Encouraging Notes

Prov 4:20-22 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart, for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.

The enemy is always looking for an opportunity to harm us, but our choice, whether or not to listen to the Word of God, will determine whether he will succeed or not. If only we would listen to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit, what calamity could be avoided, what pitfalls would have been averted. God is speaking. Are we listening?

2 Chronicles 36:15-20 The LORD, the God of their ancestors, had continued to send prophets to warn his people because he wanted to spare them and the Temple. But they made fun of God’s messengers, ignoring his words and laughing at his prophets until, at last, the LORD’s anger against his people was so great that there was no escape. So the LORD brought the king of Babylonia to attack them. The king killed the young men of Judah even in the Temple. He had no mercy on anyone, young or old, man or woman, sick or healthy. God handed them all over to him. The king of Babylonia looted the Temple, the Temple treasury, and the wealth of the king and his officials and took everything back to Babylon. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. He took all the survivors to Babylonia, where they served him and his descendants as slaves until the rise of the Persian Empire. (GNT)

There is nothing God does that is not in alignment with his perfect love. Even in judgment, his true purpose is love! Because of his love for his people, he would allow destruction so that he would not completely lose his people forever. Instead, one day he would be reconciled to them again and be able to bless them as his heart desires. Please know that God’s character never changes; he is always filled with love, truth, tenderness, and justice! Please heed God’s call when he speaks. His tender words of instruction and correction are essential for your life! Yes! You can be sure that God’s words to you are...

YOUR VERY LIFE!

Read More

I grew up in a family with 20 children. Yes, 20, that was not a misprint. When I was young, we didn’t have much money. I remember one year, when basketball season came around, the tennis shoes I was wearing had holes in them, and I wanted a pair of Converse basketball shoes so bad! The perfect time came. I was at JC Penney’s one evening with my parents, and out of a daring heart of hope and trust, I took them over to the shoe section and showed them my absolute most favorite shoes in the whole world, a pair of low-top black Converse basketball shoes. Though I knew it wasn’t in their budget or plan for that night, I chose to step out and believe for something great. Trusting in my parent’s generosity and goodness had its perks that night – I went home with what I thought were the most fabulous shoes in all of the world! I was absolutely elated, basking in a life that, for me, was overflow! I was beside myself!

In contrast, the God of the Universe is not short on funds, and putting your trust in him is a sure thing! I don’t think there is such a thing as too much peace and joy! In a world of chaos, you need as much as you can get! Putting your hope in God and completely trusting him has its perks! According to the following Scripture, it will fill you with joy and peace and cause you to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may OVERFLOW with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

How about going out on a limb a little today? How about trusting God with a bit of daring and crazy trust. How about choosing to trust him no matter what or determining to praise Him any-how? Oh yes, you can! God is waiting for you to get a little bit radical. He wants to cause his PEACE & JOY to take over in your life so that HOPE seems limitless for you.

Go ahead; today is your day! Now is your opportunity to get a little bit crazy and choose to trust God anyhow! Because of your daring trust, I’m going to be looking forward to an excellent report because PEACE, JOY & HOPE are coming your way, and now is the season for…

OVERFLOW!

Read More

Sometimes when you’re going through life’s battles, things can seem very unsure, and it can seem like you are all alone. During these times, you must be assured that God is never going to leave you; he is on your side! Heb 13:5 The scripture declares, “the battle is the Lord’s” 1Sam 17:47

Deuteronomy 31:6,8 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Joshua 1:5,9 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Since God loves you, is with you, and will never leave you or forsake you, there is no room for fear– You are more than a conqueror! The power to conquer fear is found in the love of God.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

When you have God on your side, you can lift up your head and move forward with confidence. Because he is with you, you are more than a conquer!

Romans 8:35-37 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake, we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

God has you! He is longing for you to trust him! You are not going to lose –Through Christ, you have already won!…

THAT’S FOR SURE!

Read More

God gives us opportunities in life to find out where our heart is and what we will do with the responsibilities and treasures that we have been entrusted with. What we do with what God has given us is how God determines how big the next blessing or mission will be.

Matt 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (NIV)

Luke 16:10-12 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? (NIV)

It is God's heart to increase us in every way, but it requires faithfulness with what he has already given us to do. God has given you possessions; are you keeping them excellent? God gives you time; do you put him first? God has given you passions and affections; does he have the best of your heart and emotions? God has given you money; does he get the first part?

God is looking forward to expanding and prospering you in every way! The secret to abundance in your future is what you do with …

JUST A LITTLE

Read More

Most of us tend to travel down the path of least resistance. Not many will do something that brings discomfort, especially if there are no benefits associated with it. Think about this; many are eager to pay to go to a gym and even hire a specialized trainer that will make them go through pain — even on a daily basis. Wow! Go Figure! Why do they do it? They do it because of what they believe it will produce. What someone is willing to pay is based upon perceived value ­­or what they think it is worth.

God is the greatest trainer of all time! But some get mad at God when he puts them through the weight room of life to cause them to enter into heaven’s abundant life and spiritual fitness.

Just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you for your own good. Deut 8:5 (NLT)

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV) Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Take a look at apostle Peter’s perspective of trials.

1 Peter 1:6-9 (NIV) In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Your loving Heavenly Father is the best trainer ever! He knows what’s best for you and works in you both to will and act according to his good pleasure! Phil 2:13 When you’re going through challenging trials of life, remember that God is your trainer and knows how to increase you in the very best possible way. Always know that God is right there with you, and greater faith and all it can produce will be the result of your trials! It is so important to trust that he, as God, is able to do above and beyond all you could ask or think! Eph 3:20 God will never let you go through more than you can bear and always creates a way of escape so that you will survive. 1Cor 10:13

Are you willing to let go and trust God completely today? You can know for sure, if he has allowed it, it is…

FOR YOUR GOOD!

Read More

God is a God of Vision! Vision is the art of seeing the invisible. Vision is perceiving something on the inside when there is nothing on the outside to know that it is there. Be sure; champions are bred through the infusion of vision. The great will see it before it’s seen. World changers are those who become pregnant with what will be manifested on the world stage. Yes, faith is being pregnant with what will be made known in the future!

Heb 11:1 (NIV) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Someone once said, “The me I see is the me I’ll be.” Trusting God is the only way to perceive who you are and who God created you to be. The stressors of life and people’s negative words try to keep you from having the dream God has intended. But, when you rest in God, sleep is on its way, and the dream or vision from God will soon manifest.

Proverbs 29:18a Where there is no vision, the people perish:

Vision is what drives the disciplined. It is easy to get out of bed when you have a positively motivating dream for your life. Those who are inspired by divine purpose will launch out and do things that seem impossible. If you can see the invisible, you can do the impossible! Vision causes a person to have an internal inspiration that ignites the conquer within them.

I believe that God is wooing you into a place of trust and rest! He wants to share his vision for your life with you! There is no such thing as being to old or to young when it comes to the purposes of God! God longs to show you great and mighty things that you have not seen yet! Jer 33:3 Are you ready? Trust completely, and draw ever so near to the Vision Giver because…

VISION WILL IGNITE YOU!

Read More