Be Encouraged

On October 21, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Thessalonians 3: 2

. . . and we sent Timothy, our bother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith.

Several times I received the high compliment that I am an encourager. It really blessed me for people to tell me that because I really like to encourage folks. If I am indeed an encourager, then this passage shows why. God has sent me and others to be encouragement. He wants to encourage His people. Now, sometimes God has to teach us and sometimes He even must reprove us at times, but underlying it all is His great hope that we receive instruction and improve our situations. He wants to give hope and encouragement and then instruct us in the way to go in order to have those hopes realized. If He gets on you sometimes, don’t take it hard. Just understand that He is showing you things that you help you move towards His great desire for a better life for you.

In Jeremiah 19: 11 God said, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God has really great plans for you. He has plans to prosper you and to give you a good and glorious future. His plans for you are pleasing, full of love and full of His glory. He has so much goodness that He wants to rain into your life. Never give up! Never, ever quit! God has a plan for a good future for you and you need to set your mind on that plan of His and ignore this present uncomfortableness. I know some days are tough but, it will surely pass and you will get on to the better things.

Be encouraged today because your Father loves you and wants great things for you.

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Encouragement

On September 30, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 46: 10

God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble.

Hurricane Helene blasted through the eastern US this past week leaving devastation in its wake. That is not hyperbole. The pictures of the aftermath reveal only part of the story, but certainly enough that we realize the very real need for a strong refuge.

This storm made victims out of millions of people. Some of those people do not know God, the Father and Jesus, our savior. They don’t know the Lord who is a very real and ready help in the time of trouble. For many people, God is not a present God. He is either a theory or a fiction. We know differently. He is alive and here. He is ready to help us in our time of need. Therefore, today’s Word of the Day has two purposes. First, it is meant as an encouragement for all those who have been adversely affected by the storm and secondly, as a call to prayer to the rest of us, to those who know that God is on hand.

Salvation is a big word. We usually think of it in an end of times or end of life context. Through the eyes of Helene, we see salvation’s meaning in its larger manifestation. People need His saving touch in many ways: in their finances, housing, communications, their towns, streets, etc. The encouraging word is that God has salvation in His hands for all those things and more. His saving grace touches every aspect of life. Moreover, it is available to all. Just ask for it, whether for yourself and your family or for others. He is the help that millions of people need right now.

God is that refuge we can run into. In the shelter of God, there is comfort and peace. I believe there are many people who need peace and comfort now. We should let people know that God can impact more than just emotions though. While I believe comfort is very important right now and should not be minimalized, it is also important to let people know that Yahweh is a practical God. By that I mean that He is able to help with the financial and logistical issues facing the eastern US. I am reminded of the great Exodus in which God secured Israel’s release from slavery in Egypt. Liberation was the driving force, but God did not send them out as destitute vagabonds. They left with gold from the Egyptians. That has always amazed me but that shows how God thinks and how He addresses problems.

A great swath of the country has certainly been impacted by Hurricane Helene, yet in the aftermath, we can find God and help others find Him. Maybe some people just need more of Him or a larger version of Him in their lives. Perhaps others need Him to hover close. Still others may find His strength and encouragement for the first time in their lives. Regardless of what each impacted person and business needs, I pray that everyone embraces God and finds the love, compassion, comfort and simple practicality they need in these trying times. While the flood waters recede, I pray that new found relationships and closeness with God never will.

Please join me in praying for the victims of Hurricane Helene

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Confidence

On July 10, 2023   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 27: 13 – 14          (NIV)

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

You know, life isn’t always easy. We know that we have the victory of the Lord, but sometimes living in the fulness of that victory is a challenge. I want to encourage you today. Don’t give up. Don’t despair. If we persist, we shall see the goodness of the Lord and I have no doubt.

This passage was written by David. He had a most interesting relationship with Yahweh, our God and Father. In fact, I think it is a good exercise to read David’s psalms solely with an eye on relationship language, looking at how he interacted with God.

David went through some trials, to say the least. One of the most informative examples of his life was how he faithfully served Saul only to find himself persecuted by the very same Saul to whom showed such honor and servitude. There is a life lesson there alone. Young David found himself pursued by Saul’s troops for no reason. He had no peace or rest, in the natural, but learned to find his solace and peace in the love and protection of the Father.

David urges us to stay strong and take heart as we await the goodness of the Lord. It is what he did. Although Saul persecuted and harassed him, God established the throne of Israel in David. In fact, Jesus is of the house of David. So, although David may have, at times, been down, he was never out, and he knew it because he knew who his father was. He knew that God would not fail him and that he would see the goodness of the Lord on this side of heaven.

My hope is that David’s experience and his words offer encouragement today. God is alive and He is attentive. He loves you and sends this word to lift your spirits and give you hope. Be blessed.

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Ouch!

On February 19, 2020   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Ephesians 4:29              The Passion Translation

And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.

Wow! After yesterday’s Word of the Day on encouragement, this verse speaks volumes. Words are the cornerstones of encouragement. One side of this verse is probably what you thought of yesterday when reading on encouragement. That is to specifically and intentionally say things which will bring encouragement and uplifting thoughts to others.

The other side of encouragement is not saying “ugly or hateful” words. So, here is the way I would like to look at that. This goes beyond not saying hateful words to a person about themselves. That’s kind of a no brainer. Never tell anyone they are stupid or ugly, etc. Only tell them truthful good things about themselves. And, as we discussed yesterday, it is important to be intentional about that. Compliment people on what you see them doing well.

Sometimes, the “ugly” words are not specific to that person. I think some of the good you can do with your words has to do with trying not to be negative generally. For example, don’t complain incessantly about the weather. Don’t put down other people. Don’t be critical and judgmental. If you will find things to speak positively about, it will be uplifting to the people around you. You will find that you build them up rather than tear them down. Just speaking ugly or hateful words about anything pulls down the people who hear it. Even if you are right, it still fills the space with negative energy rather than positive. People will rather be around you and will feel better in general if you fill the space with positive words.

Your words are beautiful gifts. They can change a person’s day and even their life. Never let ugly or hateful words come out of your mouth. Allow only those lovely thoughts be expressed and thereby be an encouragement to others.

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Shine the Light

On March 4, 2019   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 43: 3        TPT

Pour into me the brightness of your daybreak!
Pour into me your rays of revelation-truth!
Let them comfort and gently lead me onto the shining path,
showing the way into your burning presence,
into your many sanctuaries of holiness.

Isn’t this beautiful? Can you see Father pouring His light into you, filling you with the light of revelation truth? Wow! That is an image to ponder. That shining light leads us from the inside out. I find that fascinating but also rational. Yahweh’s light within us leads us into all truth. It leads us onto the shining path. Lovely!

It is no big surprise that the shining path leads into the very presence of God. Jesus said he was the light (John 8: 12). He also said he is the way (John 14: 6). The way to what or whom? As “Christians” we sometimes focus so much on the Christ that we forget that he is the way to the Father. He is the light which always leads us to the Father. However, God’s light and revelation truth do more for us. They comfort us.

Did you know your Dad is in the comfort and encouragement business? A friend of mine was recently teaching about angels from her book, Everyday Angels (Kayembe, glorywaves.org). What I found so interesting is how she explained why angels in the Bible so often began their encounter with people with the words, “Do not be afraid.” She explained it was because these people were in troubling, even frightening, situations so the first thing the angels did was to comfort them. Can’t you picture God on His throne, dispatching an angel saying, “Go encourage them, tell them all is okay.”  That’s because He comforts and encourages us.

The light also protects you for where there is the light, there can be no darkness. We must endeavor to let God fill us to overflowing with His light. In His light is warmth, security and revelation. His burning presence must be like sitting by a warm fire on a cold day while reading a good book. It nurtures us, inside and out.

Bask in Dad’s glorious sanctuary today. Sit with Him by the fireplace and fill up on His voice and His presence. Let His light saturate your cells and even your DNA. Be restored in His presence by the light of His glory and revelation. And have a truly Great Day!

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Words of Life

On May 30, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 6: 63

The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

There are multiple purposes for the Word of the Day. One is simply to bring some of God’s Word into your busy day. I can do the searching for you, mine the nuggets and send them to your inbox.

The Word brings encouragement so one of the other purposes, and a major piece of the Word of the Day, is to give you Words from God for your edification, Words which build you up and encourage you with His Good News. There are also Words of the Day meant to challenge your theology and thinking, driving you deeper into the bosom of God and His thoughts. Some Words are for direction and correction. These hopefully cause us to think about the status, direction and purpose of the church. We are the church and the way we think plots the course of the church so these Words of the Day offer questions about our beliefs and policies. Are we fulfilling the roles we purpose? Are we fulfilling our mandate?

Words of the Day are also meant to inspire a deeper relationship with our Father and to cause us all to seek Him with renewed vigor. They are also used to continually reveal the heart of the Father showing His endless love and kindness towards us all. This is a tall order for one devotional, but it is possible because it is God’s Word. I prefer devotionals based on God’s Word. That is why I send you a bit of God’s Word every day. There is a reason for that. His Word has power in it. It has the power to lift you when you are down, and to celebrate your victories. It empowers your visions and gives you hope. The Word is the Good News we all need daily. It is like taking a daily multi-vitamin. You need a lift and God has just the thing for you. I hope on your busiest days, you will at least read the part God wrote. Ignore the part I write if you are busy but get your dose of His word daily.

We all need a daily touch from God. This is one way for you to reach out and ingest a bit of His thought each day. Some Words of the Day will speak directly to your heart. Many times, God has used the Word of the Day to speak to a specific need of one of our members. He will do that at liberty. Other Words of the Day may be for a different day. In other words, they don’t hit you today. Just let those percolate. Their day will come and then you will have just the Word you need. They may not even be for you but rather for someone you will encounter. You may be surprised, as I often am, at how the Holy Spirit ministers life when you ponder these scriptures. Even when a Word of the Day doesn’t seem to speak to your current need, you may find, when you consider it, that there is a seed in there just for you. I find this to be true for myself. Also, there are times when I intend to write one thing and the Word of the Day goes off in an entirely different direction. I don’t stop to question it, the Holy Spirit has his reasons but then when I go back and read it I find education and edification for myself. Therefore, allow yourself the opportunity to contemplate the implications.

Lastly, another opportunity for the Word of the Day is to create a community forum where we can share our ideas and experiences. You may post your thoughts but you can also reply to others comments. Perhaps you have an experience which validates theirs. Of course, this community dialogue must always be motivated by the same inspiration as the Word, i.e. encouragement, edification, and praise.

All this ministry does, and specifically the Word of the Day, is intended to improve your quality of life and the quality of life of those you come in contact with through daily encounters with the Holy One. God has good plans for you AND His good plans for others will be affected by you. You are meant to live in peace and grace. Prosperity and health are your inheritance. You are also a powerful messenger of the love and power of God which is wrought in demonstrations rather than words, a gift rather than a sermon, a smile in place of condemnation. You are a powerful person whether you realize it or not and when you are coupled with the Word of God, you are divinely powerful. So, fill yourself with God’s Words. I will send you one daily. Then go out and change the world, or at least one person’s day. This is our joint ministry to the world.

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Don’t Quit

On March 16, 2018   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Galatians 6: 9

And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.

Is there something or someone you have been praying for a long time? Or maybe it is some project you have been working on and haven’t seen the results you expected yet. Don’t give up! Don’t lose heart! Sometimes you may feel like you are never going to see the end result that you have been praying for but don’t let the appearance of situations determine your resolve. You have God’s word that you will eventually see the fruit of your prayers.

This piece of encouragement was put in the Bible because Father knows how wearisome it can be sometimes and He wishes to encourage you. He is hanging in there with you so don’t give up. You are going to reap. Even though it may be that you have been praying for years, don’t quit. Your answer is coming. It is in route. And what is going to happen to the people you are praying for if you quit? Who will pray for them if not you? Be encouraged. Know that God is aware of your persistence and that He is faithful. You will get your answer as long as you don’t quit.

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