Dr. Gough:

In these uncertain times, we all need encouragement.

--Let God, in His Word today, encourage you.

--God encouraged Moses to "encourage Joshua" (v 28).

--Thank God for His encouragement. Lives do change.

--May you and I be God's encouragers to all we can.

In Deuternomy 1:38, Israel was told, "encourage him, for (Joshua) shall cause Israel to inherit the land."

--We read such encouraging words in other verses.

--"The men of Israel encouraged themselves" (Jud 20).

--And "David strengthened himself in the Lord" (ISam. 30:6). No better way to be encouraged, friend. Jesus gives us three "Good Cheers" in the Gospels.

--Even the hymnwriters, as "Rise Up, 0 Men of God."

--Which is for all the saints of God, not just men.

In Deuteronomy 3 God encourages Moses another time.

--God had been doing that for over forty years.

--Across the Red Sea, wandering the desert, and Moses hoped to lead them across the Jordan; but not so.

--God asked Moses to be an "encourager" to Joshua!

--"Encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over .. and cause them to inherit the land" (3:28).

It is a big person to put God and others before self.

--Moses was that kind of man. Let's others be tops.

--We all have a job to be encouragers to each other.

I appreciate all who have encouraged me these years.

--My dear family. My wife. Many friends, teachers.

--It can make a difference, of success or failure.

--Because of encouragement, I am saved. A minister.

--I am debtor to so many. Perhaps you are, as well.

We need to be encouraged. And encourage others.

--"David encouraged himself in the Lord" (I Sam 30:6).

--That way he could - and did - strengthen others.

--Then, "The men of Israel encouraged themselves."

God's Word, worship and prayer sure does cheer anyone.

--How are we, at encouraging others?

We excel in cheering and supporting sports teams with cheer leaders, bands, lots of fans, and big bucks.

--But what about our troops? All our hard workers?

--Our spiritual leaders? Teachers? Godly followers?

--Shapers of our morality or future, deserve cheers.

--All we meet need our prayers, thanks, encouragement.

I think of the Book of Esther, set in the Middle East, now in the news. The Jews in captivity long ago.

--Tremendous Book, only one where God not mentioned!

--Yet God's presence, guidance, is very evident!

--It is about Mordecai who raised Esther, a Jewess who in God's providence became Queen of a Persian Empire as we read in Chapter 2, verse 7.

--She had been raised to follow the Lord God.

--In hard times, Mordecai's faith strengthened hers.

The Book of Esther tells of the deportation, hardship, and persecutions of a conquered people of God.

--Of an enemy, like Haman, seeking to exterminate all Jews everywhere, as Hitler and others tried to do.

--As some are trying to do today.

--Haman's sinister plot failed; he was hanged, on a gallows he had built to hang Mordecai!

--Do you see the providence of God for His own?

Inside and out, Esther was a beautiful person; godly.

--In God's will Esther was chosen queen of the greatest world power of her day .. for a purpose!

--A position of positive uplift, and opportunity!

--In a pagan land, difficult time, God shows His love.

--God has his eye on Israel, to save from extinction!

A commoner, with only moral power or prayer, Mordecai was used of God to encourage Esther to save Israel.

--He sent word, "Esther, you must do something. Even though Queen, you are a Jew. You will die too with others, if the King's Edict to destroy prevails!"

--"All Jews were to be slain." Even a queen Jew.

Why in captivity? Because many Jews forsook the Lord.

--Prophets had warned. God often declared (Dt. 31:18).

Dear friend, "all have sinned" and need a Savior.

--It is in the One, True, Living God Who loves us!

Mordecai kept encouraging Esther. She needed it.

--It was risky business to go before a king, without an invitation or summons! Her life was at stake!

--But the whole Jewish nation's life was at stake!

--One person, like an Esther, could save a whole race!

--He told her, "Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this" (4:14). She had!

--"Esther," he said, "it is up to you! You can do it!"

Don't you admire and applaud those who encourage?

--Maybe they are not in position to do more than that.

--But they take a stand for the right, encouraging others, who can! That is a vital effort, my friend.

One little rain drop can't do much - until joined with many others; then it can become a Niagara Falls!

--All it takes is a few who stand up for the Lord God!

Without Mordecai's encouragement, "you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this," Esther would have remained silent and done nothing.

--She saw her Uncle's wisdom; and gravity of it all.

--Told Mordecai, "Go, gather all the Jews in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat or drink for three days night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. So I will go to the king, which is against the law; and, if I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16). It worked!

--Fasting, my friend, is for fervent praying!.

You and I have "come to the kingdom, for such a time as this." To make a world of difference, for God!

--What are we doing about it? How is our influence?

--What about our encouraging others? Spouse? Kids?

--One person like these, like Jesus, can do wonders!

--Our day is equally as evil as it was then.

--So many now seeking to rid of Jews and every vestige of God, Jesus, the Bible, and godly followers.

--Our times call for a decision! For godly living!

--Faithful praying! Standing up for Jesus; God's Word.

Many other encouragers come to mind. One is Barnabas.

--In Scripture Barnabas was always encouraging people.

--His name means "consolation," or encourager.

--A devout Jew of Cyprus; he became a strong Christian.

--Some of you, I've known, are like Barnabas.

Barnabas the encourager blessed Paul, and many others.

--After Paul's amazing conversion, the Jerusalem church was skeptical of his faith; Barnabas stood up, in Paul's behalf, that it was real!

--"Brethren, we can be sure Paul is saved, by Jesus!"

--Paul proved to them, and the world, he was indeed.

--A long, close friendship commenced for the two men.

As a mentor, Barnabas matured and mellowed Paul.

--They served together in Jerusalem, the Antioch church, and as successful missionaries, winning many.

I ask you, suppose Barnabas, Mordecai, Moses, or others, had failed .. they had not been encouragers?

--A different story indeed. They made a difference!

--So may you and I may be small. But let's do it.

Paul caught that vision! What an example, to many.

--Even in prison for Jesus, Paul wrote 13 letters.

--Epistles, in the New Testament, encouraging others.

--Three of them to youth - Titus, I and Timothy.

--He encouraged, and won to Jesus, Priscilla and Aquilla, fellow Jews and tentmakers, who were encouragers by having a "church in their house," winning many.

--Don't you admire such folks, my friend?

--God needs more such folks today in our world.

We encourage others by right, or complimentary. words.

--By our life. Love. Deeds. Prayers. Call or note.

--By avoiding our discouragement. Showing our faith.

Who knows, God may encourage you to win some to Jesus!

My friend, rejoice in this faith, the finest of all.

--Grow in God's grace, so to encourage others in it.

We have many reasons to believe and become Christian!

--The credibility of Jesus Christ, as God our Messiah.

--The accountability of His life; sinless, sacrificial.

--The accessibility of truth - in His Word, Church.

--The reliability of the Gospel - by changed lives!

--The universality of His invitation - "to everyone."

--The inability to go to heaven, without a Risen Lord.

May I encourage you to be saved? Be an encourager?

--For the Lord?

Dr. Wilbert D. Gough