ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER

Encouraging One Another

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”                             1 Thess. 5:11 (NLT)

Every person at one time or another has times when they become so discouraged that they don’t know how to get out of it.  Some call it “down in the dumps”.  When I think of discouragement, I think about what David wrote in Psalm 40:2 (NKJV) “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.” 

In my own life I have gone through some deep places and honestly didn’t know how to pull myself out.  In time I realized that my only help was to call on the Lord.  There was the time I was on a dark, slippery road at night and my car began to spin out of control.  I did the only thing I could and I cried out, “Help me, Jesus” and still my car spun.  When it stopped, it was headed in the opposite direction in a ditch and rolled part of the way over and then righted itself.  I was on a back road in a ditch and praising God for not getting hurt, but here I sat, not knowing what to do.  Then I felt prompted to step on the gas and I came out of that ditch and turned in the middle of the road and continued on to my church.  I was directing a musical I didn’t want to be late.  I pulled into the parking lot, parked my car and went in to rehearsal.

 My husband was going to meet me there and so he parked next to me and saw the side of my car was smashed in, the mirror torn off and a flat tire.  He came running in to find me directing and stopped me to see if I was hurt.  I wasn’t and didn’t even know the car was damaged and tire never flattened until after I arrived.  Yes, God pulled me out of a miry pit and set my feet on solid ground.

Romans 12:8 (NLT)  gives this advice, “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.”  I don’t claim to have the gift of ‘encouragement’, but there have been many times when on impulse (divine direction) to stop and visit different people.  The first words out of their mouth were, “You came right when I needed someone”, or “I know God sent you today.”  What we might think is just an impulse, can most likely direction from God.

The Apostle Paul knew how important it was to give encouragement to people and he sent messengers to a church in Antioch with a letter of encouragement.  It says that there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. (Acts 15:32 (NLT)

In I Timothy 4:13, Timothy, sent a message to a church and here is what he said, “Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.”  These disciples in the early church knew what we have lost track of in the church of today.  He said, ‘FOCUS’, focus on these 3 things; read the scriptures, encourage each other and teach them.  The Bible is so full of God’s love and he encourages us as we study it.  Look around you; do you see anyone that looks discouraged?  Go to them and talk to them and God will give you the right words to speak to that person. 

Haven’t you noticed some people have this worried look on their face and you know how heavy their heart is?  God tells us just how to handle people that are anxious and worried.  “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.” (Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)  Just one encouraging word can change the attitude. 

I had this happen to me not long ago.  I was feeling a little down because I was sick and I just plain felt ugly that day.  This woman sat next to me and said hello and I smiled at her in response.  Then she said, “I like your outfit; it’s really cute.”  It perked me right up and I no longer felt so dumpy.  We chatted a bit and shared some things.  To me, that was so encouraging and I felt better the rest of the day.  See, it can be a very simple thing to encourage one another.

Your Bible may not even have the word ‘encouragement’, or encouraging in it, but it uses other words that mean the same like, ‘edification’ or ‘exhortation’.  It may use words like ‘lifting up’, but it is full of encouragement.  God does not want us to be so down, we get stuck in ‘miry clay’.  We may have to encourage ourselves as it tells us in Psalm 42:11, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him.” 

God is the answer, my friend; go to him in prayer.  When you are in the deepest despair, he will hear you and lift you up.  Why wait, you may not be doing much for yourself – try God.  He understands your every need.  I hope I have encouraged you today.  Don’t give up, don’t be cast down; God has a plan and a future for you if you let him into your heart.

NEEDING WISDOM!

NEEDING WISDOM!

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

 but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”   Proverbs 1:7 

It is so easy to turn to other people with our problems and hope for their wisdom to give us answers.  I can only say what I read in the Word of God.  Everyone has a certain amount of wisdom but not all wisdom comes from God.  There are many wise people on this earth that seem to have an answer for everything.  They may be highly educated, but only have the wisdom that comes from learning.  Not that that kind of wisdom is all bad, but what each of us needs is wisdom that comes from God. 

I know a great many people who are very smart, but have no common sense at all.  They get ideas and don’t even think them through before they jump in and try to make it happen.  Chances are these jump-start ideas are not the best thing to do and in times will fail completely.  Anyone who doesn’t seek God for wisdom has no common sense.

So where does one begin to accumulate wisdom?  Psalm 111:10 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!”  This doesn’t mean we should walk in fear every day thinking God may strike us down.  It means that we should realize who God is and that all power comes from Him.  If we follow His directions which are given in the Bible and try to live righteous lives, we have nothing to fear.  He will direct our paths and give us the wisdom to follow Him. 

I love this verse in James 1:5 that says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  There are so many things in our life that call for wisdom; relationships, finances, health and day by day living and we long for someone to give us advice and only God can give you that advice.   

I must say that we must also trust in others that have Godly wisdom.  Colossians 3:16 tells us to, “Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives.”  If you need to go to counselling, or send your children for counselling, make sure that counselor is a Christian who lives a godly life.  He or she will turn to God for wisdom.  God will give to them the spirit of wisdom and revelation knowledge.  [Ephesians 1:17] 

The Bible is a Manual for Living.  It has so much wisdom to be revealed for those who are open to receive it. The book of Proverbs is full of everyday wisdom and it would be wise to refer to it when needed.  King Solomon wrote most of Proverbs because God had given him more wisdom than others at that time.  However, in Solomon’s later years, he turned away from God and his fall was great. Ultimately, when you need wisdom, turn to God the Father and his Word.   

Let me give you an example from Jesus who was ministering with the disciples.  A wealthy young man came to him and said, “What can I do to have eternal life?”  Jesus answered him by saying “Keep the commandments”.  Jesus went on to tell him that he should not murder, commit adultery, or steal.  He should not lie and should honor his father and mother and then love your neighbor as yourself.  The young man told Jesus he had done all these things since he was young.  

Then he asked Jesus if there was anything else he needed to do.  Jesus really stretched him by saying, “sell everything you have and give it all to the poor, because then you will have treasures in heaven.  Then you can follow me.”  The young man was very sad because he knew he could not do that; he was very rich. [Matt. 19:16-22] 

This doesn’t mean you should run out and sell your house, your car, or whatever you have and give it away.  Jesus used this example to show us that our priorities are so important.  Do we give God first place in our life, or making money; trying to get rich or accumulating things come first?  Do you give God the first fruits, which means tithing 10% to your church home off every paycheck?  This is what God asks you to do. 

Even if we don’t think we can afford to tithes, where is your trust in God filling your needs.  In the last book of the Old Testament [Malachi 3:8-10] God says, “Try Me”.  Trust the almighty be putting Him first in your life.  This is called, “Wisdom”.  God will do what he says, try Him and see.   

Don’t be a fool, because fools “despise wisdom and instruction.”  [Proverbs 1:7]  Instead, stand up and be a man or woman of God and trust in His wisdom.

 

 

 

The Cross, Oh, the Cross

The Cross, Oh, the Cross

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.”   1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT)

 

The Cross, Oh, the Cross;

What a sight to behold.

Though it signals defeat,

Its purpose unfolds. 

The Cross, Oh, the Cross;

It is covered with blood,

So salvation can flow,

A ne’er ending flood. 

The Cross, Oh, the Cross;

His blood washed me clean;

Jesus, my Savior,

My Lord and my King. 

Centuries have passed since the day Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross for you and me.  The Cross has been a symbol of eternal life and not a symbol of death.  Yet today people are fighting against the Cross being displayed in public places because it offends people of other religions.  I have yet to figure how the minority of other religions can win out over the majority of Christians who regard the Cross as their symbol of life over death. 

I challenge you to think about this scripture in I Peter 2:24, “He personally carried our sins in his body on the Cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.”  Listen, we are saved so we can ‘live for what is right’.  What does that mean?  It means that as Christians, we need to protest against those, including our government, from taking away our religious freedom!  It is happening so gradually that one day we will find we have no religious freedom at all. 

I saw on the news today that ‘militant gays’ are demanding that any church that believes homosexuality is wrong should be shut down.  We know that isn’t going to happen – now, but what about in the future?  Who would have ever believed that Crosses would be taken down, or Christians would be called “Haters”?  That has come to pass.   

Who would have believed that businesses cannot make the decision as to whom they do business with?  What about the restaurants who decide people cannot come in without shoes or ties?  What about those who will not allow gangs to gather in their stores?  What about the places who won’t allow pets in their establishments? All of these things could be called discrimination. What comes next?  

 

When the Cross is called offensive and all over our country, it is being removed from public places, can you even imagine how God Almighty is offended?  The Bible tells us, “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” [Ephesians 1:7]  This is talking about the Blood Jesus shed on the Cross.   

There is an old song I learned as a child and today it must become our theme song or we will lose so much of what our forefathers fought and died for.  Easter has turned into rabbits and colored eggs and is celebrated by most.  What Easter is really all about is celebrating the Resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, from death on the Cross.  Let this song become your theme song and make a difference before we, as Christians, lose all our rights. 

Stand Up for Jesus 

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus, You soldiers of the Cross.

 Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.

 From victory unto victory, His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed.”