Month: September 2024

weekly words of encouragement

God Will Not Leave Us – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“I will never leave you nor forsake you” Heb 13:5b (ESV). Sometimes when things go wrong and we are not feeling God’s comfort it is easy for thoughts to come in that God is not really paying attention to us. We wonder if we did something wrong, or if God is just letting us suffer with no help, or if there is something wrong with us so that we are disconnected from God. But this verse promises us that God will not leave us and he will not push us away. Of course, other passages explain that he is displeased with us if we are persistently sinning without repentance. Otherwise, he is there and caring and the suffering will have a benefit if we let it. (Heb. 12:10-11). Our responsibility is to trust His word even though it is dark. One day we will see the good that comes out Continue Reading →

pure gold money

Rewards In Heaven Will Make Your Richer Than A Trillionaire

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It is the end of the day and you are tired. You rest for a few minutes. Your mind wanders and you realize you are thinking mostly about food and buying a new car. You haven’t really thought about your connection to God (let alone any rewards in heaven.) It would be good to get alone and pray for five minutes but that means making a little sacrifice. Do you go to pray…? The riches of the world are nothing compared to rewards in heaven. If we have a moderate share of worldly things then we have enough wealth. Any more than that nearly always produces materialism, and often anxiety. As we develop a heavenly mindset we can see better how twisted people become as they fall in love with the riches of the world. Even all the necessities of life – eating, drinking, working, finding shelter – are a Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

Union With Christ Describes Our Whole Lives

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“We have come to share in Christ” Heb. 3:14a (ESV) The Greek word for “share” in this verse means participate, or be a partner. We have a union with Christ and we actually participate in him. Think how incredible this is! We love Jesus for his wisdom and love and compassion, and in spite of our faults, we are privileged to share in Jesus. This is yet another biblical mystery we can’t fully understand, but we continually grow in the reality of it. We participate in Christ’s righteousness, in his power, in his love and in his light. We see the same idea in John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (ESV) Furthermore, our baptism indicates an intimate bond with Christ: “For all of Continue Reading →

sorrow for sin cry

Sorrow For Sin Produces Growth

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If we choose to have sorrow for sin when we sin we can continue to grow spiritually. Perhaps you realized you gave yourself false freedom, and you followed your destructive passions instead of a disciplined heart. Make it a practice to ask God for a holy heart, and for sorrow for sin. After Paul corrected the Corinthians he wrote: “Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal.” I Cor. 7:11 (NLT). Don’t descend into self-rejection; look to God’s open arms and enter them with sorrow. In the future, be careful not to take unholiness too lightly. Do not laugh when you should mourn. Remember the words of James: “your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow for sin Continue Reading →