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XII.
Christian Growth and Experience
Chapter 132
:
The Duty of Encouragement
1. WHEN the ten spies
brought back an evil report from the land of
Canaan, what did Caleb say?
"And Caleb stilled the people before
Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and
possess it; for we are well able to overcome
it." Num. 13:30.
2. What did the ten
spies say?
"But the men that went up with him
said, We be not able to go up against the
people; for they are stronger than we."
Verse 31.
3. What effect did this
evil report have upon the people?
"And all the congregation lifted up
their voice, and cried;
and the people wept that night. And all
the children of Israel murmured against
Moses and against Aaron: and the whole
congregation said unto them, Would God that
we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God
we had died in this wilderness! . . . And
they said one to another, Let us make a
captain, and let us return into Egypt." Num.
14:1-4.
4. With what words did
Moses seek to encourage Joshua?
"And Moses called unto Joshua, and
said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be
strong and of a good courage. . . . The
Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will
be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither
forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."
Deut. 31:7,8.
5. In his final charge
to Joshua, what did Moses, speaking for God, say
to him?
"And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a
charge, and said, Be strong and of a good
courage: for thou shalt bring the children
of Israel into the land which I sware unto them:
and I will be with thee. " Verse 23.
6. After Moses' death,
how did the Lord encourage Joshua?
"The Lord spake unto Joshua the son
of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, . . . There
shall not any man be able to stand before thee
all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses,
so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee,
nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good
courage." Joshua 1:1-6.
7. When Sennacherib,
king of Assyria, came against Jerusalem, what
did King Hezekiah say to Israel?
"Be strong and courageous, be not
afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria,
nor for all the multitude that is with him: for
there be more with us than with him: with him is
an army of flesh; but with us is the Lord our
God to help us, and to fight our battles." 2
Chron. 32:7,8.
8. What effect did
these words have upon the people?
"And the people rested themselves
upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."
Verse 8.
9. How did Josiah seek
to promote the worship of God?
"And he set the priests in their
charges, and encouraged them to the service
of the house of the Lord." 2 Chron. 35:2.
10. By what message,
through the prophet Haggai, did God seek to
encourage the people to rebuild the temple?
"Be strong, O Zerubbabel,
saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua,
son of Josedech, the high priest; and be
strong, all ye people of the land, saith the
Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the
Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:4.
11. What encouraging
message has Christ left us?
"Be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world." John 16:33.
NOTES.-A dispirited man, like a discouraged
horse, is powerless to perform his task.
"What men need most in this world's struggle
and strife is not usually direct help, but
cheer. . . . Many men have fainted and
succumbed in the great struggles whom one
word of cheer would have made strong to
overcome. We should never, then, lose an
opportunity to say an inspiring word. We
know not how much it is needed, nor how
great and far-reaching its consequences may
be."- "Week-Day Religion," by J. R.
Miller, D. D., page 170.
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