Encouraging Notes

FOLLOW HIM

When someone is born again, they experience a powerful internal transformation. The Bible says it like this, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Colossians 1:13

In another place, apostle Paul spoke of the born-again experience in these words, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Those who genuinely experience this transformation immediately leave their old life of self and begin to live a life focused on God and his love. Many have come to church and even walked the aisle during an altar call to receive Christ but considered it a work to be accomplished and not a reality to be believed. Consequently, they did not experience the presence and power of Christ within them but only a form of godliness to adhere to. Look at what happened to those to whom Jesus gave the call to follow him.

Mat 4:19-20 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once, they left their nets and followed him.

They left everything and followed him! When someone has a genuine experience with Christ, their life changes. The Spirit of love and intimacy with God overcomes them, and the purpose of God’s life and mission becomes their passion. Knowing that you have received Christ is something you want to be sure of! Have you fully surrendered to the love of Jesus as afforded by the cross and his shed blood? Do you believe that you are forgiven, accepted, and loved by God? Oh yes! This is where real life begins!

There is only one way to come to God – BELIEVE! Many relegate Christianity down to good works or a ritual to be adhered to, but how far from the truth this is! Jesus did not come to make bad people good – he came to make dead people live! Hallelujah! Consider these scathing words of the apostle Paul to the Galatian church.

Gal 3:1-5 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes, Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you heard?

God’s powerful mission of love can only be released through those who believe! Those who rely upon their efforts or good works will miserably fail. Has the amazing love of God changed your life? The more profoundly you encounter the love of God, the more you will have a passion for God’s mission? When the love of God has changed and empowered you, it is easy to give the message of that love away! Reinhard Bonnke said, “Make the great commission your great ambition!”

My dearest partner in Christ, God is calling us to follow him! Bringing transformation to this world begins with personal transformation! I am praying today that God’s love will overwhelm you! I pray that because of your genuine faith in God, your experience of God will significantly increase! I pray that because of your experience of God’s goodness, your heart will be consumed with God’s mission, and you will be like the disciples when Jesus called them. What are they do? They left everything to…

FOLLOW HIM

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TIME TO LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

I don’t know about you, but at times I have made the mistake of doing things my way instead of God’s way. Have you ever found yourself trusting in your own strength instead of having faith in his? I assure you, doing things God’s way has its perks! It’s amazing what happens when we “Let go and let God!” The following are some of my favorite words of Jesus regarding this subject.

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 (NLT)

When we carry the heavy load of life on our shoulders, we are making the mistake of doing things our way instead of God’s way. Apostle Peter gave us sound wisdom through the Holy Spirit when he said, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

It is amazing what rest can be acquired by trusting God even in tough times. King David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Ps 23:4

Is it possible that you are carrying too much? The first part of Jesus’ encouragement to us in the Scripture above was, “Come to me.” God is looking for those who will, by faith, come to him and give him the burdens they shouldn’t be carrying. God can easily handle what is too much for us to bear! Furthermore, when we trust him, miracles can happen!

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Have you been carrying too much? Have you been trying to live life in your own strength? Maybe it’s time to get alone with the Lord and give him your and worries and cares. Maybe it’s…

TIME TO LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

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UNFAILING LOVE!

Think about this – the covenant of God’s unfailing love is available for everyone! Can you wrap your mind around the intensity of that? Look at what the prophet Nehemiah said.

Nehemiah 1:5 Then I said, “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, NLT

Apostle John wrote, “We love God because he first loved us.” 1Jn 4:19 Beyond argument, we must know and agree that loving God comes from receiving his love for us, not us trying to love him through our willpower! Without this vital understanding, trying to obey God and do the right things will destroy us! When you love someone, you want what they want, and you care about what they care about! God’s unfailing love cannot be realized by those who think their obedience will earn that love. Resting in God’s unfailing love is the avenue to a life that experiences heaven on earth!

Psalm 33:22 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Think about this – today is the first day of the rest of your life. Why not let today be the day for you to rest in God’s love as never before! Don’t forget; receiving God’s love is key! It is the only thing that can produce a life of obedience. You can only give away what you possess! Everything that is good comes from God!

James 1:17-18 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

What you are filled with is what will come out of you! Do you know that you can live in receiving mode at all times? Like getting a tan, you can never work up a righteous life or live in the abundance of heaven – No! God’s kind of life cannot be worked up; it must be soaked up! The proof of living a life of intimacy with the Holy Spirit is a life that produces the love of God.

Romans 5:5 The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

I love these profound words of King David, “Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. Psalm 25:7

Oh yes! It is time to get a Son tan! Go ahead – today’s your day! Open up your heart and get in receiving mode because today’s your day to soak in the light of God! Yes! The light of his…

UNFAILING LOVE!

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THERE’S NO ONE LIKE HIM!

God is amazing and wonderful beyond description, beyond what any of us have ever dreamed or imagined! I am awestruck at the remarkable opportunity he has given us through our Lord Jesus! King David was also blown away by how wonderful God is – here’s what he wrote.

2Sam 7:22 “How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!

King David knew he did not deserve all that God was giving to him. He knew, because of his sin, judgment should have been his! Through faith, king David was tapping into the expanse of God’s amazing grace! I love how King David describes the goodness of God in this Scripture.

Psalm 103:1-5 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

It is pointedly humbling, knowing how much we don’t deserve God’s goodness, but because of his incredible love, we can access it in its fullness. Wow! I am praying today that you would know that the heart of God towards you is tender and precious beyond compare! I am praying you would know how much he longs to bless you regardless of your mistakes. I am praying that the tender love of God would engulf your heart, and you would, by faith, step into the revelation of what he’s thought about you all along! Oh yes! I pray that you would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that…

THERE’S NO ONE LIKE HIM!

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WHAT GOD HAS SAID

The beginning of everything great starts with a word from God! One of the most dangerous mistakes people make is moving out into something new without first hearing from God. Once you hear from God, it is so important to step out and do what he has said! Abraham received a word from God and was bold enough to believe him and step out! Sometimes we look at his life and wonder how in the world he was able to do it! Abraham’s life consisted of 75 or more years of wanting, longing, and waiting for a son. Year by year, his hopes and dreams seemed, in the natural eye, to be fading away as if into a vanishing dream. But at 75 years old, when he received his word from God, he believed in spite of how his natural situation looked. Filled with faith, Abraham pressed ahead to see God’s promise fulfilled in his life!

Romans 4:18-22 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be. 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

God purposefully allows us to be in situations that are impossible so that he can show forth his glory on our behalf. The most pleasing thing you will ever do for God is to believe the simple things he has spoken to you! Sometimes, life seems confusing because our situation looks nothing like those things that God has promised us. To make matters even more complicated, most of the time, the situation does not get better, but worse. These are the glorious moments when the life of faith shines the brightest!

Maybe you are facing something right now that is screaming failure and seems the opposite of the promises God has spoken to you. Here’s the big question – Will you believe God? There’s nothing more important than a word from God, believed and obeyed!

I am praying today that you will hold fast to what God has spoken to your heart because your future depends upon your absolute confidence in…

WHAT GOD HAS SAID

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WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT

“What you behold is what you become.” What a powerful and true statement! Thinking the right thoughts and taking the right actions sometimes seem confusing. When you’re in one of those big ole trials, and you choose to think the right thoughts and take the right actions, you can be sure that you have been practicing setting your mind on things above! During those difficult times, the best thing we can do is look at the answer, not the problem, and press ahead!

Genesis 42:1-2 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other? ” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we may live and not die.”

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Standing around looking at the problem never fixes anything. Setting your mind on Christ and his love for you will open you up to the answer you need for your situation! The solution to your problem will be found in His leading and guiding; the truths you need will be found in him alone. My dear friend, everything is going to be alright—a matter of fact— it will turn out for your ultimate good!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Phil 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Take the time to take an inventory of your thoughts and attitudes. Your thoughts are the gateway to your heart. Your thoughts determine what will end up happening in the unseen realm, and the unseen realm governs all that is seen. God spoke through Solomon, saying, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Prov 4:23 All of life’s issues will flow from what you’re thoughts and heart produces.

Your dominant thoughts create a magnetic force within you that draws you to whatever you have been thinking. As Henry Ford so profoundly stated, “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Are you looking at your loving Heavenly Father and his ability, or are you trusting in your strength to make it all happen? The only way to be confident of a great future is to set your mind on what God has declared regarding you. Today is your day, now is your opportunity! Maybe it’s time to consider…

WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT

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