Archive for Daily Encouragements
September 17, 2017 at 8:17 am · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged faith, filler up Joe and off you go, hope, hopeful believing, joy, love, Peace, wishful thinking
God is love—it’s that simple—and we will spend eternity with Him. He will never leave us or stop loving us. The pouring out of His love into our hearts is not a one-time fill-er-up-Joe-and-off-you-go thing: it’s as everlasting as the eternity with Him that follows life here on earth. As long as our hearts are open and our focus is on Him, He continues to fill us with His love.
Hope does not disappoint, and God does not disappoint. Leave your heart open to Him, and you will find His love is not only unconditional, it is inexhaustible—the well will never run dry.
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us. Romans 5:5
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September 16, 2017 at 7:54 am · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged are we there yet, eternal life, faith, God's love, hope, Jesus, never give up, not an option, Peace
I haven’t mastered the “rejoice in our sufferings” aspect of God yet, but I’m getting closer. I have to admit, too, I don’t suffer much,and God takes excellent care of me. I’m very blessed in so many ways, and it seems I’m seldom lacking anything.
Allowing God to take care of things doesn’t mean we can sit back, and not do our best, but, we can maintain our peace and confidence while in the midst of whatever challenges we face. When we truly grasp the fact God is with us and will see us through every situation, our character and hope will grow stronger, and we will rejoice even in the midst of life’s trials and troubles.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
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September 15, 2017 at 8:01 am · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged eternity, faith, God's love, Heaven, hope, jim reeves, joy, knock and the door will open, love, Peace, welcome to my world
When we accept God’s free gift of grace, we stand with Him, surrounded by His love, and filled with His love, rejoicing in the hope of His glory.
We don’t have to wait until we die to spend eternity with God. When we accept His grace and forgiveness, return His love, and make Him the focal point of our lives, He will come into our hearts and, in a sense, eternity will begin now.
A few lines from an old country song by Jim Reeves come to mind:
This is what God is saying to each of us. What a beautiful invitation.
Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2
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September 6, 2017 at 7:58 am · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged Bald River Falls, faith, God's beauty, God's love, hope, joy, Kellie Elmore, love, no fear, Peace, Tennessee, The Garden
These words from the song, The Garden, bless me tremendously. I’m learning not to look back on my past with regret, and I’ve come to realize God is in charge and will see me through all challenges or trials. But more than that, I’ve begun to expect good things, moving forward each day, expecting things to work to the good. I’m not all the way there yet with respect to this way of dealing with life’s challenges, but I’m getting closer every day, and I’m able to go boldly into each new day, unafraid and expecting God’s best. I am at peace.
I am blessed.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
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September 4, 2017 at 8:49 am · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged faith, God's love, grace, hope, joy, Peace, the gates of righteousness
There will always be trials, and we will make mistakes, but our hearts can be as wide open as the gates of righteousness. And as our love for God increases we will be filled with His righteousness and He will begin to mold us into the servant He intends us to be.
Love is selflessness, which to our earthly minds, is difficult and burdensome. Amazingly, as we draw nearer to God, it becomes neither burdensome nor difficult, but a blessing. And as God begins to fill our heart and spirit with His unconditional love, joy will wash over us like a glass of cold water poured on our head on a scorching hot day. His love, peace, and joy are a blessing so powerful it takes will take our breath away and sends shivers through our body. Let the Lord’s love become your salvation. Be refreshed.
Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. Psalm 118: 19-21
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September 3, 2017 at 8:34 am · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged faith, Garth Brooks, if tomorrow never comes, love, loving God, loving others, Peace, pleasing God
And, we sometimes get so wrapped up in doing things for the people we love, we forget to actually love them. Garth Brooks had a hit song called, “If Tomorrow Never Comes”, in which he poses the question; when we’re gone from this world, will those we loved know we loved them.
Don’t leave your loved ones, don’t end a phone conversation, don’t close your eyes at night, without letting them know how much they mean to you. And the same goes for God; tell Him, tell him often how much you love Him.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered. “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41
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August 24, 2017 at 12:27 pm · Filed under Daily Encouragements, Food for thought, God's beauty, God's love, Inspiration ·Tagged faith, grace, hope, joy, Peace, rituals, the gift of the Son, unconditional love
I’m not big on ritual; especially rituals designed by man. Jesus came to absolve us of those things, allowing us to please God by loving Him and not by the things we do. We are saved by grace, not by works.
Some of today’s religious leaders come up with things they try to persuade their followers to do, insisting those things are essential to living a “Christian” life and obtaining eternal life. I don’t think so!
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. Hebrews 13:9
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