Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.** 2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NIV)**
Scripture is the ultimate “Paraklesis” – encouragement, comfort and exhortation. As all Scripture is God breathed and profitable to equip us for every good work. The more we know it, the more we can wield it properly to help both ourselves and others in our spheres of influence. Our world is in great need of the encouragement and teaching which God’s Word provides in counteracting the hardening tendencies of sin and depravity abounding as well as changing the leanings of our own hearts. It teaches us the right way to live – blessing us and blessing others. We are never to neglect it.
Scripture tells us God’s Word is living and active and sharper than any double edged sword. It penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow and judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. Its Words encourage and strengthen the saints to stand firm in all the will of God mature and fully assured. Scripture is the child of the King’s sword, equipping us to be strong in the Lord and enabling us to stand our ground - in His mighty power and not our own. We do not have to give the adversary of our souls an inch. Oftentimes, when we give him and inch, he takes a mile, and it is never a very pretty sight. And discouragement overtakes us quickly. We combat his wiles with the Word. And remember, it is the whole of Scripture which makes a believer whole. We are not allowed to pick and choose only the verses palatable to us.
The writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV): “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” And we encourage one another and ourselves through the knowledge and application of God’s Word as it is true Truth and it never changes. We can stand firm in it.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.** 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV) **