Month: February 2024

weekly words of encouragement

Ultimate Happiness In God – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Matt. 25:23 (NIV). This is a tremendously encouraging promise because God is promising to reward all our efforts at following and loving him by letting us share in his happiness. We will participate in the goodness of God and taste God himself. We will find our ultimate happiness in God. This is a fulfillment of the kingdom of God that he wants to give to his people. We only have part of the kingdom now but then we will experience the whole kingdom of God. All our sacrifices, all our holiness, all our faithfulness will be more than rewarded with blissful happiness in God. This is why the Apostle Paul prays, “that you may know what is the hope to which Continue Reading →

humility

Humble Leadership – Part 2

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Last week we looked at three foundational attitudes for humble leadership: thinking of oneself as a student, a servant, and a messenger. Together these attitudes form humility in us. Today we build on humility with more ideas that deepen humility and equip us for mature leadership, whether we lead as a parent, a spouse, an employee, or in ministry. Truly Love People. This means our heart is committed to the well-being of the people we serve, with at least some measure of affection. If we don’t truly love the people, then we need to find a way to change our hearts or reconsider our calling. Be Weak and Strong. We are a flower in the field but also an anchor in the storm. This sounds like a paradox but it actually makes a lot of sense. Jesus made himself vulnerable for the sake of the people he served, but he was, and is, Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

If We Humble Ourselves – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” Matt. 23:12 (NIV). In this verse Jesus continues to set us free from bondage to worldly success. In fact, those who exalt themselves in this world will be brought low in the next age, which is eternity. But if we humble ourselves, God will exalt us! Perhaps we don’t think about God exalting us, but he is our Father and he wants to honor his children. In the next age God will make us into radiant images of the perfect human, Jesus. God will appoint us to govern his creation as we were originally intended to do. But it is not easy to humble ourselves. We don’t just hope it will happen; we need to work at it. It requires a change in mindset toward others. We choose to help others succeed and we look Continue Reading →

humility

Humble Leadership – Part 1

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You just finished leading a great meeting. Everyone was happy and happy with you. Several smiled and thanked you personally. At home you are feeling thankful for being able to lead. Then, as you relax, your mind starts wandering and thinking about what a great person you are. You are a fantastic leader, so much better than most…whoa! What happened here? You were just thinking about being thankful then you started getting delusions of grandeur. How quickly spiritual pride rears its head and sabotages humble leadership. Scripture teaches that you have an old self, or “flesh” that you have to fight. It has desires that assault us, which we resist by centering on Christ, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Rom. 13:14, NIV). This explains why these temptations and impulses rise up within us. In Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

Servants Will Be Great In God’s Kingdom – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” Matt. 20:26-27 (NIV). This may not seem like an encouragement at first but it is a tremendous encouragement. Jesus promises that servants will be great in his kingdom. This promise encourages us because it sets us free from status-seeking in this world. Status in this world doesn’t count for anything in the New Creation to come, which lasts for eternity. Being a servant and learning how to bless others is what matters in this age because this will be invaluable, eternal fruit. This is another feature of God’s upside-down kingdom. You can be the weakest, smallest, least-educated and most neglected person in your community, but if you adopt a servant’s heart then you will be greater than everyone in your community who does not have a servant’s heart. Only Continue Reading →