“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:16-18 NIV)

Have you ever gotten discouraged?

I have. Lots of times! Usually it's because something negative has happened beyond my control. Recently I was working on a complicated computer project and suddenly the program crashed and took all my work with it. I stared at the screen in disbelief and was discouraged to have lost so much hard work. But, I realized that I couldn't do anything about it. So, I took a deep breath, asked God for help, and just started over. I eventually finished the project and it's now history. 

It happens to everybody!

Truth is, everyone has something negative happen now and then. It can't be avoided. As long as you live on planet earth there will be discouraging moments. But, you can’t allow them to control you. You must recognize them for what they are and deal with them as quickly and positively as you can.

They are temporary!

The Bible reminds us that the troubles we see are only momentary and we must look past them towards what is permanent - to the things that are eternal. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory.” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV). 

When troubles come, call on God!

“And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15 ESV)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matt 7:7 ESV)

Don't give up!

“Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams.” – Dr. Ben Carson

 “Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.” (Deut. 34:7 NASB)

On the last day of Moses’ life He climbed a mountain. The Bible says his eyes and body were still strong on the day he died! Why then did he die? Because it was his time to die. Even so, he died in good health!

We have a better covenant than Moses had!

“But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.” (Heb. 8:6 NIV)

We don't know how long we will live or at what age we will die, but we can claim promises for long life and good health!

“With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:16 ESV)

“You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.” (Ex. 23:25-26 ESV)

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” (3 John 1:2 ESV)

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” (Psalm 92:12-15 NIV)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.”  (John 14:1 NIV)

In this passage of Scripture, Jesus gives some important instructions to His disciples shortly before He is to be crucified. He knows they are about to experience a huge crisis. Their leader is about to be arrested, publicly tortured, placed on a cross, die and be buried! They are about to be scattered and everything they have been taught is about to be tested.

Maintain control!

Jesus tells them to do two important things. First, not to panic (Do not let not your hearts be troubled), and secondly, to believe in Him (You believe in God; believe also in Me.”

Trust in God's Word!

You trust in God by putting your trust in His written Word because God and his Word are the same. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NIV)

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12 NIV)

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matt. 7:24 NIV)

 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10 NIV)

Have you ever been lost?

I have been lost many times over the years! I'm sure glad they finally invented GPS systems, which I depend on a lot! When I was growing up my family used to jokingly say, “Mike could get lost at a picnic.” They were probably right. When I was about five, I was with my dad and big brother David, in San Francisco. Dad stopped at a department store downtown and parked right in front of the entrance. We went inside together and walked around looking at things. Somehow I got separated from them. It was a large store and I still remember clearly how afraid I felt when I realized they were no longer near me. I looked around the store but could not find them.  Eventually I remembered that we had parked in front of the entrance, so I found the door and headed out to the street to find our car. It was gone! I didn't know what to do and sat down on the curb and cried. I was sure they had left without me. Then a woman walked over to me and asked what was wrong. I told her I couldn't find my daddy. She saw a policeman on a motorcycle and called him over.  At that moment out of the store walked my dad and brother! I jumped up and happily ran to them. They had been looking for me. All along. I was so relieved to see them! When I told my daddy that the car was not where he had parked it, he explained that the big store had several entrances that looked exactly alike, and I had come out the wrong one. The car was exactly where it had been all along.

Jesus told lots of stories about lost and found things

The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10), and the parable of the lost sheep, (Luke 15:3-7) are two examples about lost and found things that Jesus spoke about. And, of course, I can't leave out the story of the prodigal son, about the young man who had left his father deliberately, and was seemingly lost to the world. But, he finally came to his senses, headed back home and there found his father, who had been watching all along for his return. The lost boy had been found and the father welcomed him back home with a party (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus said this is an example of how God is towards us.

God is happy when you return to Him!

“Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty.” (Zach. 1:3 NIV)

 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Prov. 18:21 ESV)

“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:3 NIV)

“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.” (Psalm 91:9-10 NIV)

Control what you let come out of your mouth!

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 ESV)

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1 ESV)

It comes from your heart!

“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart...” (Matt. 15:18 ESV)

Your words can bring healing

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”  (Prov. 16:24 ESV)

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Prov. 12:18 ESV)

You will someday give an account for every word you speak

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” (Matt. 12:36 ESV)

 “Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.” (Jos. 21:45 NLT)

“Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the LORD your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!” (Jos. 23:14 NLT)

“Praise the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses.” (1 Kings 8:56 NLT)

Not one Word has failed!

“For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.” (Psalm 145:13)

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23 NIV)

 A costly sacrifice for us!

“You never hear Jesus say in Pilate’s judgement hall one word that would let you imagine that He was sorry that He had undertaken so costly a sacrifice for us. When His hands are pierced, when He is parched with fever, His tongue dried up like a shard of pottery, when His whole body is dissolved into the dust of death, you never hear a groan or a shriek that looks like Jesus is going back on His commitment.” – Charles Spurgeon 

 “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. (Isa. 55:11 NASB)

God has the power and will to fulfill His promises!

The Bible is filled with thousands of wonderful promises to cover every possible need you could ever encounter (2 Pet. 1:4). They are placed there for you by God Himself and are all 100% guaranteed by Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). You just need to find them, mix faith with them (Heb. 4:2 KJV) and believe they will work for you (Mark 11:24).

“And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Rom. 4:21 KJV)

 "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Num. 23:19 NIV)

Trustworthy God! 

Trustworthy is defined as reliable, dependable, honest, honorable, upright, principled, true, truthful, as good as one's word; ethical, virtuous, incorruptible, unimpeachable, above suspicion; responsible, sensible, loyal, faithful, staunch, steadfast, reputable, and completely straight-up. All of this describes God!

God’s unchangeable nature is trustworthy

"When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.' And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.” (Heb. 6:13-18 NIV)

A trustworthy saying to fully accept!

“This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” (1 Tim. 4:9-10 NIV)

God is a trustworthy confidant

“Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him” (Psalm 28:6-7, NASB).

We can be completely confident!

“This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God--who does not lie--promised them before the world began.” (Titus 1:2 NLT)

“Trust would not be trust if it did not require some commitment from us to walk by faith and not by sight. God is a trustworthy confidant, for He constantly seeks our good.” – Billy Graham

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Eph. 1:3 NIV)

Notice that the above verse says He “has blessed us” (past tense), because God has already done it! It's totally accomplished! Finished! Done!

Every spiritual blessing in Christ!

Notice that the second part of the above verse says that He's provided you with “every spiritual blessing in Christ.” That means all of them have been given to you without exception. There are no blessings excluded! That’s right, you get them all! The entire group! The total amount.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 NIV)

God blesses you to be a blessing to others!

“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2 NIV)