The Best Christmas Present Ever!

I enjoy reading the newspaper and hearing what is happening in the world, but over the past few years it seems as if there is very little good news that is reported.   It seems to me that the good news has been pushed aside to make room for all the bad news.  Reading and hearing about all the sin and tragedies in society, I have found myself becoming hardened to it all; numb would be a good description of how I have found myself reacting to the bad news.  And that numbness has bothered me. 

This past week, I spent several days visiting and encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ.  The first day, I visited a friend who is addicted to meth and alcohol.  During our visit she opened up and shared her struggle with me.  As she talked, telling me all that she has been through, I could see that she is really hurting.   Because of her addictions, she has lost her boyfriend, her children, her respect and the life that she used to live; pretty much everything that holds value for her.  She is at the bottom and doesn’t see a way out.  She is scared, desperate and hopeless.

When she was finished sharing, I shared all that Christ wants to do in her life; bring her peace, joy, hope, deliverance, restoration, forgiveness and so much more.   As I talked, she listened intently and acknowledged that trusting Christ was the only hope that she had.   She acknowledged Christ in her head but not in her heart.  As our conversation came to a close, I felt that numbness that I had been feeling about the violence and sin in our society.  As I drove off down the road from the yard where she has been staying, I didn’t like how I was feeling.

As I left, I told her that I would be praying for her.  That seemed to give her some comfort but I could see that she had not surrendered her life to Christ.  I know that she will continue to struggle until she does.  There is just no hope for her except the hope that is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Two days later, as I was driving back to to encourage more brothers and sisters in Christ, I found myself paying for this friend.  As I prayed, I began to feel a hopelessness for her that I had not felt before.   It was at the point of feeling her hopelessness that I literally broke down weeping.  Weeping for her situation.  Weeping for her loss.  Weeping for the hopelessness that she was feeling.  Weeping for the hopelessness that I was feeling.

After getting myself under control, I realized that I had begun to feel again.  I felt her pain.  I felt her despair.  I felt her hopelessness.  I felt…….   I began to Praise God for taking away my numbness.  I began to Praise God for allowing me to feel someone else’s hopelessness.  I began to Praise God for giving me the Best Christmas Present Ever…..A Renewed Broken Heart for the Brokenhearted. 

Without a broken heart for the brokenhearted, it is impossible to live out I John 3:16-18…..”This is how we know what love is; Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 

I so want to live out that verse!  I want to live out that verse with a soft heart so that the brokenhearted will see the love of God in me.  After they see the love of God in me, I want them to desire to have that same love of God so that others will see the love of God in them.  And then the others will desire to have that love of God and on and on and on………..

I want to reach the world with the love of God in that verse…………

And so I ask you, do you have a broken heart for the brokenhearted?  If so, Praise God!  I encourage you to go and live out I John 3:16-18.  If not, I challenge you to ask God to break your heart for the brokenhearted.  I challenge you to ask God for The Best Christmas Present Ever!

 

 

Encouraging You Today In Christ!

I would love to hear from you.

God Bless!

 

You Can Shine Like The Stars Of The Universe

My husband, Rick, and I had an opportunity this past month to visit Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.  If you don't know, Graceland was Elvis Presley's home.  We are not particularly Elvis fans, but since we grew up in the "Elvis era" and had heard a lot about his home, we decided to take the opportunity when it presented itself.

Graceland, Elvis Presley's home in Memphis, Tennessee.

The tour was very well done and quite enjoyable.  It really laid out Elis' life in a very dignified and respectful manner.  We spent almost 3 hours immersed in the life of the man who made Graceland his home.  When we were finished, we had a pretty good grip of who Elvis was and what he had accomplished in his life.

 

I must say, that when I climbed into our car to leave Graceland, I was a little overwhelmed with all I had heard and seen.  Elvis had accomplished so much in the 42 short years of his life that it almost made my head spin.  It was difficult to take it all in.  Here are just a few of his accomplishments:  He sold over one billion records, had 149 songs appear #1 on Billboard's Top 100 Pop Chart, had another 114 songs appear in the top 40, made 31 movies, had 14 Grammy nominations, gave 1,100 concert performances, did three specials on network television with one being seen in 40 countries by 1.5 billion people.

Just one of several rooms where Elvis' Gold and Platinum records were on display.

 

Because of all of his accomplishments in life, Elvis was a "Star" in the world's eyes.  He was idolized and even worshipped by some.  When I was in my twenties, I worked for a lady who was the President of the local chapter of The Elvis Presley Fan Club.  She was consumed with Elvis and constantly talked about him.  She truly worshipped him.

 

On our way home, I began to think about what I had accomplished in my life; being a wife of 40 years, mother to three children and homeschooling them for 17 years, active in my church loving Jesus with all my heart and committing to sharing that love with everyone that I can.  In the world's eyes, these are "small" accomplishments, but in God's eyes they are "BIG" accomplishments.  In God's eyes, I am a "Star."

 

And then I began to think about what the Bible says about our accomplishments in life.  I Corinthians 3:12-15 says, "No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus.  If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.  If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss."  All of Elvis' accomplishments will be tested by fire one day.  All my accomplishments will be tested by fire one day.  All of your accomplishments will be tested by fire one day.

 

If you are a child of God, accomplishing much for the Kingdom by living a righteous live, investing yourself in your church and others around you with the love of Jesus, then you are a "Star" in God's eyes.  Your accomplishments will survive the test of fire and you will received a reward.  The world may tell you that your accomplishments are "small" but God will tell you that your accomplishments are "BIG" and you will "shine like the stars of the universe".  "Do everything without arguing or complaining so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like the stars in the universe."  Philippians 2:4-16.

 

If you are struggling with worldly accomplishments, it's not too late to change those worldly accomplishments into Godly accomplishments.  It's not too late to become a "Star" in God's eyes.  It's not too late to receive your reward in Heaven.  Turn to God's Word and commit to living a Godly, righteous life, so that your accomplishments will become Godly accomplishments and you will "shine like the dawn".  "Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."  Psalm 37:5-6

 

Encouraging You Today With God's Word!



Living A Victorious Life In A Dark World

How do we live a victorious life

in a dark world

when everything around us

spells

D E F E A T?

 

I don’t know about you, but when I look around this world, I see D E F E A T everywhere.  So much is broken in our world today.  There is so much violence and dysfunction all around us.  So how do we live a victorious life amongst the darkness, brokenness and dysfunction?

 

I think the answer to that question is found in Romans 12:2 which says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Be transformed……wow, that’s quite a powerful command that God gives us in Romans 12:2.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that the word “transform” means to “change in character.” 

 

So, in this passage, God is saying that we can change in character if we renew our mind.  And I believe that this is what our world needs today.  It needs people who are willing to “change in character” so that the darkness can be dispelled, the brokenness can be made whole and the dysfunction can be changed into functional.  If we, as Christ Followers, will be willing to listen to and obey the Words of Romans 12:2, we will enjoy living the victorious life that God wants for us.

 

So then, how do we go about renewing our mind so that we can be transformed in our character and live that victorious life?  God gives us some direction in the following passages:  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”  Joshua 1:8.  If we meditate on God’s Word, our minds will be renewed and our character will change to become more like Christ.

 

“How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to your Word…..I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Psalm 119:9 & 11   If we living according to God’s Word, our minds will be renewed and our character will change to become more like Christ.

 

“…..put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”  Ephesians 4:20  If we walk away from our old self and embrace the new self that God has given us through our personal relationship with Christ Jesus that includes righteousness and holiness, our minds will be renewed and our character will change to become more like Christ.

 

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly…..”  Colossians 3:16a.  If we fill our minds with God’s Word, our minds will be renewed and our character will change to become more like Christ.

 

“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8   If we think about the things of God, our minds will be renewed and our character will change to become more like Christ.

 

 

"...take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ."  II Corinthians 10:5   When we capture our thoughts and bring them under the authority of Jesus, our minds will be renewed and our character will change to become more like Christ.

 

 

And finally, “Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”  I Peter 5:8 & 9a   In order to renew our mind so that our character can change and become more like Christ, we need to be on the offense against our enemy.  We must resist him and stand firm in the faith so that we will be able to live that victorious life that God has for us.

Easier said than done?  Remember, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13

 

Renewing your mind will turn defeat into a F E A T, a notable act, for God!

 

Encouraging You Today

With God’s Word!

Just thought I'd share with you the newest
member of the household......TowMater.....aka Mater.
He is a Labrador Retriever and is 9 weeks old.
He is adorable and is already spoiled!

 

 

 

Have You Hugged...........

Several years ago, there was a slogan going around, you may have seen it on a bumper sticker or on a road sign that said:
 

“Have you hugged your child today?” 

I loved that slogan!  It was a great reminder to those of us with children, that a hug is a great way to show that we love them and want to encourage them. 

But, it is not only children that need to know they are loved and need to be encouraged.  Everyone walking on the face of this earth needs to know that.  Everyone needs to have people in their life that will show them they care, including us as well as our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. 

I don’t know about you, but I struggle to be encouraging at times.  Life circumstances go up and down and I find myself living on my emotions instead of obedience to God’s Word.  I know that my enemy, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion looking to destroy me.  (I Peter 5:8)  He wants you too!   

I learned an acronym several years ago that describes for me the times I most struggle to be encouraging because these are the times that I find myself most under attack from the enemy.  I would like to share it with you to encourage you when you are struggling and under attack.  The acronym is:    HALT 

We need to HALT when we are feeling:

                        Hungry

                        Angry

                        Lonely

                        Tired

because it is at these times that we are most vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.  When we are feeling any of these feelings, we need to just walk away.  Walk away from whatever it is that is pressing in upon us, take a breather, go to the Father; read the Word, let Him show us what it is that we should do, instead of acting impulsively on our emotions and thus give the devil a foothold (“…do not give the devil a foothold.”  Ephesians 4:27.) 

I would like to share with you the following checklist of scripture God gave me to use to examine myself and see if I am encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ:

Am I “encouraging my brothers and sisters in Christ and building them up?”  (“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”  I Thessalonians 5:11) 

Am I “judging my Brothers and Sisters in Christ?”  (“Why do you judge your brother?  Or why do you look down on your brother?  Each of us will give an account of himself to God.”  Romans 14:10, 12) 

Am I praying for my Brothers and Sisters in Christ?  (“…be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”) 

Am I “being an imitator of God and treating my Brothers and Sisters in Christ with kindness, compassion and forgiveness?”  (“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.  Be imitators of God.”  Ephesians 4:32-5:1) 

Am I “loving my Brothers and Sisters in Christ?  (“Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35)

As we encourage, pray for and love our brothers and sisters in Christ, others will see that we are Jesus’ disciples and we will be unified, thus fulfilling Ephesians 4:2-3 which says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  We are a family, the family of God, and as we live out this scripture as a family, we will truly be a living testimony for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the unsaved people in our lives.

Encouraging a Brother or Sister in Christ could help them walk away from a temptation, renew their passion for the Lord, cause them to share what Christ has done in their life with unbelievers or even read their Bible more.  Reading their Bible will show them the character of God which will bring even more encouragement into their life and help them to be an encourager themselves.   And then, when we encourage a Brother or Sister in Christ…..we ourselves are encouraged!  

And so I ask you: 

Have you encouraged your

Brother and/or Sister in Christ Today?
 

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in harmony.”

Psalm 133:1
 

Encouragement will bring a smile to the

faces of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

 

If you need encouragement you can check out our website at:

www.eoaiRocks.com

I would love to hear from you!

 

Keep Going For Jesus!

THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO LIVE!

 

Encouraging You In Christ!

Life Is All About Me.....Right?

I have had 6 different physicial issues since the first of the year.  Just when I would get one issue taken care of, another one would pop up.  Each one has been a struggle to say the least.   And beyond the struggle, they have all been quite annoying.  I just want to be healthy.....healthy so that I can live this dual lifestyle that I live and love so much.....being active in my families' lives and in the lives of my friends on the reservations.

 

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, with my focus slipping off of Jesus and onto my physical issues during this last five months, life became all about me.  All about me in a negative way that I wasn't really noticing.  And again, unfortunately, God had to point the situation out to me.  And, in His loving, gracious way, He pointed it out to me in a physical way.....darn.  Just what I was hoping to avoid.....more physical issues.

 

As I was lying on the ground in my backyard, rolling around moaning after a fall that I took with no apparent cause, He pointed the situation out to me.  I now know that I fell because He wanted to get my attention:  He wanted to point out to me that my attitude on life had gotten out of control without my noticing.  Now let me tell you, it doesn't feel too good to be convicted of a sin that I wasn't even aware of.  But, let me tell you also, that it does feel good to be convicted. 

 

Weird huh?  Being convicted doesn't feel good, but then again, it does feel good.  It feels good because I am reminded that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me.  A Heavenly Father who loves me enough to discipline me.  A Heavenly Father who will speak to me in my weakness and direct me back onto the right path; the path that will take me back to righteous living.  Righteous living so that my relationship with God will not be broken, but will be healthy and complete. 

 

It's not been easy.  Bad habits are difficult to break.  But with the help of the Holy Spirit, I am catching myself.  Correcting the sinful attitudes.  Working on being that living testimony that God wants me to be.  Because of God's conviction, I am working on living out Romans 12:1-2....."...offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.   Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good and pleasing and perfect will."

 

As I sit tonight writing this, recovering from a very minor medical procedure as well as strained shoulder muscles from my fall, I am so thankful that I have a Father God who loves me and wants His best for me.  I am thankful for his correction and redirection in my life.  I am thankful for his grace, mercy and forgiveness.  I am just plain thankful!

 

What are you struggling with?  Come on.....it's ok.....be honest with yourself.  Whatever it is, lay it at the foot of the cross.  Let God correct and redirect you.  Or maybe it's something different.  Maybe you need comfort.  Maybe you are sad, abused, depressed, hurt.....whatever it is.....God wants to be in the middle of it.  God wants to rain His grace, mercy and forgiveness down on you.  Will you let Him?  Will you pour your heart out to Him and then go to His Word for direction?  His Word brings life.  Life to the fullest!

And then, No.....life isn't about me!

 

Encouraging You In Christ!

All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!
www.eoaiRocks.com 

 

 

  

How Is Your Foundation?

Original Blog posted March, 2009.

 

I just returned from spending a few days on the Choctaw Indian Reservation in Mississippi.   I stayed in a brick building that was built around the turn of the century and was originally a girls dorm for an agricultural school where young girls were taught how to maintain a plantation home and young boys were taught how to run a plantation.  The dorm was a beautiful huge brick building with 10 bedrooms, several bathrooms, a big kitchen and living room.

 

One morning I walked around the grounds where the old agricultural school used to stand. As I wandered around, I came upon the ruins from the main building of the school. All that was left of the main school building was the brick/cement foundation. The foundation was in very good shape. As I snapped this picture of the foundation, God put an analogy in my mind.

 

 

As I looked at that foundation, God showed me a picture of how Jesus is our foundation. And, like this foundation, He is very strong and sturdy. Like this foundation, He stands firm. Like this foundation, He is there to hold us up.

 Then God showed me the picture of a Christ Follower who has never grown in their walk with the Lord. They look just like this empty foundation. Jesus is right there walking along side of them, holding them strong and sturdy, but they haven't built anything upon their foundation. Their foundation is all that is there to their Christian walk. Like this foundation, their foundation is not being used.

After snapping the above picture, I wandered back to the girls dorm and snapped the following picture:

 

  

As I snapped this picture, God showed me the picture of a Christ Follower who has grown in their walk with the Lord. The Christ Follower who has grown in their walk with the Lord looks like this beautiful house. Much has been built upon Jesus, their foundation. They use their foundation every day. Their faith is strengthened and they live in obedience because they understand that their foundation needs to be built upon in order to come into the fullness of the life that God wants them to live.

 

Building on Jesus, our foundation, is what God desires for each of us. As we build upon our foundation, we deepen our personal relationship with the Lord. As we deepen our personal relationship with the Lord, other people notice. As other people notice, we begin to make a difference in their lives. And as we make a difference in other people's lives, our lives get richer and fuller. And, ultimately, we come to understand I Peter 2:9 that says, "we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" and then we can fulfill our purpose in life at the end of that verse that says, "that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light."

I've asked myself this week, "How is your foundation, Sherry? Does it stand empty? or Have you built upon it to make it into a beautiful picture? Will your foundation pass the test found in I Corinthians 3:12-14 which says, 'If any man builds on this foundaiton using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will received his reward.'" To God Be The Glory!

 

 

 Encouraging You In Christ!

All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!

www.eoaiRocks.com

I John 3

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!   And that is what we are!  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.   Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.   All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.  Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.  But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins.  And in Him is no sin.  No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.  No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.
 

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.   The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.   The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.   No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.   This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
 

 

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.  Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.  Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.  We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other.  Anyone who does not love remains in death.  Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
 

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?   Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
 

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence:  If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.  Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.  The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us."
 

 

Be Encouraged!

All Praise, Honor and Glory to God! 
Encourage One Another
Website:  www.eoaiRocks.com   

Encourager or Discourager?

I recently took a short Encouragement Trip to encourage some of my brothers and sisters in Christ.  On my encouragement journey, I heard stories and saw the effects of brothers and sisters in Christ encouraging and being encouraged by one another.  I saw people living out I Thessalonians 5:11 which says, "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing."  Because encouragement was being poured into them and they were being built up, they were filled with the joy of the Lord and were then encouraging others. 

 

As I sat and listened to my brothers and sisters in Christ share their Christian journey with me, I was reminded that we are all part of a family, the family of God.  God is our Daddy and He wants the very best for us.  So, like any good Daddy, He tells us in His Word what He expects from us as a family.  And like any good Daddy, He is very clear about it; He wants us to love and encourage one another in order to be unified. 

 



In Ephesians  4:2-3, He tells us to "be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."  And then in Philippians 2:2-3 He tells us to "be like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."  And then in Psalm 133:1, God tells us if we obey Him and live in unity with one another, "how good and pleasant it will be."

Then I heard other stories; stories about brothers and sisters in Christ living with divisions amongst themselves.  Stories of brothers and sisters in Christ judging and condemning one another.  Stories of brothers and sisters in Christ hurting each other through their words and actions.  My heart was heavy as I listened to these stories and saw the pain on the person sharing.

Jesus dealt with this situation when He said in Matthew 7:1-5, "Do not judge or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite!  First take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother's eye." 

God does not want us to condemn one another as He tells us in Romans 8:1 by saying, "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  If God does not condemn us, we as Christians should not condemn each other.

God showed me two sides of this Christian walk on my Encouragement Trip this past month that have two very different outcomes.  He showed me the encouragement side that brought joy and  a smile to my brothers and sisters in Chist; then He showed me the discouraging side that brought pain and sorrow to my brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

I ask you today; how are you treating your family members, your brothers and sisters in Chirist?  Are you sharing your life and scripture with them?  Are you known as the Encourager in the family or are you known as the Discourager in the family? 

 

God has shown me so many ways that I can encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ and build them up.  Ways like sharing an uplifting scripture; living a righteous life as an example;  eating a meal together and listening to what is happening in their life; giving a small gift or simply a picked flower that says "You are valuable to me."; spending time together doing something fun; talking about what Jesus is doing in your life and so much more.

 

Sharing a treat with a brother or sister in Christ

can be encouraging to them.

 

Sharing a flower with a brother or sisters in Christ

can be encouraging to them.

 

If you are the Encourager, good for you; keep it up.....you are doing exactly what God wants you to do.  God is using you in a mighty way to bring Glory to His Kingdom.  As you encourage your brothers and sisters they will go out and encourage their brothers and sisters and then their brothers and sisters will go out and encourage their brothers and sisters and then..............

 

If you are the Discourager, you can change; repent.....God is a God of forgiveness!  Embrace I Thessalonians 5:11 and become the Encourager that your brothers and sisters in Christ so desperately need.....and when you do, I am positive that you will receive encouragement in return!

 

Encouraging You In Christ!

All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!



 Encourage One Another

Website:  www.eoaiRocks.com

Deceived!

I agreed to take a friend of mine who was staying with me at The Encouragement House to the airport the other day.  We agreed to leave at 3:30 a.m. since her flight was at 5:50 a.m.  That meant that we both needed to be up and about by at least 3:15 a.m. to be ready to leave on time.  Now, if you know me at all, you know that this time of the morning is a “problem” for me.  I am definitely not a morning person and love to “burn the midnight oil.”

But, I committed to doing this for my friend, so I faithfully set my alarm for 3:15 a.m. and went to bed.  When my alarm went off the next morning, I got out of bed and began to dress.  I dressed quickly and then looked down the hall to see if my friend was up.  The bathroom light was on, so I assumed that she was up and dressing. 

I was dressed and waiting for her to come out of the bathroom, but she didn’t come out.  I waited 5, 8, 10 minutes.  I began to think that I could have had 10 more minutes of sleep.  I waited until 3:25 a.m. for her to come out of the bathroom.  Since I was hearing no noises coming from the bathroom, I knocked on the door to see if she was ready.  When I knocked on the door, it popped open.  I peeked inside and there was no one there.  The light was on but “nobody was home.”  LOL!

So, I knocked on her bedroom door and said, “Are you up?” Then I cracked the door and looked inside.  In a very groggy voice, she said, “Yes, I am up.”  LOL!  She was not up!  She had overslept and was not quite awake when I opened the door and spoke to her.  When I saw the bathroom light on, I assumed that she was up and getting ready to leave for the airport.  BUT, I was mistaken.  The situation was not as it appeared to be.  What I thought to be truth (my friend was up) was in fact not the truth. 

My friend quickly got out of bed, dressed and we were off to the airport.  God blessed us with no traffic and good weather; she was on time for her flight and had a fantastic trip bringing Glory to God throughout.  The deception was not intentional and brought no harm, even though the enemy tried to use it against us.  But, God, in His wisdom, used the situation for good (Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good of those who love Christ…”) to give me a lesson in spiritual warfare.

While driving home from the airport alone that morning, I was talking to God.  In that conversation with Him, He showed me that spiritual warfare is just like the situation that I found myself in that morning.  “Things are not always as they seem to be.”  The enemy is a deceiver.  Revelation 12:9 calls Satan “the deceiver of the whole world…..”  John 8:44 calls Satan “…..a liar and the father of lies.”

God showed me that I need to “evaluate” everything that I see and hear so that I will know whether or not it has roots in the truth or roots in the lie.   I Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to destroy.”  John 8:32 says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” 

Are you struggling with discerning the truth from the lie?  Have you been deceived?  Have you been lied to?  Are you looking for a way out?  Romans 12:1-3 says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Believe me when I tell you; I have been lied to, I have believed the lies; I have been deceived, I have needed a way out.  And God, in His mercy, has always been there for me.  He has been there to show me the truth; He has been there to forgive me when I have been deceived; He has been there to give me a way out.  He has been there for me…..always, always, always!  He has been there! 

He is there for you.  Cry out to Him.  Offer yourself to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.  Let Him cleanse you of your worldly thoughts and ways and let Him renew your mind through His Word.  He wants to give you discernment so that you will know the truth from the lie.  He wants you to know the truth so that you will be set free.  And when you know the truth, you will be free indeed. 

Encouraging You In Christ!

All Praise, Honor and Glory to God!