“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4 ESV)

We have strong encouragement

 “So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” (Heb. 6:18 ESV)

God encourages the afflicted

“You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.” (Psalm 10:17 NIV)

Do not be afraid or discouraged

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:9 NIV)

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:8 NIV)

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” (Rom. 15:5 NIV)

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25 NIV)

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thes. 5:11 NIV)

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5 NASB)

Set your mind on things above

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2 NASB)

Prepare your mind for action

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13 NASB)

Make a covenant with your eyes

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?” (Job 31:1 NASB)

Don’t set worthless things before your eyes

“I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me.” (Psalm 101:3 NASB)

Dwell only on excellent things

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Phil. 4:8 NASB)

Renew your mind

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 NASB)

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7 NIV)

The righteous give generously

“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” (Psalm 37:21 NIV)

Give when it is in your power to act

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” (Prov. 3:27 NIV)

Give to the poor

“Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matt. 19:21 NIV)

God will repay you

“If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD--and he will repay you! generous person will prosper.” (Prov  19:17 NLT)

“A generous person will prosper, whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Prov. 11:25 NIV)

Give and it will be given to you

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38 NIV)

Honor the Lord with your wealth

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.” (Prov. 3:9 NIV)

 “Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness.” (Eph. 6:14 NLT)

Do what is right before God and man

“For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” (2 Cor. 8:21 NIV)

Love rejoices in truth

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Cor. 13:6 NIV)

Love with actions and truth

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 NIV)

Integrity will guide you

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (Prov. 11:3 NIV)

To do what is right is better than sacrifice

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” (Prov. 21:3 NIV)

Walk in the light and live out the truth

“If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” (1 John 1:6 NIV)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)

Jesus is the bread of life

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35 NIV)

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

Follow Jesus to have the light of life

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(John 8:12 NIV)

Whoever has Jesus has life

“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12 NIV)

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”(2 Peter 3:18 ESV)

Don’t be like children

“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Cor. 14:20 ESV)

 Grow up into salvation

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2 ESV)

Grow up so that you will no longer be children tossed to and fro

“So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Eph. 4:14-15 ESV)

Until we attain to the unity of faith  

“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:13 ESV)

Go on to maturity

“Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.” (Heb. 6:1-3 ESV)

Be wise and increase in learning

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.” (Prov. 9:9 ESV)

And God will keeping working in you until the day of Jesus Christ 

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6 ESV)

“For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” (2 Cor. 1:5 NIV)

Achieving an eternal glory that outweighs them all

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV)

Jesus, a man of suffering and familiar with pain

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” (Isa. 53:5 NIV)

Glory in sufferings because of what is produced

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Rom. 5:3-4 NIV)

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” (Phil. 1:29 NIV)

If you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed

“But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” (1 Peter 3:14 NIV)

Becoming like Him

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (Phil. 3:10 NIV)

To this you were called

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21 NIV)

God will restore you and make you strong

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:10 NIV)

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Prov. 16:24 NIV)

Death and life are in the tongue

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Prov. 18:21 NASB)

Guard your mouth!

“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Prov. 13:3 NASB)

“Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.” (Prov. 21:23 NASB)

The godless man destroys with words but the righteous will be delivered!

“With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” (Prov. 11:9 NASB)

Listen and know what to say

“The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.” (Isa. 50:4 NASB)

Use ONLY gracious words!

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 NASB)

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.“ (Psalm 46:1 NASB)

The Lord hears and delivers

“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” (Psalms 34:17-19 NASB)

When trouble comes, call on Him

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." (Psalm 50:15 NASB)

God will restore double for trouble!

“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” (Zech. 9:12 NIV)