Tag Archives: encouragement

Speak to One Another

Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. … Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:15, 19-20, NIV*

I can’t stand sales team pep rallies. You know, the impassioned speaker who gets listeners “all fired up,” leads in a group cheer, and works them into such a frenzy of eagerness that they practically trip over each other on their way out the door to convince the world to buy what they’re offering.

We do need encouragement and motivation, especially in those occupations which encounter a lot of negativity or opposition, but I don’t know if hype is really the best way to provide it.

We also need encouragement and motivation in living the Christian life, whether we’re experiencing outright opposition or just the general wearing-down of daily stress. Again, spare me the theatrics.

St. Paul told us to be alert and intentional about how we live. He knew how easily we can miss opportunities or be distracted from the underlying battle, or even be distracted from God.

With all our busyness, it seems like we rush into and out of church or Bible study groups and never have time to encourage one another. Our pastors and leaders can only pack so much into a message or worship service.

Technology changes things. You’ll often find me listening to a worship CD or to K-LOVE to let the songs keep me focused, and I’m trying to share encouragement through this blog. But the first and best way involves actual human contact.

When we take time to hear one another, we can share a word, a prayer, a song. Nobody wants a pat, trite answer, but a Spirit-inspired bit of encouragement from one Christian to another can really help.

Father, thank You for Scripture, and for the way You speak through fellow believers. Please help us encourage one another with words from You. And help us keep silent when all we have is words from ourselves.

I’m thankful for so many strong Christian music artists who share encouragement. Here’s a song to keep us on track today, by Steven Curtis Chapman: “Not Home Yet“.

Blessing

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Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.
1 Peter 3:8-9, MSG*

Our job is to bless. And we can only do this in the power of the Holy Spirit, as He enables us to follow Jesus’ example and commit our lives to the God who judges justly.

No victim mentality or martyred airs—living confident in God, with our hope securely in Him.

Peter says then people will wonder how we can carry on so well in life’s stress. When they ask the reason for our hope, we can gently tell them how Jesus sustains us.

Father, please help me fix my heart on You, live confident in You, and live to be a blessing.

I love the way John Waller articulates the choice between blessing and cursing in his song, “The Blessing.”

Obedience

Declaring God’s Praises

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But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10, NIV*

As Christians, we are chosen, changed. Rescued, because God loves us. Having experienced God’s mercy, we get to tell others how wonderful He is.

And our message isn’t just “trust Jesus so you can go to Heaven when you die.” It’s “trust Him now, to experience new life now.”

Jesus paid to rescue us from the darkness that trapped each one. For some of us it may have been twilight-level darkness, for others the pitch black of a deep cave. Compared to God’s clear light, it restricted our vision and diminished our quality of life.

“Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me” and I need to share the amazing opportunity with those who want to hear. Not a pushy “sister, are you saaaaved,” but “tell me your story, and let me tell you mine”.

When I see God at work in my life, touching my day, I need to praise Him and I need to share it. It may cause someone who doesn’t know Him yet to think about Him. It’ll definitely encourage the heart of someone who already knows Him. We’re on this journey together, let’s help one another along the road.

Father, please open my eyes to recognize what You’ve already done in my life and what You’re doing each day. Grant me a grateful heart, and help me share You with others.

Most days our stories aren’t as dramatic as the one in this song, but I pray the LORD will stir us to want to share them. Here’s Don Francisco, singing “Gotta Tell Somebody.”

Need a Spiritual Boost?

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“But blessed is the man 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 (New International Version) (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Jeremiah means both men and women, of course. We’re planted, alright, but the busyness of life can leach our focus off of God. Sunday morning worship ….

In North American society, it feels like we go to church for a serving of spiritual teaching but then head back into daily life. Life which, no matter how wonderful, can wear us down. I don’t know about you, but before too long I’m battle-weary and drained. I’d love to spend hours alone with God, or immersed in a Bible study or inspirational book, but the time isn’t there.

Most days, I crawl into wakefulness early so I can have time with God before the world starts its demands. I love my sleep, but it’s a necessary sacrifice. Still, I long for more. I miss the close times with the LORD. My hope with this blog is to share a little encouragement once or twice a week, a spiritual snippet to re-energize us.

Janet Sketchley

Writing Christian Mysteries & Suspense