Category Archives: Encouragement

Jun8

The Master Gardener

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30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers

That are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow,

He will certainly care for you.

Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry …

Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

33 Seek the Kingdom of God
~above all else~ and live righteously,

And he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:30-33 (NLT)

 

Profuse blossoms of wildflowers artfully color the median along many Georgia highways. In some spots, their gorgeous display resembles a beautiful impressionist painting. I am amazed to see how they flourish there in the scorching southern heat, bordered by two expanses of asphalt, absent of any gardener or sprinkler system. If I try to produce the same effect in my own yard, I always come up disappointed.

The wildflower display is the handiwork of the Master Gardener, and it reminds me of His tender and unfathomable care for His children. Our Heavenly Father masterfully tends the garden of our lives. In the fertile soil of our hearts, He plants seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, and faithfulness. The light of His presence sprinkled with a daily dose of His Word creates the perfect environment for a fruitful and abundant life. As the tender sprouts take root, He is there to pull up the weeds of doubt, pride, selfishness…and worry. The more time we spend in His presence, the better the garden of our hearts can flourish and the more fruitful our lives become. The less time we spend with Him, the more cluttered our hearts become with unfruitful weeds, which choke out the blessings He has planted there.

By seeking God ~ above all else ~ we are tapping into the source by whom our most basic needs are met. Entrust the Master Gardener to care for your life. Place your faith in Him, and do not worry. Believe His promises. If you diligently seek God and commit your ways to Him, He will faithfully provide for your needs.

“Delight yourself in the Lord and

He will give you the desires of your heart.”

(Psalm 37:4)


 

Jun7

Life’s Road Signs

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“Set up road signs;
   put up guideposts.
Take note of the highway,
   the road that you take…

Jeremiah 31:21
(NIV1984)

 

I was looking over my son’s shoulder as he diligently studied for his driver’s test. His thick DMV manual contains multiple pages of road signs, which he must understand before he begins learning how to navigate behind the wheel. I can tell from examining the well-worn pages of his book that he is taking this test seriously and wants to learn all that is required of him in order to pass this important test.

It’s too bad that we don’t have road signs which tell us how to accurately steer the course of or our lives. Sometimes we could use a bold “Do Not Enter” or “U Turn” sign to guide us in the right direction.

Even though we don’t have these physical signs lining our daily paths, we can receive guidance from our Heavenly Father through His Word. The Bible is our manual for living life. By reading it and constantly learning from it, we will gain the necessary wisdom to perceive God’s direction for our lives.

Psalm 119:105 tell us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” His word illuminates the direction we should take in our lives. As you read His Word, ask Him to reveal His instructions to you. Many examples from the Bible show us how great men and women of faith asked God to lead and guide them. Here are just a few:

  • “Direct my footsteps according to your word…” (Psalm 119:133)
  • “I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.” (Psalm 119: 125)
  • “Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees.” (Psalm 119: 135)
  • “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4,5)

On a road trip, one wrong turn can cause big problems in your goal of reaching your destination. Similarly, seemingly small decisions can have a major impact in the course of your life. Your Heavenly Father holds the road map for your life. He has equipped you for a special purpose, and He will lovingly reveal His plan to you. If you ask God for His guidance, He is faithful to answer your prayers. His promises are true, and you can trust Him to provide clear instructions to His children. “Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for Him.” (Psalm 25: 12)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

Lean not to your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3: 5 – 8

Jun5

Heavenly Help

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God is within her,

She will not fall;

God will help her

At the break of day.

Psalm 46:5

 

As the sun rises today, do you find yourself desperately in need of God’s help? Perhaps you are in turmoil over financial worries, or possibly you are navigating though a tumultuous period with a rebellious teen. Your struggle could be due to the heartache of marital distress, or you might be exhausted from battling a ravaging disease or illness. Maybe you are at a crossroad in your life, and you are struggling over a major decision. No matter what type of battle you are facing, if you are a child of God, He is ready and willing to help you. In Isaiah 41: 13 He reminds us, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.'” Take hold of your Heavenly Father’s outstretched hand. Accept the help He wants to provide.

 

Let go of your cares and worries and relax in the arms of your Savior. Receive His peace. Stop trying to fight life’s battles on your own. Allow Him to take the lead. Rest in the assurance that He will help you, and His promises are true. “He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.” (Psalm 46:9), and
He is BIG enough to handle your personal “war.”

 

In the midst of your turmoil He says to you, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) At this moment, be still before your Heavenly Father. Accept His peace…and His help. Feel His divine presence within you. Right now, take hold of His hand…He will not let you fall.

Jun4

The Majesty of God

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Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power

And the glory and the majesty

And the splendor,

For everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, LORD, is the kingdom;

You are exalted as head over all.

1 Chronicles 29:11

 

 

All around us there are reminders of God’s glory and greatness. If we purposefully view His creation with the Creator in mind, praise and awe are the natural responses. The miracle of a newborn baby, the intricacies flower blooms, the delicacies of butterfly wings, and the glory of a painted sunset are all the handiwork of our Lord. No matter what you are going through right now, when you change your focus to God’s greatness, the burdens of life seem to melt in comparison. The same God who crafted the earth and everything in it, created you. He is big enough to handle any difficulty you may be experiencing. Soak in the scenery He has provided, and allow it to change your perspective. Take time today to acknowledge God’s majesty and splendor through His creation.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Apr24

Happy Easter!

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As they entered the tomb,

they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side,

and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said.

“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.

He has risen!

He is not here.

See the place where they laid him.

Mark 16:5-7 (New International Version 1984, ©1984)


 

Apr23

Do You Believe?

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But He was pierced for our transgressions,
   He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
   and by His wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5 (New International Version 1984, ©1984)

 

As we anticipate Easter morning, let’s reflect on Christ’s unfathomable love for us. Before we ever came to be, He was thinking of us when He became the sacrifice for our sins on the cross. He was beaten and pierced for our iniquities. He took our eternal punishment the day He was nailed to the cross. And He conquered death forever on the day He arose from the grave.

The glorious result of His sacrifice is in sharp contrast to the torture and pain He endured for us. We can have peace and healing thanks to His suffering. Because of His undeserved punishment, we have an open invitation to spend eternity with our Savior in paradise. He died, so that we would have the opportunity to live with Him for eternity.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,

that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

 

The gift of eternal life in heaven is available to all of us. No matter what wrongs we have done in this life, the Son of God provided forgiveness of all our sins when He died on the cross. The promise of God is that whoever believes
in His Son, Jesus Christ, will have eternal life. We could never be “good enough” to earn our way into heaven. All that is required from us is that we believe in Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the Prince of Peace, the sacrificial Lamb of God, our Lord and

….our Savior.

Take time during this Easter season to thank God for the ultimate sacrifice He made in our behalf and for His immeasurable love for us. Reflect upon your salvation from sins, and give praise and honor to our Savior, Jesus Christ. If you have been trying to figure out how you could be “good enough” to deserve God’s love, realize that you already have an open invitation to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Simply believe in Jesus Christ!

Mar22

Blessed Roots

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But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
   whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water
   that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
   its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
   and never fails to bear fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

 

A tree planted by a stream doesn’t have to search far for its life-giving nourishment. Its close proximity to water ensures that it will remain lush and fertile, regardless of extreme heat or periods of extended drought. This well-rooted tree has several distinct characteristics:

  • It will never move away from its life-source.
  • It doesn’t fear extreme conditions.
  • It has no worries in times of drought.
  • It never fails to bear fruit.

 

Just as a tree planted by a stream thrives in any type of condition, our lives will be fruitful and blessed regardless of our circumstances if we keep ourselves firmly rooted in close relationship with our Heavenly life-source. By remaining deeply grounded in our trust and confidence in God, we can flourish no matter what sort of malady life brings. Faith in God eliminates fear and erases worries when we are hit with the extremes of life or when we face extended periods of “drought.”

Being blessed doesn’t mean that we will never see adversity. It simply means that we are internally equipped to handle difficult trials. When the winds of hardship blow, we can sink our roots even deeper into the rich soil of God’s love and soak up the life-giving nourishment of His Holy Word. He is our inner strength and our firm foundation. The blessings which flow from His throne are eternal, but we must choose to plant ourselves next to Him. By placing our trust and confidence in Him, we do not need to fear the “what-ifs” in life, nor do we need to worry about our future. He promises to provide, protect and guide us through any situation.

Blessed are those
   …who delight in the law of the LORD
   and meditate on his law day and night.
They are like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers.

Psalm1: 1–4

 


Mar11

Your Heavenly GPS

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Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

“This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV 2011)

 

If you have a GPS system in your car, you are familiar with these types of directions: “In a quarter of a mile, right turn ahead.” “Stay straight ahead.” “Left lane ahead.” Or even, “Make a legal U-turn.” Do you ever wish there was a GPS system for your life with a gentle voice telling you which direction you should take for major decisions?

 

As a child of God, you do have a personal GPS system built in with your Heavenly Father. By reading His word and praying to Him for help in making your decisions, He will give you the answers you need. Listen for God’s guidance in your life. He will tell you the path you should take.

 

Pray and ask Him to give you wisdom and direction. He is faithful to answer your requests.

 

“…Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.””

Mar10

Something Special

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“…God not only loves you very much

But also has put His hand on you

For something special.”

1 Thessalonians 1:4 (MSG)

 

God loves you unconditionally. No matter where you go or what you have done in your life, you can never escape God’s love. He knew you as you were formed in your mother’s womb, and He’s been watching you grow and develop since your birth. He knows you by name, and His eyes are continually upon you. As a unique workmanship of the Master Craftsman, you are His treasured possession.

Like an open book, the stages of your life are spread out before God. He designed you especially for a certain mission. You are gifted with a specific set of skills and abilities, and you are part of God’s ongoing work in the world. Before the beginning of time, He knew His special plans for you, and He placed you exactly where you are for a reason. He wants to use your gifts and talents in an extraordinary way.

Not only does God love you very much, but He also has His hand upon you for something special…

Ask Him to reveal your one-of-a-kind assignment.


Mar9

The Reason for Your Existence

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My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love…

Colossians 2:2a

 

Do you have a purpose for your life that defines who you are and provides a framework for your priorities? Have you established an intentional goal that sets the stage for each new day, one that focuses your thoughts and serves as the underlying theme for every moment of your life? Having a purpose gives clarity and guidance for every decision you make, every action you take, every word you speak, and every thought you think. It serves as a lens though which you view the world.

The dictionary defines purpose as “the reason for which something exists.” If you are searching for “purpose” and meaning for your life, turn to God and ask Him to help you find this. He uniquely designed each one of us with a specific purpose in mind. Who better than the Creator Himself to provide the answer for which you are searching?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,

“Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

Plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11