Month: January 2022

Weekly words of encouragement

Yahweh Is Our Song – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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The LORD is my strength and my song;he has become my salvation.Glad songs of salvationare in the tents of the righteous: Psalms 118:14-15 (ESV) This passage encourages us by reminding us that Yahweh (“LORD”) is our strength, our song and our salvation. In Psalm 118 the Psalmist was thanking Yahweh for delivering him from military attacks by other nations. Yahweh defended him with his strength, gave the nation of Israel salvation from their enemies and moved them to sing songs about their salvation. And we have even more reason to sing of Yahweh’s salvation in our lives. His power raised Jesus from the dead with a new eternal body, then applied that same power to all of us who believe and follow Jesus! He gave us salvation from sin, from the Enemy, and from all the destructive influences in this world. Even death cannot separate us from his overflowing love Continue Reading →

receive comfort

Humbly Receiving From Others

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When we respond to others, it helps to be mindful of how we like to be treated after we say something; usually our strongest desire is for others to give weight to our words. Likewise, when others speak we can honor them by giving weight to their words in our response. We deem their words important and we let those words influence us when appropriate. This shows that we value them and indirectly shows that God values them since Christ’s character is presumably flowing through us. More specifically, if they are offering comfort or help to us, then we are to receive it with humility. This shows them that we value what they are giving, and it affirms that we value our relationship with them. Consider how you feel when you try to help someone and they will not receive it; it feels like you hit a wall. Therefore, it Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

We Need Not Fear Mortals – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me? Psalms 118:6 (NIV) People naturally fear what others might do to them. We know we cannot control others and we know that people can be selfish and harmful. Therefore, it is normal to feel unsafe in a world filled with humans. God knows this too and wants to be our rock of safety. In this Psalms the psalmist (who was probably the king) was thanking God for delivering him from other nations that sought to ruin the Jewish kingdom. He was not afraid of mere humans because the all-powerful Yahweh was on his side. Under the New Covenant God’s people have no kingdom in this age, but the principle of the verse still applies. The verse is quoted almost exactly in Hebrews 13:6. The idea of this verse is also presented in Romans 8:31 Continue Reading →

anxious communication

Overcoming Anxious Communication

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To build healthy relationships it is important to examine the issue of anxiety in our communication. No matter what type of conversation we are in, it will be very helpful to make ourselves aware of any anxiety we are feeling. Signs of anxiety include stuttering, incomplete sentences, hurried speech and being at a loss for words. Anxiety is a warning light that something is out of order. Most of us feel anxiety in conversations because of insecurity about ourselves and about how others are perceiving us. When our words are influenced by anxiety we cannot be our true selves nor can we connect very well with the listener. Have you noticed that when you are speaking with someone who is insecure it is more work to communicate and more stressful for you? Their fears are veiling their true selves. Likewise, our anxiety puts extra pressure on the listener and hinders Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Eternal Blissful Marriage – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD. Psalms 117:2 (NIV) For this passage I will present the words of John of the Cross (1542-1591) who described what it was like to experience God’s love. The soul now feels that it is all inflamed in the divine union, its palate is all bathed in glory and love, that in the intimate part of its substance it is flooded with no less than rivers of glory, abounding in delights, and from its depths flow rivers of living water.[1] The soul feels its ardor strengthen and increase and its love become so refined in this ardor that seemingly there flow seas of loving fire within it, reaching to the heights and depths of the earthly and heavenly spheres, imbuing all with love.[2] The soul always walks in festivity, inwardly and outwardly, and Continue Reading →