Weekly words of encouragement

Meditation Makes You Fruitful – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Blessed is the man . . . [whose] delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.” Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV) When I go hiking it is easy to spot where streams are. I just look for a row of trees sticking up higher than the surrounding vegetation. These trees are bigger and stronger than the others because they are next to a stream and so they have a consistent source of nutrition. When it comes to the spiritual landscape I want to be one of those trees growing tall and strong. How can I do that? By constantly embracing and meditating on God’s instructions. We know that Jesus completed the law so now we don’t meditate on the Old Continue Reading →

friends

Looking For A Soul Friend?

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The 6th-century Celtic nun St. Brigid is reported to have said that “A person without a soul-friend is a body without a head.”[1] No matter how much status we have in the body of Christ we are to develop interdependence with some believers and express our need for them. In a godly relationship we go beyond encouraging and affirming one another in Christ. If it ended there it would become narcissistic for both, easily devolving into boosting each other’s self-esteem and just pleasing each other instead of pleasing God. Rather, since our top priority is pleasing God, it means that we help our friend to become like Christ and invite them to do the same to us. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17, NIV). We are secure in the friendship, so we are free to help each other to die to self. We point out Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God Will Keep Us From Stumbling – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“[God] is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy” (Jude 1:24, NIV). Sometimes when we are weak and faced with temptation it feels like we are going to fail. But God really does provide strength to keep us from stumbling. The first thing we can do is refocus our hearts on Jesus; in other words “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). Then we can focus on walking in the Spirit. We can redirect our mind to God’s Spirit inside us and let him become the influence in the moment. Finally, we can choose to live from our new self, the part of us that desires to be close to God. These three sources of power will make a big difference in overcoming temptation. Then we can look forward to the next age when we will appear Continue Reading →

two friends shapening

Christformed Communication: Give Weight, Respond Accurately, Express Accurately.

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It is helpful to remember the basics of thoughtful speech. We should look people in the eyes, smile or have a positive facial expression, present a welcoming physical posture, be aware of their emotional state before we respond, watch carefully for their reactions, don’t be suspicious, use “I” language to express yourself, listen carefully and try to understand their thoughts, and ask clarifying questions. When we speak we want others to give weight to our words. Likewise, when others speak we honor them by giving weight to their words. They are expressing themselves, and even if they are doing it poorly we display how much God values them by considering their words and trying to understand them better. We are Jesus’ ears for them. Giving weight to others’ words is often the most important element of Christformed communication. Part of valuing others’ words is responding accurately. Our words should fit Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Our Coming New Life – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“Having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7, NIV). When we believed God announced a judicial verdict: we are now adopted as children of God. We did not earn it; it was by his grace. This legal declaration means that we are also heirs of our Father, just as an adopted child on earth becomes a legal heir of their parents. One big difference is that our Father will never die and will never give up his “possessions”; rather, he gives his inheritance when we die and he has infinite possessions to bequeath. And what do we inherit? Eternal life. That is, we inherit from him a participation in his eternal life. We inherit his bliss, his love, his harmony, his freedom from corruption, his freedom to always choose good, his glory (1 Cor. 15:43), and his image (1Cor. 15:49). Continue Reading →