saw this jet black 1984 Camaro Z 28 with the t tops and just kicking stereo. This will heal or hurt. And I was just saying, no, it would just be a nice ride. You know, I bought that car as the worst thing I ever did at that time. That was stupid.
I didn't seek God about it. I was just hurting. I just didn't know what to do. I got to do something to fill that void. Hello, somebody.
David is an example. Don't run from the church and your pastors when you're going through difficulty. So many times we get ourselves in a pickle or we find ourselves in a pickle and we don't want embarrassment. We don't want people to know. We need to throw that mess out the window because this is a place of healing.
This is a place where you can be encouraged. This is a place where you can have people stand with you and help you through your times of trouble and distressed and sorrow. David sought the Lord. He turned to the Lord. Don't make a decision without seeking the Lord.
Don't try to get out of your mess. You're going to make your mess multiplied by just doing something out of your own ability and own strength. I believe that's why David was in this situation to begin with. I believe he was relying on what he had done before, what God had allowed him to do in the past. And he didn't ask God's help in this matter when he was going to the philistines.
Are y'all with me? He's like, wake up. And he could talk to God plainly. Am I allowed to pursue after those who stole my wives and my children stole our families? Will I overtake them?
Church? We can talk plainly to goddess. We can talk plainly to him. Everyone in this room is a born again believer. You have the spirit of Christ in you and you'll have these sometimes nudgings, knowings you know you'll have.
I feel like God is saying, go this way and God will confirm it through his word. God will confirm it through your spouse. God will confirm that direction. But he's already telling you you have Christ in you. Seek his counsel and he will direct your spirit and he'll move you to the place you're really supposed to be.
If you inquire of him, he inquires of him. And I love this pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and you shall surely rescue. Now, I don't have time to go into the whole story here, but this is out of a message called roar. And this portion, if you read on, you'll find out David recovered everything. Nothing was missing.
He turned his heart back to God. And God turned things around. Hello? He turned his heart back to God. And God began making a way where there really didn't seem to be a way.
Your families are. They're gone. They may be gone forever, but God, the situation is dire. But God, see, it's not over until God says it's over. And so they go back and they're able to.
To get their wives and their children and recover, all for the glory of God. So many times when we make mistakes, we run from God. When we should turn to God. I just got to tell this little story because I speak this word. Taryn and I have spoken this word for the last 18 months or better over our children of roar.
That's recovery, overflow, advancement and restoration. Recovery, overflow, advancement and restoration. And it's based all through the word. And a couple weeks ago, Jaden called me and said, dad, my car got broken into. What he's really saying, dad, your car got broken into.
Really? What he was saying, dad, mom's car got broken into. And he said all this stuff was missing. And he's got me on the phone while he's there, he hears there's police officers across the parking lot. And I said, well, keep me on the phone.
Go over and talk to them. File a report if they'll let you do it now and let your apartment complex know. And I said, we're not going to call the insurance company yet because I don't know. I don't want to pay the deductible. It's not that much.
And he goes over there and they have the guy in custody that they believe did it. And it's like right off of one of those cop shows because he tried to get away and his truck broke down.
And that's just. I just think that's funny. And so Jaden's talking to the officers. And that day, we've been praying this over our kids. You may think this is just whatever I'm telling you.
God honors Israel. We speak that over our kids and over our grandchildren, over our own lives, over many of you. You may not know, but I'd love to declare that word over those who are my responsibility, that Lord would bless them with recovery and overflow, advancement and restoration. Everything that that man stole from Jaden was returned that morning. Nothing was missing.
Just like what happened to David, his wives and children. I'm telling you, God's word is powerful. It's powerful.
God gave David the permission to fight the Amalekites and they wondez three things I want to share with you before we move into communion and water baptism, the first thing is this. I want to ask the question, why should we encourage ourselves in the Lord our God as David did? I think I've shared enough to encourage you to do that. But number one, we do it because God is a God of living promises. His promises aren't dead, they're alive.
See in Luke 20, verse 37 and 38, the end of 38, he says now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all live. To him, our God is a God of the living. This is a reminder that all of God's promises are living promises. They are active in God's kingdom and his economy.
There's no such thing as a dead promise. Regardless of how long ago God saved, his promises remain alive and well. He is the God of living promises. Secondly, he is a God of enduring promises. Your stress and your problem will not endure forever, but God's promises will because you're going to face more in the future.
I guarantee you breathe long enough, you're going to face more stressful times in the future. He is the God of enduring promises. The Bible is clear that God's love and mercy, they endure forever. What we also know is that his promises endure forever as well. This is the reason God is so trustworthy, because his promises don't change.
They endure. A lot of people today are trying to change God's word. Take some stuff out, put some stuff in. God's word is good as it is, and it will endure for all of eternity. We know that from from the scriptures.
Abraham was declared righteous because of faith, by faith. The same way God responded, listen to me. The same way God responded to Abraham's faith is the same way he still responds to anyone who puts their faith in him today. This has not changed and will not change. The promise that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved in romans 1013 was true then, and it will be true forever.
Because God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, only makes enduring promises, not generational promises. Enduring promises. He is the God of living promises. Enduring promises. And finally, our God is the God of fulfilled promises.
Aren't you glad that there's one that's going to be fulfilled here, potentially in our lifetime, that we would see Jesus return? Are you anticipating that? See, if we're anticipating that we need to be letting other people know he's coming. If we're anticipating that, we need to be letting our neighbors, our family, our friends, our co workers know that now is the time now is the day of salvation. You need to give your heart to Jesus.
He is the God of fulfilled promises. This is where I might get a little political on. You see, the truth about a promise is that it's only as good as the person who makes it. Jesus and our heavenly Father will fulfill all of their promises. Not one will be unfulfilled.
They'll all come to pass. But we're in a, we're in an election season and we have people promising this and promising that and giving you this and giving you that to get your vote. And they have no intention whatsoever of fulfilling those promises. And furthermore, they don't even have the power to fulfill those promises. But our God has all power to fulfill his promises.
He will do it. God has a track record of making promises and fulfilling them. You can be certain of one thing. Everything God has said that he will do, he will do. You won't always know when he will do what he promised.
You can't always know how he will do what he promised. You can be sure that he will do what he promised. For thousands of years, people have been putting their faith and hope in God's promises. Whether it's salvation, provision, protection, or any other promises God has made, God has fulfilled them. When you think of God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, let it be a reminder that you serve a God.
We serve a God who sees his word through to the end and will always do what he says he will do. I don't know what you're facing today, what your musicians, if you want to come, if I don't know what you're facing today, but I know David thought it was over until he started encouraging himself in the Lord. And I want to encourage you to encourage yourself to look back. I don't have my Bible out here with me. Actually, the Bible that I wanted to use today is in Indiana being recovered.
But inside that Bible, I have words that the Lord has spoken to me. I have promises from the Lord. I have times when in prayer where the Lord has spoken to me, and I will go back and I will read those out loud. I will declare that some I've seen come to pass, some haven't come to pass yet. But I will encourage myself in what God has already done in my life and know that if he did it, then he'll do it again today.
Hello? Somebody? When I was in Japan, I stood on God's promises. I didn't know if it would be five years, but I knew God would fulfill his word. I knew God would take care of me.
Sometimes God asks you to walk through the fire. Sometimes the pain doesn't ease. Hello? Somebody? Sometimes it's really hard.
But it's in those moments that he promises to never leave us. That he will sustain us. He will carry us, he will lead us, and he will take us through it. His timing always messes me up. But he's faithful.
His timing is perfect. It just doesn't work with my watch. I have to trust him. I don't know where you're at today, but I want you to. If you have the emblems for communion, the bread and the cup, maybe you came into the house of the Lord and you've kind of.
Church is cool, but really putting my faith in Christ, I just haven't done that. Or maybe you're away from the Lord. Maybe you used to walk with him and you're here today, and you just know today is the day of salvation. I want to encourage you repent of sin. Can I tell you?
Repent doesn't mean coming up to this altar, shouting, crying, snotting, rolling on the floor. Somebody may do that. But repentance turning and going the other way you've been going, hello. I'm walking away from my lifestyle and putting my faith in Christ. I believe that Jesus is the son of God.
He died for me, but he rose from me. As we receive communion. Scripture says we're to remember this, remember his death until he comes. He's coming. We remember his death because he rose from the dead.
We remember his death because we have risen from death to life. And we're going to see a picture of that, emblematic of that. As one gets baptized today, they're going down under. And that old man, that old person is dead. And they're being raised in the newness of Christ as a new creation.
So, heads bowed and eyes closed, just for a moment. I'm not going to take long. No one looking around. I just don't want you to eat and drink in an unworthy manner. I'm going to read this scripture.
While your heads are bowed. I want you just to seek the Lord and talk to him for a moment. I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you. That Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, he took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body, which is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he took the cup, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. Whenever you eat and you drink, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. So whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ, eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many of you are weak and sick and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under judgment just with heads bowed and eyes closed. Just examine yourself.
Your relationship with the there may be the Lord may be bringing to remembrance someone that you need to forgive, you need to release. Just deal with that. Now, before we eat and drink, just make sure your heart and your life is right before him. I want to ask this one thing. You're here in this room, your heads bowed and eyes closed.
You said, Pastor Jeff, I'm not right with God when I walked in here, but I'm going to be right with them as I leave. I'm putting my faith and my trust in Christ. Pray for me. If that's you, no one's looking around. Just slip your hand up and put it right back down so I can pray for you.
You're giving your life to the Lord today. God bless you. Support it right back down. God bless you. Thank you.
God bless you.
On behalf of our pastor and staff here at OAG, we want to say thank you. Thank you. Thank you for being a part of our ministry. We are grateful for you and the support you give our church and its ministries so that we can continue to do what God has called us to do, to be the family church for the family of God. For more content from pastor Strickland and Oxford assembly of God, check out our media website at OAG Church Media.
