Words of Encouragement in Time of Crisis

A couple of weeks ago a friend and a dear sister in the Lord in Ukraine sent us a message to pray for them. She asked us to pray for them “not to hate their enemies”.   She also said they trust that God is still faithful.

At times I do not know what to say to encourage them, I sent her Bible verses. With our back-and-forth messages, I would like to share some of these encouragements;

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February 10th, Psalm 29:10-11

The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.
11 The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

February 21- Isaiah 41:10-12

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—
Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.

February 22,

I sent her another encouragement from Psalm 46: 1-2, 10-11

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swel
ling. Selah

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

February 24th –

She sent another message that her family is on their way to “a safe place”.

I sent her a message and told her; “Be strong in the Lord, may the angel armies of the Lord be with you all”.

February 25th,

She sent me another message that her family (with 2 children) were driving 35 hours to a safe place…

I sent another encouragement from the Bible; This was David’s reading that day from Psalm 94:1-3, 14,22

O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
 Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.
 Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph…

For the Lord will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance….

But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge…

February 27 – I sent her another encouragement from Psalm 56:8-13

You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
 In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me? For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,

That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?

February 28th,

She sent me another message that they reached a city in the western part of the country. But they had to go to a safe shelter (bunker) one time when the siren went off. Then later, she and her family went back to the apartment when they felt safe.

February 27th

I sent her encouragement from Psalm 57:

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.

March 1, 2022

She continues to do her job in encouraging her people through the media.

I sent her another message from Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

In closing, we joined the many people who are interceding and praying for the people of Ukraine. “Lord have mercy, may Your will be done, may Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven…

But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.
 I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense. My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies. Do not slay them, lest my people forget;  Scatter them by Your power, And bring them down,
O Lord our shield. (Psalm 59:8-11
)

  • All Scripture quotations are from New King James Version, NKJV, Bible Gateway


The Power of Words

This morning in my Bible reading, the Lord encouraged me once again from His Word. As we see and hear news of wickedness going on around the world, we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for their faith. We pray for God’s protection for the innocent, vulnerable, children, and women who are in volatile situations. We pray for courageous men and women who put their lives on the line to help these people in need. Though some people may fail, Almighty God does not fail. God loves all people.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 

John 3:16

The Assured Judgment of the Wicked

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
Defend me from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.

For look, they lie in wait for my life;
The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.

Awake to help me, and behold!
You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to punish all the nations;
Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah

At evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
Indeed, they belch with their mouth;
Swords are in their lips;
For they say, “Who hears?”

But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;
You shall have all the nations in derision.
I will wait for You, O You his Strength;
For God is my defense.
10 My God of mercy shall come to meet me;
God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.

11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget;
Scatter them by Your power,
And bring them down,
O Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be taken in their pride,
And for the cursing and lying which they speak.
13 Consume them in wrath, consume them,
That they may not be;
And let them know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah

14 And at evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
15 They wander up and down for food,
And howl if they are not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.”

-Psalm 59 NKJV Bible Gateway