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Words of Exhortation / Consolation
Act 13:15 “If ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”
Words of comfort . . . glad tidings . . . encouragement
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
What was the word of consolation in this context?
God’s word, all of it, is encouraging!
When the scriptures rebuke us, they encourage us. When God’s word convicts us of our sins, it encourages us. When God’s word points out our flaws, it encourages us.
The point being is God’s word is our salvation. Nothing God has revealed to us in His word is damaging to us, if we will submit to it.
Heb 4:12,13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
No one is better at deceiving us than our own selves.
We easily justify wrongful attitudes and actions. Nothing can penetrate a hardened heart that refuses to hear the word of God. Those who have so refused to allow God to correct and discipline them are doomed to eternal punishment.
Only the word of God can save us, and that my brethren is Glad Tidings!
The poisoned words of false teachers preaching health & wealth deceive the world with their flowery sermons. They preach words that will lead men to hell, not salvation.
“Glad tidings” from these so-called teachers is all about doing what you want to do and never about what God commands. The bible teaches us to deny self, but these men preach promotion of self.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
We live in a society of narcissism. Less we be deceived, even some brethren can fall victim to this behavior. The love of self above all others can lead men into all manner of evil.
God is not mocked, but all things are naked and opened to God regardless of our self-deception.
The Christian who dabbles in the word of God, and looks for justification for their behavior, will believe a lie and is delusional.
2 Thess 2:10-12 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The Glad Tidings . . . the Exhortation found in God’s word, when honestly studied and applied will save us from eternal damnation.
When we look into the word of God for correction, reproof, and how the scriptures apply to us individually and quit looking for how it applies to someone else, we are on the right path and nothing but good will come from this effort.
When asked, “If ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on”, the apostle Paul did not hesitate to preach the word of God – nor should we!
- John Smith
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Cor 1:3,4
