Monday Morning Encouragement -- Suffering's Reward

 

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith -- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire -- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 

  1 Peter 1:6-7

One of my favorite women of faith is Corrie Ten Boom. During WWII her family hid hundreds of Jews in their home, protecting them from arrest. Eventually her entire family was imprisoned in Nazi internment camps after being betrayed by a neighbor. All but Corrie perished in the camps. During her imprisonment she led countless people to Christ, and after the war she continued to serve the Lord by sharing her story with the world. She once said, "I have experienced His presence in the

Monday Morning Encouragement -- The Power of Words

"From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." James 3:10

I like to read quotes, and I have a file where I keep my favorites. Recently I came across a secular quote from an unknown source regarding words we speak that, I believe, is worth sharing:

"The six most important words: I admit I made a mistake.

The five most important words: You did a good job.

The four most important words: What is your opinion?

The three most important words: If you please.

The two most important words: Thank you.

The one least important word: 'I'."

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Peace, Be Still

"And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:39

Elisabeth Elliott tells the story of a time when she was riding in the car with her son-in-law and two year-old grandson, and her son-in-law decided to get the car washed. It was an automatic car wash, and the little boy had never experienced such an event. As they entered the carwash and the various devices began making noise and drawing close to the car, the child's eyes widened, and fear showed on his face. Then he looked on the face of his father. 

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Younger By The Day

 

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

According to Yahoo Finance, "the global market for Anti-aging Products is estimated at US$41.2 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$60 Billion by 2030". Maintaining youthfulness is big business, and one of the most popular topics on social media. And while we may do all we can to slow the process of aging, the truth is, we will all be old people eventually. However, for the believer in Christ there is good news.

Monday Morning Encouragement -- God's Word - The Delight of Our Hearts

"Your words were found and I ate them,  And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by Your name O Lord, God of Hosts." Jeremiah 15:16

At a Gideon convention D. J. De Pree of Zeeland, Michigan said of God's word: “We must read it (1 Tim. 4:13); eat it -- that is, take it into our very being (Job 23:12; Jer. 15:16); bathe in it for spiritual cleansing (John 15:3); look into it as a mirror to see our true self (James 1:23-25); meditate on it (Psalm 1:2; 1 Tim. 4:15); memorize it (Deut. 11:18; Psalm 119:11); study it (2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:12-14); teach it to others (Deut. 11:19; Col 3:16) ; talk about it (Josh. 1:8); and sow its seeds of truth in the field of the world (Matt. 13:3-9; Luke 8:11).
"

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Are You Small Enough?

 

"What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?" Psalm 8:4

A famous explorer named William Beebe, was a good friend of President Theodore Roosevelt. Often when he visited the President at Sagamore Hill, the two men would go outdoors at night to see who could first locate the Andromeda galaxy. Then, as they gazed at the tiny smudge of distant starlight, one of them would recite, “That is the spiral galaxy of Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of a hundred million galaxies. It is 750,000 light years away. It consists of 100 billion suns, each larger than our sun.” 

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Eyes Fixed on Jesus

"looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, 3,275 people were killed in 2023 due to distracted driving, with cell phone use being one of the leading causes of distraction. The NHTA website gives this alarming fact: "Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed."

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Christ In Me!

 

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

American missionary Fanny Crosby was one of the most prolific hymn writers in history, writing more than 5,000 hymns and gospel songs. She was also blind. At the age of six weeks Fanny caught a cold which resulted in inflammation of her eyes. It's believed that the treatment she received caused her blindness, however it may be have been congenital. Of her affliction Fanny said, “It seemed intended by  the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life,

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Thirst Quenching Truth

 

"Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost."

Revelation 21:6

Water is essential to life. Plants, animals, humans all need life-giving water. Scientists tell us that a person can survive weeks or perhaps months without eating under certain conditions, but only about three days without water. 

Monday Morning Encouragement -- Sanctified By The Truth

 

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." John 17:17

I must confess that when I hear the phrase, "Speak your truth," it sets my teeth on edge. The implication is that truth is whatever you believe it to be. If I don't believe it, it's not true for me. And so there is no absolute truth, there is only relative truth. I love Gotquestions.org's take on this: "But no one really believes that all truth is relative. No sane person says, 'Gravity works for you, but not for me,' and proceeds to jump off tall buildings believing no harm will follow." (gotquestions.org - Is Truth Relative?) 

Monday Morning Encouragement -- No Compromise

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their  own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Throughout the history of the Church there have been people who refuse to accept the authority of scripture. Paul warned that this would occur. We live in a time right now when the number of people who compromise the word of God is increasing, even among professing Christians. They look for teachers who will say the things they want to hear and support their personal views rather than God's views. Sadly, there is an increasing number of churches with pastors who are happy to oblige.