Category: Weekly Word of Encouragement

“You have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith . . . may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I Pet 1:6b-7 (ESV) This passage encourages us with three closely-related blessings believers will have if they pass the tests of faith in their life. Some of us have difficult external trials, some of us have difficult internal trials and some of us have both, but I have never known anyone who didn’t have some trials. We all have the opportunity to grow our faith through trials. When we are in a trial it is important to keep in mind that we will have a blessing when it is over. First, our character will be more Christlike if we kept our focus on Jesus. Second, God will give us some surprising rewards. When Jesus returns Continue Reading →

“Your faith [is] more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire.” I Pet 1:7 (ESV) Consider how joyful many of us would be if we discovered a stash of gold in our yard. We could get pay off our mortgage, help the needy, do whatever we want in ministry and not need any income from it, give donations to other ministries we value and put our kids into the best schools. But as valuable as gold is, it will perish. People treasure their gold and use it to make jewelry or to decorate their belongings. And someone has to go to a lot of trouble to purify the gold with fire. Living things – like people, animals, plants – can not survive a fire. Gold can. And yet, as valuable and strong as gold is, our faith is more precious than that. In fact, gold will Continue Reading →

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect” Heb 12:22-23 (ESV) This idea of coming to the heavenly Jerusalem and Mt. Zion (the mountain on which Jerusalem is built) is a contrast to the previous verses in Hebrews 12 about the fear of the destructive power of God that the Jews experienced when God descended on Mt. Sinai. There is a great contrast between the two mountains, Mt. Zion is fearful but Mt. Zion is blessed. God transports followers of Jesus to the joyful mountain in heaven, the heavenly Mt. Zion. And this is not just a future experience; it is something that has already Continue Reading →

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Heb. 12:11 (ESV) The word “discipline” refers to instruction or training that includes correction, for example, in the raising of a child. Thus, the focus is not primarily on punishment for a wrong but rather the general overall training of a Christian, though it is painful training. Christian training is painful (or more accurately in the Greek: grievous) for us just as children become distressed when their parents move them to do something that does not feel good to them. Therefore, as Christians we embrace, and even expect, the distaste of the challenges and sufferings that come our way. We do not avoid our training because it is our heavenly Father who is training us so he can fully restore his image in Continue Reading →

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Heb. 6:11, ESV). It is easy to think that no one appreciates the things we do to help others. In their hurry they may forget to thank and encourage us for our help. We can tell ourselves we don’t really need the encouragement but it really makes a difference when we are thanked and encouraged. But your Father is pleased with your good deeds. So if we do not receive thanks, or if people forget our contributions, we have the encouragement from this passage that God does not forget what we do. He sees our work, especially when we help His people. And even more, God actually deems our help as loving Him! We also know from Heb. 6:7 that God gives Continue Reading →