Get Encouraged

Tag: Faith

  • Embracing the New Year: A Perfect Time for a Fresh Beginning

    As we stand at the threshold of a new year, the timeless words of Ecclesiastes 3 remind us that there is a season for everything under the sun. In the beautiful tapestry of life, God orchestrates moments of beginnings and endings, and the dawn of 2024presents a perfect time to start anew.

    In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, we find a poetic depiction of life’s seasons—times to be born and to die, to plant and to uproot, to weep and to laugh. As we reflect on these verses, we are reminded that change is a natural part of our journey. Each season brings its own opportunities for growth, learning, and transformation.

    In Ecclesiastes 3:11, we find comfort in the assurance that God makes everything beautiful in its time. This includes the transitions, the uncertainties, and the new beginnings we encounter. As we step into the new year, we can trust that God’s timing is perfect, and He has a purpose for every season of our lives.

    The concept of time in Ecclesiastes 3 encourages us to embrace the present moment and look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead. Whether you’re reflecting on the past, setting new goals, or navigating changes, remember that each day is an opportunity for a fresh start.

    Starting tomorrow, join us as we explore rock-solid promises from the Word of God that will guide and inspire you throughout the new year. These promises are anchors for our faith, providing strength, comfort, and hope as we navigate the seasons of life.

    In the spirit of Ecclesiastes 3, let’s approach the coming days with a sense of anticipation and openness to the new opportunities that God has in store. As we welcome the new year, may we find solace in the understanding that, with God, every moment is a perfect time to start anew.

    Thanks for reading.

  • The Year In Review: A simple Guide for Christians

    As 2023draws to a close, it’s natural for us to take a moment and reflect on the journey we’ve traveled. For Christians, this reflection is more than just reminiscing about the past; it’s an opportunity to look back with gratitude, learn from experiences, and set our sights on the future with hope.

    Look Back With Gratitude

    First and foremost, let’s focus on gratitude. As Christians, we believe that every good and perfect gift comes from God. Take a moment to think about the blessings, big and small, that have filled your life this past year. Maybe it’s the support of friends and family, the strength to face challenges, or the joy found in everyday moments. Give thanks for these gifts, acknowledging God’s faithfulness in providing for you.

    Learn From Experiences

    Next, consider the lessons learned. Life is a journey of growth, and each experience, whether positive or challenging, has something to teach us. Reflect on the times you faced difficulties and how you overcame them. Think about the moments of joy and what they revealed about the goodness of God. What lessons can you carry into the coming year to grow even stronger in your faith and character?

    Set Our Sights on the Future With Hope

    Now, turn your gaze towards the future with hope. The Bible tells us that God has plans for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). As you reflect on the year ending, consider how God might be guiding you into the next chapter of your life. What dreams and aspirations has He placed in your heart? Trust that His promises are true and that the new year holds opportunities for growth, purpose, and joy.

    In conclusion, reflecting on the ending year is a simple yet powerful practice for Christians. It allows us to express gratitude, learn from our experiences, and approach the future with hope. As you bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, may your heart be filled with thanksgiving, wisdom, and the assurance that God’s plans for you are filled with hope and purpose.

    Thanks for reading.

  • Cultivating Christmas Joy: 5 Tips for Keeping the Spirit Alive Year-Round

    As the festive lights dim and the ornaments are packed away, many of us find ourselves yearning to carry the joy of Christmas into the coming months. Fortunately, the spirit of Christmas is not bound to a single season but can be nurtured and sustained throughout the entire year. Here are five simple suggestions to help you keep the joy of Christmas alive in your heart, no matter the date on the calendar.

    1. Practice Gratitude Daily: Gratitude is a powerful antidote to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Take a moment each day to reflect on the blessings around you. Recall the warmth of Christmas joy by expressing gratitude for the simple pleasures, the love of family and friends, and the gift of each new day.
    2. Extend Acts of Kindness: Christmas is a season of giving, and this spirit can be perpetuated year-round through acts of kindness. Look for opportunities to lend a helping hand, offer words of encouragement, or simply share a smile. Acts of kindness not only brighten someone else’s day but also contribute to the joy that permeates the Christmas season.
    3. Keep the Message of Hope Alive: Christmas is a celebration of hope, symbolized by the birth of Jesus Christ. Stay connected to this message by engaging in regular moments of prayer, reflection, and Bible study. Let the hope that Christmas brings be a guiding light throughout the year, helping you navigate challenges with faith and optimism.
    4. Celebrate Milestones and Achievements: Just as we celebrate the birth of Christ during Christmas, take time to acknowledge and celebrate personal milestones and achievements. Reflect on your growth, express gratitude for accomplishments, and recognize the goodness in your journey. This ongoing celebration fosters a sense of joy and fulfillment.
    5. Foster a Spirit of Giving: Christmas often inspires generosity. Carry this spirit forward by actively seeking ways to give back to your community. Whether through volunteering, charitable donations, or supporting local causes, being a giver contributes to a sense of purpose and joy that transcends the holiday season.

    In conclusion, keeping the joy of Christmas alive throughout the year is not only possible but transformative. By practicing gratitude, extending kindness, embracing hope, celebrating achievements, and fostering a spirit of giving, you can cultivate a continuous and lasting sense of Christmas joy in your heart. May the warmth and love of the Christmas season be your companion on every step of the journey ahead.

    Thanks for reading.

  • Navigating Post-Christmas Blues: 3 Suggestions for Overcoming

    As the holiday lights dim and the festive tunes fade away, it’s not uncommon to experience post-Christmas blues. The return to routine and the end of the holiday season can bring feelings of melancholy, but there’s solace and hope to be discovered because of Christ.

    Here are 3 suggestions to help overcome this struggle.

    1. Redirect your focus towards the enduring message of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ. Amidst the post-holiday lull, take moments to reflect on the profound significance of God sending His Son to bring everlasting hope and salvation to the world. Revisit the Nativity story from the Bible, attend church services, and let the enduring love of Christ be a source of comfort and inspiration during this quieter time.
    2. Reconnect with your faith community as a means of overcoming the post-Christmas slump. Seek out opportunities to share the joy of the season with fellow believers. Engage in post-holiday gatherings, participate in acts of kindness, and relish the support and camaraderie of your church family. Building on the bonds formed during Christmas can help extend the warmth and unity into the new year.
    3. Consider introducing new traditions that align with your faith to maintain a sense of purpose. Incorporate prayerful practices into your routine, such as reflective journaling or scripture reading. These rituals can offer a spiritual foundation and guide you through the post-Christmas period with renewed purpose and connection to your Christian beliefs.

    If you find yourself grappling with post-holiday blues, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Share your thoughts and feelings with trusted friends, family, or members of your church community. Acknowledge that it’s okay to feel this way and that there are caring individuals ready to lend a listening ear.

    As the decorations come down and the holiday cheer subsides, let the enduring love and hope found in your faith be a beacon of light to guide you through the post-Christmas blues. Embrace the peace that comes from knowing the transformative message of Christmas remains a constant source of comfort throughout the entire year.

  • He Landed the Part

    Leon was the innkeeper. He was so excited to have finally landed the part, and he practiced for weeks. He had his lines – well, line – perfect.

    “There’s no room in the inn,” is all Leon had to say, but Leon became so emotionally involved in the part and the Christmas story that he added a few lines.

    There’s no room in the inn,” he said, “but Jesus you can have my room. Jesus, you can have it all!”

    Leon may have messed up a little, but his extra lines inspire a question. How well do we allow Jesus to have everything?

    From the worries surrounding our finances to the burden of guilt for yesterday’s mistakes, do we allow Jesus to have it all?

    Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light,” (Matthew 11:28-30(.

    Merry Christmas! I hope you have a joyous celebration today.

  • Keeping Promises

    It has been said promises are made only to be broken, and since we do not live in a perfect world, this holds true on many occasions. Someone with the best of intentions makes a promise to us, but the person is unable to keep it. For many, politics comes to mind as soon as they think of broken promises. An imperfect world leads to imperfect promises.

    But what if I told you there was someone who always keeps promises. What if I told you there is someone who always tells the truth? There is! He is the Lord, and we see this lived out the night the shepherds heard of Jesus’ birth.

    The stillness of their night had been interrupted by an angel giving them good news of great joy, so the shepherds went to investigate. Luke’s Gospel tells us, “They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph, and there was the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). They investigated the message they received from the angel and found that it was true. Everything was just like they had been told.

    God doesn’t lie. He doesn’t change his mind or his character; he doesn’t go back on his word. Hebrews reminds us the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. He will always keep his promises. His word will always be true.

    We can trust the promises given to us in the Bible. We can trust that the Lord will give us peace. We can trust that he will be with us. We can trust that he will provide for us and protect us. There is not one promise in Scripture which will be broken. God will always keep his word, so we can be like the shepherds, praising God for finding things just as we were told (Luke 2:20).

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  • Sharing Our Gifts

    Kevin, age 5, and Ryan, age 3 were waiting on their mom to cook pancakes one morning, and the boys began to argue about who would get the first pancake. Seeing an opportunity to teach a moral lesson, their mom said, “Jesus would let his brother have the first pancake.”

    Kevin quickly said to Ryan, “Hey Ryan, why don’t you be Jesus?”

    Matthew tells us the Magi shared with Jesus. Matthew 2:11 says, “They entered the house and saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” The Magi shared with the Lord.

    The wise men brought gifts to Jesus, because they wanted to share with him. As Christians, we should be willing to bow before the king and open the treasure chests of our lives to share with the Lord. The gifts the Magi brought can help us see ways to share with the Lord.

    Gold

    They presented gold to Christ. Gold is obviously something of great value. Instantly, tithes and offerings come to mind, but we can share in other ways. Our time, our talents, and our abilities are some ways we can share. We can share our words by being the Lord’s spokesperson. Our words can be used to encourage one another; building one another up in Christ. Our words have the ability to help another person more fully grasp the Lord’s grace. Money is not the only valuable thing we can share with the Lord. We have much to share.

    Frankincense and Myrrh

    Our prayers are the incense we share with the Lord. Revelation 5:8 reminds us prayers are a sweet smelling fragrance at the alter of the Lord. He wants to hear from us. The Lord longs for us to talk with him. He wants to hear our thanksgivings and our struggles.

    The Lord desires for us to share our lives with him. How well do we share? Try sharing a part of your day with the Lord. Spend some time in prayer or offer an encouraging word to a neighbor. The Lord wants to live life with us.

    Thanks for reading.

  • The Magi’s Journey

    Their journey took them to new places and introduced them to new people. The Magi saw a new star in the sky, and their anticipation and desire to seek the new born king spurred a journey to find him. They did not know where the journey was going to lead, but they were willing to go. Perhaps it was unnerving and disrupting, but the Magi followed the star.

    The Lord may be pointing us on a journey right now. It may be accepting his grace, talking with a friend about his grace, making a sacrificial move, or maybe something even more difficult. He may be calling us to extend forgiveness. We’ve been hurt badly, but someone has to lay the first piece to build the bridge of reconciliation. It may be disrupting. It may be unnerving, but the Lord is calling.

    Going on this journey may be scary, but we are not alone. Scripture records many who were called on a journey. They found themselves in some new places. Abraham was called into a new territory. Noah was called to begin a new project. Daniel was called into a new leadership role. The first disciples were called into a career change. The Lord called Paul into a public life change. We are not alone.

    What journey is the Lord asking you to take? Ask the Lord for the courage to begin the journey and to help you remember he is leading as you walk into new places.

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  • Anticipating Christmas

    Looking up at the sky was a nightly occurrence. The stars were beautiful and worthy of study. One night something different caught the eyes of the wise men. The new star captured their attention, so they took note of it.

    More than that, the star prompted memories of Christ being prophesied in Scripture. The star brought Christ to the Magi’s attention. Through events, God reached out to the Magi, and since they were anticipating the Messiah’s coming, they responded.

    What about us? Are we anticipating the Lord’s work in our lives? Like the Magi, we have the Bible to study. We may not understand all of it, but we know enough to at least understand the story. Even the most scholarly student of Scripture must have a faith of anticipation.

    God has promised he will work in our lives, and he has promised he will be with us. There are many stories which can only be explained by the Lord’s involvement. Christ’s birth is just one of those times. We should anticipate the Lord’s work in our lives.

    Scripture suggests we should keep watch. Keep anticipating.

    • Because we do not know “on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).
    • “Because you do not know the day or the hours” (Matthew 25:13).

    This anticipation is what drives our seeking. In faith, do we have an attitude of anticipation today? Perhaps the answer to our prayer will come today. Maybe today will be the day we gain a better understanding of how to fulfill our purpose. Perhaps today will give us an opportunity to take a step toward realizing our dreams. Today could be a big day. Are we anticipating the Lord’s work?

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  • Seeking, Searching, Pursuing

    The star appeared, and the journey started. It was not a quick trip to find Jesus. The 900 miles of terrain which separated the Magi from Jesus took some time to cross. In spite of this, the wise men continued. They didn’t give up or turn around until they found Jesus. They knew finding him was worth the pursuit.

    Our Pursuit

    No one needs to remind us we are not perfect. We already know, but each day we seek the Lord, we become a little more like him. Each day takes us a little closer to the prize, and each day means we can forget the things Christ has already forgiven from yesterday.

    Philippians 3:12-14 says, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection, but I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing:  forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the Heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us.”

    Seeking Christ is a life-long pursuit. We are always in need of the Lord’s grace. We’re always in need of his leading. There is never a point in life when we stop needing Christ. It has been said life is like a cycle. The rough times lead to an easy season only to be disrupted by the rough times again. The Lord is with us every step of the way, and the prize at the end of the race is Heaven.

    Philippians 3:20-21 encourage, “But we are citizens of Heaven where the Lord Jesus Christ lives, and we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak, mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.”

    Are you on a life-long pursuit of the Lord? Don’t give up seeking him. He doesn’t give up on seeking us. “Come to me,” Jesus invites. “Seek me,” he encourages, “bring the burdens of life and the worries of today, and exchange them for the rest I offer.” Follow the example of the Magi. Make seeking the Lord a life-long pursuit.

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