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) In other words, meditation makes you fruitful. 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 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 Continue Reading →

holy spirit dove stained glass

Ten Dangers Of Experiences Of The Holy Spirit – Part 2

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Do you ever face these temptations when you are trying to let the Spirit guide you or when you are having experiences of the Holy Spirit? Keeping ourselves open to the Spirit is essential to a complete Christian life, but it comes with temptations that can gradually derail us. This continues a list of temptations of experiences of the Holy Spirit that individuals and churches experience, which we began last week. We hope this list of dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit will help you to avoid pitfalls in your own personal life as well as in your church. When we combine openness to the Spirit with wisdom we give God much permission to change our lives. Which dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit have you personally observed or fallen into? Hope In God – Weekly Words Of EncouragementJanuary 20, 2026The Value Of Holy Viewing – Weekly Words Of Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

Keys To Overcoming Temptation – 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 keys to overcoming temptation. The first thing we can do is refocus our hearts on Jesus; in other words, practice “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 are keys to overcoming temptation. If we practice them, we can look forward to the next age when we will appear before Continue Reading →

holy spirit dove stained glass

Ten Dangers Of Experiences Of The Holy Spirit – Part 1

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The Holy Spirit has brought many renewals to individuals and to his church over the centuries, bringing needed refreshment and invigoration to the people of God. During experiences of the Holy Spirit usually there is a strong sense of his presence and believers find themselves experiencing God in ways they never had before. And God may give an individual believer thrilling experiences of the Holy Spirit, including his presence and love, even though there is no church-wide renewal. This continues today. If we want to preserve the benefits God gives in renewal we will be wise to watch out for common dangers of renewals, whether it is individual renewal or community renewal. Here are 10 dangers of experiences of the Holy Spirit we need to watch out for today: If you have been part of a renewal with experiences of the Holy Spirit, did you notice any of these dangers Continue Reading →

weekly words of encouragement

The Hope Of Joyful Eternal 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 an important 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 joyful 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. Continue Reading →