EXAMPLE

Regarding children specifically:

Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."

I Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

Related to believers of all ages:

Titus 2:7 "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,"

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." (The truest of friendships sharpen one another by “words fitly spoken”, but also by example.)

Hebrews 4:11 "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

I Peter 3:1 "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; " (conversation meaning lifestyle, behavior, or example)

Christ’s example:

He showed us an example of servitude.
John 13:15 "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."

His example involved enduring suffering.
I Peter 2:21 "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"

Endurance

the inward strength to withstand stress and difficulty to accomplish your best for God
(Tom Ross from Cultivation Christian Character)

Galatians 6:9”And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

As God’s children we are encouraged to endure in our life’s work of honoring and serving Him. “Endurance is found by exercising patience, faithfulness, determination, and diligence.”
Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
Hebrews 12:1b “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

Metaphors of Endurance: a marathon runner, a prize fighter, soldier
I Corinthians 9:24“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. (also see Hebrews 12:1-3)
I Corinthians 9:26-27 “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
II Timothy 2:3-4 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

We are called upon to endure: Tribulation, Hardness, Chastening, Persecution, Suffering (II Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 11:25; I Peter 2:20; John 15:19-20; II Timothy 3:11-12; II Thessalonians 1:4 )
Romans 8:17 “if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
Acts 14:22 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
Hebrews 12:7a If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons;
Endurance does not earn us salvation, it gives evidence of salvation; a true indwelling of God. (Matthew 24:13)

Examples of Endurance: God, Moses, Paul, Jesus Christ
Psalm 104:31 (also read Psalms 102:25-27; 106:1; 111:3)
“The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.”
Hebrews 11:27 “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible”
II Timothy 4:7 (also read I Corinthians 11:21-30; I Timothy 2:10)
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,”
Hebrews 12:2-3 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”


Oh, God, help us to endure, for Christ's sake!

Encouragement

1.To inspire with courage, spirit or hope;
2. To spur on or stimulate

Recognizing the presence of God (His Spirit) yields courage and abates fear and dread.

Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deut 31:23, Joshua 1:6, 9)

John 14:1,16,27
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
We must not quench the Spirit, if we desire the benefits of His presence.

When waiting and hoping in the LORD courage is found.

Psalm 27:14
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Psalm 31:24
“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

It is important to encourage one another to do right.

Hebrews 10:24
”And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"
Hebrews 3:13
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

Beware of those that seek to lead us astray by encouraging us to do evil.

Psalm 64:5
"They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, “Who shall see them?”

Here we see that the Lord has words of great comfort and encouragement to His people Israel during their captivity in Babylon. (we all have our own versions of captivity…do we not?! Take comfort.

Jeremiah 29:11 (read 10-14)
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end."