I have a friend, a brother in Christ at work and he just has this gift of encouraging.
No matter what is going on you can count on him for a positive encouraging word.
He is always asking how are you and I honestly have never seen him down. It
doesn’t matter who he encounters, he finds a way to build them up. It is amazing
and he certainly knows the good news!
It brings to mind a passage; 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11...
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a
breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to
suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for
us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you
are doing.
Encourage someone today...
Abba Father, what love you have that you would send your son to suffer for us, to
die in our place that we might live. Thank you Jesus that you; out of your great love
would come to rescue us. Thank you that as believers we are appointed to receive
salvation and that by the power of the Holy Spirit we live together with you always.
Father, help us to recognize this amazing grace and because of this great, wonderful and fantastic news help us to encourage and build
up. Amen.
Grace and Peace!
Now this may ramble a bit...but I have been dwelling on Mark 9 for a while now. The
part where Jesus comes to the father of a boy who since childhood has had a spirit
that causes him to have convulsions, to foam at the mouth and to try to harm
himself.
Jesus comes upon this desperate situation. God’s word is so amazing that
every time I come to a passage there is something new and fresh in it. And this is no
exception. The thing that strikes me is the dialog that occurs in verses 21-24.
Mark 9:21-24
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to
kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my
unbelief!”
The thing that just jumps out at me is the fathers humble request; “but if you can.”
Don’t we all make similar requests of our sovereign Lord? What has me typing
though is the thought that this might not be the way to approach things.
As Jesus
compassionately and emphatically explains...if you can...if you can is not the correct
question as all things are possible for those that believe. Well the father gets it and
cries out in prayer; “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”
So for me, I know that I sometimes take the approach of this father when I should be
taking the approach of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3 and exclaim;
Lord, I know you are able! I do not know if you will, but I know you are able.
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do
not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the
blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver
us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your
Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have
set up.”
So I told you this might ramble a bit and I am not even sure this all makes sense, but
as we approach God in prayer shouldn’t we approach the creator of all things from a
position of faith and belief that our God is able?
Father, we believe, please help us overcome our unbelief! Amen
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone,
the new is here!
New Year Day 2014...the start of a new year for me always seems to have this sense
of expectant hope; the sense of a fresh start. As I think about this I believe that is
one of the beauties of the Gospel; one of the beauties of grace; one of the beauties of
the finished work of Christ...that because we believe be have been given a new and
amazing fresh start. The old has gone and the new is here! Amen.
So it really doesn’t matter if 2013 was the greatest year ever or the most
challenging; a year to remember or a year to forget...if anyone is in Christ, the new
creation has come. How wonderful; how great is our God!
I am also excited that while the work of Christ for me is finished; his work within me
is continuing and I can’t wait to see what is ahead. It seems so appropriate to end
with a passage from Philippians...Happy New Year Everyone!
Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one
thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I
press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Grace and Peace!
