Category: Weekly Word of Encouragement

“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 →

“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 where Jesus continues his technique of reversing the natural order. He promises his followers that the ones who mourn will not remain empty of their loss. Instead, to the ones who mourn God says “I will bless your mourning and comfort you.” 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 thank God without times of mourning. But this is not biblical. Romans 12:15 teaches us to “mourn with those who mourn” (NIV). So not Continue Reading →

“And when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” Acts 5:40-41 ESV. They believed in the blessings of suffering. We may not experience physical persecution but we may experience social persecution or discrimination in the workplace. Even high school students are unpopular if they are holy. When this happens we can follow the example of the apostles and rejoice when we lose out for Jesus, what greater honor is there? Remember the words of the Apostle Paul: Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17 (NIV) Jesus Continue Reading →

You have the tremendous privilege of hosting God’s Spirit. If no one had God’s Spirit then it would be the dream of godly people to have God’s Spirit. But it is not a dream. “And in the last days it shall be, God declares,that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,and your young men shall see visions,and your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17 (ESV) The promise of God’s Spirit actually dwelling inside His people was one of the most important promises of the Old Testament. This indwelling would mean that God’s people would have the power to actually follow God’s directives for living. They would also have the power to be channels of God’s kingdom power on earth in order to fulfill God’s desire for people to hear from God and for healing hearts as well as bodies. Now Continue Reading →

“”For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.” Rev. 19:7-8 (NLT) After Jesus returns we, the bride of Christ, will “wear” all the good deeds we have done in our life. They will hang perfectly and beautifully on our glorified bodies, radiating the glory of God. As we wear our good deeds for eternity they will remind us of the good that Jesus did through us in this life. This means that every good deed we do has eternal value, they are not forgotten. “Whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord” (Eph. 6:8, ESV). God will remember and reward us. Then our good deeds will beautify us for eternity! This may sound Continue Reading →