Encourage One Another

 

Verse of the day

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. ~ Proverbs12:25

I'd be lying if I said I didn't worry. In fact I believe everyone worries at some point in their life. I'm not a big worrier but from time to time, I fall and need to be lifted up again.

When we worry, we often lose touch of who we are in God's Kingdom and we lose focus on His ways and his perfect plan for our lives. When I say perfect plan, I don't mean we get whatever we want. After all our lives are to be lived to glorify Christ - not ourselves. It's these simple reminders that can lift us out of a funk.

The body of Christ is called to do just that. Help others who are down. A simple word of encouragement can lift a brother or sister's spirit. We may not be able to ever solve the problem but encouragement goes a long way.

Much of the time it is just being around one another and lending an ear. If I know I'm not alone in this world, then my problems are not insurmountable. If I hear encouraging words or words of love and caring, many times that will drive out despair. 

Let us all be in unity with one another, lifting each other up.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the beauty that surrounds us. Thank you for the beautiful sunrise this morning. And thank you that you gave me a voice to speak to others in love and with encouragement. And may we all do this for your glory Lord.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Live What You Believe

 

Verse of the day

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.  Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. ~ John 11:25‭-‬26

There were many examples of Jesus trying to convince people to believe in him and love in him. Many did, but many struggled to do so. Even His closest disciples could not fully grasp who Jesus was.

Even after centuries of study and God's revelation to us, to this day, many will not believe. Even those claiming to be Christians will learn about Jesus. Even call him Lord, but do not truly believe in Him. They choose not to live in Jesus but of this world.

In order to live for Jesus we must acknowledge who he is. Jesus is 100% God, 100% Living Truth and 100% our Lord and Savior. As we live our lives we must pray, listen and obey what He has spoken to our hearts. We must live out God's truth.

In today's world, we are told how to live as it is becoming more and more opposite of how God intended is to live. Choosing to live for Christ is becoming increasingly difficult. But we must overcome this world. Every day that passes is a day closer to our Lord's return. Let us not be caught unaware.

Heavenly Father,

Your son Jesus had saved us from our sins. You are most powerful and the only one we can trust with our lives. May I listen and obey to every word you put on my heart.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Don't Hold On To This Life

Verse of the Day

People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. ~ 1 Peter 1:24

When we start out in life, we have many dreams of achievements, going places, becoming a person with many accomplishments. And for some they will achieve what they set as their goal. But in the end, whatever we have accomplished or acquired will wither away.

Even our youthful beauty is but a glimpse in eternity. It also fades away as we get older. In our latter years, our priorities change. What we strived so hard for in the previous years, are not as important as our loved ones who surround us.

When we became a Christian our old life begins to fade away and we now look forward to an eternal life with Christ. One that doesn't tarnish, wither or fades away but one filled with love for Jesus and others.

It is this love that is eternal. As long as we remain in Christ, that love will never fail. It is eternal and can be experienced in this life and the life after our physical death. Let us focus on that love for Christ and one another.

Heavenly Father,

I thank you for reminding me that the things of this earth are only temporary but a life in you is eternal. While I may see things around me fade away, I do not have to lose hope in an eternal life with you.

May I set my eyes upon you and not lose focus on what is most important in this life...and that is LOVE.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Overcoming Hardships

Verse of the Day

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. ~ James 5:13

Everyone suffers through hardships. I haven't met a person who hasn't gone through a trial or a difficult time in their life. It could be financial problems, health issues, loss of a loved one or any number of things that throw life into chaos.

So what do we do when faced with an overwhelming hardship? Many of us will one of two things. We will go down a self-destructive path or we will seek a more positive outcome.

Those in Christ can be rest assured that we have hope in these very instances. We are not alone in our trials. God is always with us and will never forsake us.

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

We need to pray and cry out to the Lord. We need to seek him in our times of suffering. And as hard as it can be, we also need to praise him in our tough times. We do this to acknowledge that he is all powerful and in control when we give him our lives.

We have hope in Christ when we pray. As we lift up our God in praises, he will lift our spirits up. He will show us healing and perseverance in the darkest hours. Your faith will be renewed and you will have the strength to carry on.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for walking with me when I struggle and feel like nothing else will help. You are all powerful, you are all loving and you care about me. You lift me up when I feel like there is no hope. May I put all my hope in you and sing praises every step of the way.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.
 

For the Love of Money

 

Verse of the day

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ~ Matthew 6:19

We all need provision to survive. Our lives depend on it. We buy food, clothing and use money to put a roof over our head. We also buy things that are often not necessary to live. These things (or wants) entertain us and we just can't seem to get enough of these things. 

But no matter how much one accumulates, it never satisfies. Money can buy you everything you've ever dreamed of. And when you obtain many of these things, they are great for awhile but the excitement begins to tarnish and we're off looking for the next best thing. There is no peace in striving for material wealth or items.

There is peace when we pause and give thanks to the Lord who has provided us with food to eat, a family to love and covers all of our basic necessities. In fact we are not to worry about any of these needs. God will provide them to us.

Let us remember who gave us our blessings and what truly makes us happy. 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your provision you give me each day. Your promises are given so that I may believe in, rely on and expect them with a thankful heart. I pray for your continued blessings and may I not get wrapped up in the love of money but love for the Creator of all things.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Living the Word of God

When I first began to read the Bible it was through a King James Version (KJV). Not only did I feel overwhelmed not knowing where to start but I found the language difficult to read. After many years of reading many different versions of the Bible, I no longer am intimidated by the KJV translation but I also find that other versions can sometimes fill in the gaps in helping me understand God's word.

My favorite translation to read is the New Living Translation (NLV). The language is in everyday language I use. Some may argue that it isn't the most accurate translation but I believe the overall meaning has been preserved and is helpful for devotional time with God.

The words "New Living" reminds me of how I should live my life. We are made new when we come to make Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives. And when we are made new in Him, then we should live new lives as well. The transformation, for many, doesn't always happen overnight. It can take time to overcome bad habits, old sins and temptations that have plagued us in our former life.

But when we read the Bible, how do we actually take what is reads and apply it to our lives. It's not always easy jumping from one culture to our current culture. Or perhaps the time period over 2,000 years ago may not seem as relevant today. We have to remember that the truths found in the Bible are eternal. They haven't changed and never will.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ~Hebrews 13:8

When we read God's word, let us not just skim by the truths He has revealed to us. It is not enough to know what God tells us but to be obedient and to live these truths out in our everyday lives. And sometimes this isn't easy to do. Sometimes it goes against what everyone else is telling us to do. 

To stand firm in God's word (especially when you're the only one), will give you faith and strength to preserve through the most difficult times. Those moments you choose to believe and live by faith rewards you with a peace and closeness to God that the world cannot touch.

May we continue to learn and live in obedience to God's word as it is the only form of truth we can trust.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your word. Thank you for your truth. You have not changed in over the centuries. You continue to be my guiding light when things are dark all around me. You guide my path and protect me from evil.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.