An Encouraging Word

Several years ago a young teenage girl in the congregation where I was preaching was feeling a lot of pressure to join in with her peers. Her eighth grade class was planning a project that she did not feel she could participate in as a Christian. She told her teacher that she would not be able to participate. Some of her peers thought she was a spoil-sport who did not want to have any fun and would ruin it for everyone else, too. The things that were said to her hurt. The victory she won by holding to her principles was a painful one and she was very discouraged. It struck me at the time that Matthew 5:10-12 was an appropriate passage to share with her: Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus says, in effect, when people say those kinds of things to you because of your faith, you are in good company. The young lady I described was encouraged by God's Word and received the grace to help in her time of need (see Hebrews 4:16).

This is the first in a series of articles that were first sent out in e-mails almost five years ago. They are designed to offer encouragement from God's Word to those who are discouraged by what life has to offer. Christians are assailed from every direction today, including from within the church herself. We want to offer encouragement; a reason to hope and to feel that we are on the winning side of the Good Fight and not on the losing side. It will not be the purpose of Barnabas' Notes to offer criticism or to attack anyone. That does not mean, however, that we will not offer encouragement by pointing out that sin is sin, and that to resist sin and the teaching of false doctrine is a good and positive thing. It will be our purpose, first and foremost, to remain faithful to God's Word. Second, we intend to lift up the heads of those faithful who are tempted to think the battle has become too difficult.

The apostle Paul asked, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). That is a question that every Christian needs to consider. His point in asking is to say, "No one can overcome us, if we remain faithful to Him!" Paul went on to say, "In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer!" (Romans 8:37). Notice what "things" from verse 35: "Neither tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword can separate us from the love of Christ." In verses 38, 39 he says "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing" can separate us from the love of God. Pretty cool, huh? Just ask yourself, "Can this little things that afflicts me today separate me from the love of God?" The answer is: No! No!! NO!!

I know that sometimes it sounds trite to say that God is on our side and we can overcome. It never seems like the one who says it has been through what we are suffering right this moment. Still, the One Who originally said it has been through it (see Hebrews 4:15). He knows what it's like to suffer what you are suffering. In coming articles we are going to explore more specific application of Scripture to more specific afflictions. Know this: God knows you and He knows how to rescue the godly from temptation (see 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 2:9). He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates