Weekly Encouragement: Cheer Up! Take Heart!

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Dear Friend, 

How are you? From time to time, we all need encouragement. In Spanish Bible, the expression "Ten animo" ("Cheer up" or "Take heart") was used four times by Lord Jesus as He addressed four factors that eat at our courage and our joy.

>> Guilt: 

In Matthew 9:2, Jesus looked at the helpless paralytic and said "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Of course the paralytic wanted to walk, but real freedom and joy come from accepting God's forgiveness. All people are sick with some sort of sin (Isaiah 1). So all need healing, if not physical. Since sin binds people, makes them slaves; man needs true freedom from sin before he can enjoy the blessings of God. But very few desire this freedom! When anyone asks and accepts God's forgiveness, he is set free and begins to experience total healing. That is the source of real joy.

>> Sickness: 

In Matthew 9:22, there was a woman who lived with the frustration of being sick for 12 years. She knew that Jesus was her only hope. Her heart must have sunk as her secret plan to touch Jesus became public. "Take heart, daughter," Jesus said, "your faith has healed you." She was thus encouraged to take more steps of faith. Yes, when you exercise faith to bring healing to your sickness, there is power available to do more than what you expected. When you are desperate for a touch from God which is the only hope to bring change into your life, God Himself is eager to meet you and encourage you. And He wants you to confess before all, for His glory and blessing of all.

>> Uncertainty: 

In Matthew 14:27, the exhausted disciples were in a boat, in a storm at night, without Jesus. Then they saw something they had never seen before - a ghost! It terrified them. Jesus walked up to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." What calms our fears and cheers our hearts is the presence of Christ. Those who believe in Him have this assurance and privilege of His continual presence in all situations of life. There is so much comfort and hope in being aware of someone standing by your side always. He is a readily available source of help and hope that you can depend upon and draw strength from.

>> Rejection: 

In Acts 23:11, Paul did his best but things went wrong. He was now hurting, alone, and in prison. His evangelistic efforts were opposed, his teaching contradicted, his motives questioned. Usually at night, our problems seem even larger, and in one of those sad nights the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Take courage!" There's still more work to be done. Yes, our life is not over just because some life-threatening problems arose. Till we can say, we have completed the work God has given us, we have to continue to live and face every challenge in life. People may forget us, forsake us, as it happened to Paul (2 Tim.1); but God who called you with a purpose, never leaves you. He, especially, comes near in times of crisis and says, take courage. When we think it is almost over, there is so much still to be done! The best is yet to come in life! Keep going.

Perhaps you are going through difficult times. The Lord's words are also for you: "Ten animo! I know everything you have done, and I have forgiven you. I am standing by your side. I still have more work for you to do." Don't be afraid to take another step forward by faith.

Be Encouraged.

A. Othniel

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