Month: October 2023

Weekly words of encouragement

You Shall Be Comforted In Mourning – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” Matt. 5:4 (ESV). This is the second beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus continues his technique of reversing the natural order. He promises his followers that the ones who mourn will not remain empty from their loss. Instead, the ones who mourn will be blessed by God because He will comfort them. We all have times of mourning, whether it is the loss of a friend, a loss of opportunity, a loss of health, or a loss of something else important to us. In such times it is healthy to mourn. Remember that Jesus did not say his disciples shouldn’t mourn. Sometimes teachers give the impression that we should always be joyful and thanking God without times of mourning. But this is not biblical. Romans 12:15 teaches us to “mourn with those who mourn” (NIV). So not only Continue Reading →

fivefold way stages of growth

What Stages Of Growth Are You Going Through?

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Many have found it very helpful to understand the different stages of growth that Christians go through. Here are some of the reasons we might find it helpful to recognize stages of growth: Stages of growth can be grouped into three categories: non-cyclical, cyclical, and felt. This post looks mostly at cyclical stages; sequences of stages that repeat during our lives. Below are two different models of cyclical stages. CROSS AND RESURRECTION This is the most basic and biblical model of stages of growth. We follow the same pattern that Jesus did in his life and in his death. This two-fold process is mentioned many times in scripture. 1.Cross. The old self is crucified. 2.Resurrection. The new self dominates more. We can see that it is biblical, for example: Cross=“putting off” (Eph 4:22), Resurrection=“putting on” (Eph 4:24). Also, in Philippians 3:10 Paul desires: … that I may know him and the power Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

You Will See God As You Purify Your Heart – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matt. 5:8 (NIV). This is one of the most popular verses in Christian history. Devout followers of Jesus who wanted to be close to God and “see” him in their lives made a serious effort to purify their lives. This verse gives us a tremendous gift: the opportunity to see God! Jesus doesn’t give details about what that means but we know that it means that we will be very close to him. In this life it may mean that we experience his presence in a powerful way. Or, that we see his truths more clearly. In the next life we get to see God directly. The condition is that we have a pure heart. Believers have judicial purity but Jesus is also asking for actual purity in our hearts. This takes time and effort and a willingness to examine Continue Reading →

joy new earth

Classic Practices for Spiritual Growth

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One of my hobbies is reading the history of Christian spirituality back to the 2nd century. This led me to collect a list of the most common practices for spiritual growth. Following is a collection of practices based on scripture that believers have used for centuries to open up to God and grow spiritually. These are many of the most common practices for spiritual growth used across many cultures and times. If you truly want to grow then begin to incorporate these into your life. The first three are the most important. (Hint: The second one may be the most helpful!) Which of the first three are you weakest in? Are you willing to spend time on that one? Which of the other practices for spiritual growth do you want to explore more? May God bless you in these! Rejoice In Persecution – Weekly Words Of EncouragementDecember 20, 2024Mercy Come Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Blesses Your Meekness – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Mt. 5:5 ESV). God blesses your meekness. A meek person is someone who is gentle and not argumentative or aggressive. They do not respond to aggressive people with aggression. Jesus is our model of meekness. When Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey he described his coming by saying “Your king is coming to you, humble [meek] and mounted on a donkey” (Mt. 21:5 ESV). Paul also ascribed to Jesus “meekness and gentleness” (2 Cor. 10:1, ESV). The irony is that the one is not warlike is the one who will inherit leadership over the earth. In other words, ultimate political victory will not come by the strategies that humans usually use. By nature, human political leaders prefer to use force to accomplish their goals. But God will usher in a new age when his followers, the ones who do not Continue Reading →