The power of encouragement

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

A survey asked mothers to keep track of how many times they made both negative and positive comments to their children. The surveyed mothers admitted that they criticized at least ten times for every one time they said something favorable. Another survey taken in one city's schools found that the teachers were negative seventy five per cent of the time. This study concluded that it takes four positive statements to a child from a parent or teacher to offset the effects of one negative statement. Wow, when I think about how many times I've said negative things to people in my lifetime, I have some positive paying back to do!

Many times we justify our criticizing, hurtful words and actions by thinking we're right in a matter. But, in fact, the only one who's all right is the Lord! And He has called us to be the encouragers of the world! We have the gift of God residing within us, and we are ambassadors of the His love. We need to constantly remind ourselves to operate under that love in every circumstance - even the most difficult!

When we find ourselves getting ready to criticize, let's strive to stop in our tracks and say something encouraging instead --- not only to the world around us but to ourselves!

Dear Lord, help us to be positive to those around us. Help us to not give into the negative thoughts that we have. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Quality of the tree

Matthew 7:16-20 (ESV)

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Most of us when reading this passage tend to focus in on the fruit that is produced. Okay...But a closer look will reveal that the Lord is really focusing on the tree. The fruit merely demonstrates the quality of the tree. We have all encountered this: there are trees whose fruit is healthy and delicious, and there are trees whose fruit is scarcely edible, or even useless.

The fruit doesn't make the tree -- the tree makes the fruit. A tree that produces good fruit is firmly rooted in soil which provides adequate water and nourishment. Likewise, those of us whose lives are rooted in and dedicated to Jesus produce good fruit.

So we need to stop trying to produce good works in our own strength. We need to tap into the Source of our life, Jesus, allowing the sap of His Spirit to flow through us – and then watch what GREAT FRUIT He is continually able to produce!

Dear Lord, we pray that today that we will allow Your spirit to flow through us so that the fruit that we produce will be excellent in Your sight. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Super Bowl 2017

Acts 13:44 (ESV)

The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting games. Companies will pay 5 million dollars to have their advertisements play during the game on this one day because they know so many people will see it.

At the end of the day half the crowd will be happy and the other half are disappointed. Only one team can win and the results are final until the next season.

When Jesus walked this earth it was reported that thousands of people came out to hear Him. This was true of His followers once they continued on His ministry too. In Acts we hear of the whole city gathering to hear Paul and Barnabas speak.

The great thing about preaching the word of God is that everyone can receive Good News. Jesus’ message does not exclude half the crowd, but gives hope and grace to anyone who will receive it.

That’s the type of team I want to be on. That’s the champion I want to follow.

Dear Lord, it’s great to have other interests in our lives, but let’s not forget that You are the number one. May we be open to Your message, enthusiastic to hear more, and dedicate our time to worshiping You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Is your heart in the right place?

Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

When a Michigan man entered the hospital for tests one day, he never would have guessed what the doctors would find. A routine chest x-ray revealed that the man’s heart was on the wrong side of his chest! Because of a rare reversed-organ condition, his heart was in the wrong place. This is a strange story indeed, although I think some of us suffer from this condition in a spiritual way.

Do you ever find yourself thinking you’re in a good place with the Lord? I haven’t done this sin or that sin in a long time. I’m doing much better in this area of my life than so and so is. I am in leadership in my church or ministry and I think I'm a better Christian than the people I lead. You know what I’m talking about? We get to thinking we’re in a good place -- a safe place -- home free.

This safe place is a dangerous place! The reality is that Satan wants us to be content in where we are. He wants us to compare ourselves to others and feel we've arrived! But we haven't! God wants us to continually strive to be more like Him! It is only when we come to a place of humility and dependence upon the Lord that we can have a heart that's truly in the right place.

We need to daily examine ourselves to see if our hearts are where they need to be. Are we depending on God in every way? Are we constantly acknowledging that all we have and are is by His hand of mercy and grace? Let's stop comparing ourselves to others and our pasts and strive for God’s perfection today!

Dear Lord, help us to always strive to meet Your perfection and not always find ourselves comparing our self to others. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Is there grass on your path?

Psalm 62:8 (ESV

Trust in him at all times, O people;

    pour out your heart before him;

    God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Early African believers were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time, the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path."

Prayer is a time when we can be completely intimate with the Lord -- we can share all our burdens, heartaches, situations and life struggles... but sometimes we need to get away into the thicket, alone, and be intimate with Him! The Lord loves to be intimate with us! He doesn't want a superficial relationship of recited prayers -- but a deep relationship with Him -- the One who loves us with a love that is everlasting!

If grass has begun to grow on your path, take some time out and find your way to that spot in the thicket today. God awaits you!

Dear Lord, help us to keep up our devotions so that we may be closer to You each day. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Storms of life

Matthew 8:26-27 (ESV)

26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

What must the disciples have felt back then as they saw the waves crashing against their boat? They we’re being swayed from side to side in the deep dark sea. They were afraid for their lives! But our Lord was there all along. He just wanted them to trust.

So often we find ourselves in that same boat, don’t we? “Lord, are you there?! Don’t you see these waves about to consume me?!

But He does! He sees all, hears all, knows all. He is the same Lord that calmed that storm two thousand years ago and He can cause the winds and the seas, and the trials of our lives to become calm in an instant! Ahh, but it’s usually in the storms that He will display His awesome power!

Let's renew our trust in the Lord today. God has great plans for those who will put their trust in Him.

Dear Lord, help us to trust You in the midst of the storms that hit us in life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Fellowshipping together

Colossians 3:16  (ESV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

A disgruntled church-goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained: "I've gone to church for thirty years now, and in that time I have heard something like three-thousand sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. I think I'm wasting my time and the Pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This began a major controversy which went on for weeks until someone wrote in this reply:

"I've been married for thirty years now. In that time my wife has cooked some three thousand meals. For the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this ... they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work...”

Hmmm. So true. We need our spiritual nourishment to be able to do the work of the Lord effectively! Corporate worship, fellowship with our brothers and sisters and Godly counsel are a great means to get it!

God does not want us to isolate ourselves! He wants us to be in consistent fellowship with like minded believers, teaching and exhorting one another, singing psalms and spiritual hymns together! Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together Heb.10-25.

Dear Lord, we pray that we would stay involved in our church fellow shipping with our brothers and sisters. And that we would grow closer to you through our fellowship. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.