Category: Encouragement For The Downcast

²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:23

Listen, the Gospel is not a selfish ambition or a one-sided effect where only one person benefits. Paul said that in a secular race, everyone runs the race, but only one person receives the prize. But it is not so in Christianity. Everyone shares in the blessings. Jesus said in Matthew 10:41 that if anyone receives a prophet because he is a prophet, that person will receive a prophet’s reward. To share in the prophet’s reward, all we have to do is to receive them. That is what Jesus said.

He even went on to say that if anyone gives a cup of water to a little child, they will receive a reward. So, the kingdom of God is about rewards and consequences. People only focus on the consequences. Oh, if God was so good, why would He send people to hell? Well, first of all, He doesn’t, it’s all your choice. You must choose to go there or not; it’s all up to you. Second, why not focus on the rewards and strive for those instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater? I can’t serve a God who would do that. Well, how about serving a God who blesses and rewards everyone who participates? One who gave His very life so that you do not have to go to that awful place. Serve Him.

Far too often, even Christians will focus on the consequences instead of the unsearchable, unknowable, and surpassing good things that God has in store for those who love Him. God is not out to get you; if He wanted to get you, He would get you. Because who can deliver out of His hand? Or who can intercede for you against God? Therefore, let us focus on the good rewards, encourage others in the race, and share the Gospel with others, for there will be a great reward to share for those who win souls.

God is not a bad paymaster; He will give to each what they have earned because God is no man’s debtor. So, share the Gospel and so share in the blessings.

Thank You, Father, that You are not mean and stingy, but in fact, You are a generous God who loves to give good gifts that are pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Your blessings are exceedingly and abundantly more than we can even imagine. Thank You Father that You are kind and generous, and help me to always remember that so that I may grow to be like You, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ~ Galatians 2:20

Paul said he had been crucified with Christ, not at all meaning literally crucified, but spiritually crucified. His life now belongs to Christ, that is, all of his desires, his wants, and his ambitions. It is no longer his life because his old life had been crucified with Christ. He goes on to say that the life that he now lives is by faith in Jesus, the Son of God. And why? Because Paul is convinced that Jesus loves him and died for him, now he has no other choice but to faithfully serve Him.

Over this past weekend, I went to the grocery store with my wife to pick up a few items. I placed my phone and my glasses on the little stand next to the credit card machine. I thought to myself, I better not forget these here, and so said, so done. I walked right out of that grocery store, leaving my phone and my glasses sitting right there on the little stand.

When I went to drive out of the parking lot, the radio came on because it could not connect to my phone, which alerted me that I had left my phone in the store. I quickly parked again and ran inside. The nice lady who had checked me out had my phone and glasses, and when she saw me looking for them, she came over and said, “Are you looking for these?” I felt a real relief that she had found my phone and glasses and held them for me. I felt much appreciation for her kindness of holding them for me.

Have you felt indebted to someone? Paul is feeling that way. He said, I have chosen to be crucified with Christ by my own free will, and now He lives in me. Therefore, I no longer live for myself; I live to please Christ because He loves me so much that He freely chose to suffer and die for me, and because of that, He has given me eternal life.

Jesus did not just do that for Paul alone, but He did it for all of us as well. Each and every one of us. In turn, we must now live for Him.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to die for me. Help me to live as if I have been Crucified with Christ so that He can live in me. Thank You for loving me and caring for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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⁴⁵ Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ And after He had taken leave of them, He went up on the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ And He saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, ⁵⁰ for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” ~ Mark 6:45-50

Have you ever been in a storm and have been praying and seeking God, but He just can’t seem to be found? Have you ever cried out to Him all night but just didn’t feel His presence? Like He was nowhere around? Well this was the place the disciples found themselves in. But I’m here to tell you, when you feel all alone and feel abandoned when there is nowhere to run or no one to run to, when there is nowhere to hide, and Jesus doesn’t seem to be anywhere around, do not be dismayed, neither be discouraged but rather, be encouraged because the Scripture says He ever lives to intercede for us. Therefore, rest assured, Jesus knows where you are in your storm.

In your midnight hour, when you feel all alone, and no one is there. Family is not there; they don’t understand what you’re going through. Pastor is not there; he is not able to be in all places at once. Friends just don’t understand. They have their own problems. Co-workers, well … they don’t even believe in God or even care, some of them. Your Mama’s prayers just don’t seem to be working in this storm. Children aren’t much comfort either; the storm is too great, and maybe they themselves are the cause of your storm.

Let me encourage you today; Jesus sees you. He knows where you are in your storm. He sees you straining at the oars when the wind of this life is against you. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 7:25, “Therefore He, [referring to Jesus], is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” Jesus sees you in your storm and He is interceding for you, just like He was interceding for His disciples.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Hold Your Peace In The Storm.

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¹ Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. ~ Hebrews 1:1-2

The author of the book of Hebrews starts the book by explaining that God didn’t speak to everyone. In fact, God didn’t speak all the time. There were times when the Word of the LORD was rare, such as during the time of Eli, recorded in 1 Samuel 3:1. There was even 400 years of silence, but when the day of Pentecost came, recorded in Acts 2, God poured out His Spirit on all flesh, fulfilling Joel’s prophecy recorded in Joel 2.

No longer does God only speak to His people through the prophets, but now He speaks to all of His people through His Son Jesus because Jesus is the one mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Does that mean we no longer have prophecies? Of course not! We still have prophecies today. Otherwise, we would have to get rid of any prophecy written after the day of Pentecost, which is every prophecy recorded in the New Testament after the ascension of Jesus. So, with that said, prophecy hasn’t disappeared. Prophecy is still here today. The only difference is that the prophets are not the only ones who can hear from God and commune with Him.

How encouraging is that? No longer do we have to go through man to hear from God. God speaks through anyone willing to be a vessel for Him because now His Spirit dwells in us. We are His temple. Yes, prophets are still important today, but no longer are they the only ones who hear from God. No longer is there a barricade between God and mankind. Now, there is only one step between God and mankind: repentance. All we have to do is repent, and the LORD will begin to change our lives. When we seek Him, we find Him. When we knock, the door is opened to us. The Spirit Himself dwells inside of us. We are no longer alone.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Enjoy The Spirit.

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¹ Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the Lord your God, for in the month of Abib the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. ~ Deuteronomy 16:1

The Passover is the foreshadowing of Jesus dying on the cross for all mankind. He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world according to John the Baptist in John 1:29. In other words, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover. We do not need to sacrifice goats, or sheep, or bulls, or lambs any longer, because we have Jesus as our Passover Lamb according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.

Passover was to be celebrated in the first month, which is in the Spring. Spring speaks of new life, new hope, new dreams, new beginnings, and that is exactly what Jesus did for us. He came that we would have life and have life more abundantly (John 10:10), meaning, that we can have all that was listed earlier, a new life, a new beginning etc. All we have to do is to accept Jesus as our personal LORD and Savior.

Then Egypt is indicative of sin. Just like God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, the land of slavery, Jesus has delivered everyone who believes in Him out of slavery to sin. You don’t have to be burdened down with a load of care. The Scriptures say to cast your burdens and cares upon Him, for He cares for us (Psalms 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7).

Everything you need for a victorious life in Jesus is bought and paid for for you. There is no good thing that He will withhold from you. Trust Him today, He has your best interest in heart.

Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to die for me. I accept your free gift of life. Help me to serve You and trust You wholeheartedly. Right now, I give You all my cares and all of my burdens. I give You all the things that concern me right now, and I lay them all down at Your feet. Help me to turn them all over to You and leave them all there with You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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⁷ Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ~ 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

The Israelites prepared for the Passover by cleansing the leaven out of their homes. This was a foreshadowing of the good and better things that have now come. Jesus, our Passover over lamb, has been sacrificed, and we overcome the world and its sin through Him.

No longer is it just a physical act; now, this action is also spiritual. We remove the spiritual leaven from our lives. The sins, false teachings and beliefs, strongholds, wrong relationships, etc. are all broken and cleansed from our lives through Jesus. This may not happen overnight, but it will happen through perseverance in Christ.

No longer does our sin have to separate us from God; now, through Christ, we are cleansed of our sin and forgiven. We are now reconciled to God. We are now a new creation being molded into the very image of Christ.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Clean Some Leaven.

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