Be Encouraged

As I type away on my keyboard, my heart overflows with gratitude and admiration for You, oh Lord! However, no words can truly capture the depth of Your love I am constantly immersed in. Even if the world were to proclaim Your name with triumph and jubilation, there would still be a deafening silence, for Your magnificence is beyond comprehension. Despite this, I cannot help but praise You, for my...

The flesh will fade, but the Spirit endures forever. My friends, let me share a simple truth that has sustained me on my journey. Our bodies are temporary vessels, but the spirit within us is the Life that never extinguishes. It's our view of God's eternal burning love. In this world, we are often consumed by the fleeting desires of the flesh, but I encourage you to embrace the Spirit of God. His...

“And He wondered at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages teaching.” (Mark 6:6) We all wonder at the abundance of distrust people exhibit. This did not stop Jesus from sharing the good news of Father’s love. His purification process would separate everyone from having to fear or distrust God again. People would tell me of their love for me for much of my life. Those comments rolled...

“And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.’” (Mark 5:34) Yes, we can trust. It is the gift of God. Not one person can claim they are the author of their faith. We are exercisers of the trust gifted. We act with trust all the time. Like flipping a light switch or sitting in a chair and quickly forgetting your body is at its mercy. Whe...

“And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?’” (Mark 4:40) Fear births distrust, while love births trust. They are opposites: trust awakens love, and distrust awakens fear. When fear captures your attention, your little ‘i’ is transformed into a self-serving self. When love is recognized as your new self, you trust the only resource needed, the Spirit of God. Love l...

“And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mark 2:5) Even those greatly encumbered can look to and appreciate Jesus’s abilities. Jesus let this person know He was no longer bound by the need to sin. The real healing was deep and everlasting. This healed flesh and taught it to trust God. He had been freed to be enslaved to God’s will. (Romans 6:18) Jesus...

Jesus said, ‘The time is now, and the kingdom of God is within your reach; change your mind and trust this good news.’ (see Mark 1:15) John the Baptist’s and Jesus’s message were the same, “the kingdom of God is within reach. Take hold! ” John came baptizing in water to prepare us to be baptized by Jesus in the Holy Spirit and fire. John prepared people by letting them know the Kingdom of God was...

“He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in Him.” (See Matthew Chapter 27:42. What keeps us from trusting Christ? He came down from the tree, was carried to a tomb, laid to rest, and left for dead. Then, in front of some disciples and Roman guards, an angel rolled away the stone blocking the tomb and invite...

Welcome to the Be Encouraged episode titled "Living in Love.” In 1 John 1, we're reminded of our ability to walk in the light of God’s love, His Person. Just like a flashlight pierces through darkness, God's love illuminates our lives and those around us. Let me share a quick story to illustrate this. Imagine being in a dark room filled with tangible doubt and fear. But when you turn on the light...

Welcome to the Face to Face episode titled " Try, Try, Try. " If your motivation is driven by the constant need to do, you might find yourself trapped in a cycle of never-ending tasks. It's like living in a world of "do-do," where no task ever truly satisfies. This mindset has crept into many Christian gatherings, where phrases like "more" and "greater" are often heard, echoing from behind the pew...

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:23) We have a brand-new home! It's not built with stones, gold, or silver. Instead, it's made of the pure Love of Christ, which keeps us hidden from sin and disobedience to our Father's will. Our new home embodi...

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25:21) As trusting employees of the Holy Spirit, we learn, in little or much, that the tasks before us are form-fitted to God’s abilities, and He is ready to perform them through willing souls. The lesson of life i...

“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?” (Matthew 24:45) As trustworthy employees of the Holy Spirit, we do the work of love set before us. Who do we love? Everyone indiscriminately. Specifically, those Father sends us who don’t like us. In Psalm 23, we are told a table is set for me before my enemies....

“So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or , ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them .” (Matthew 24:26) Look no further. Do not trust people who say there is more of Jesus to gain, a new Christ on the scene, or that Jesus has returned and lives on 777 Main Street. You have it all once you submit and trust the Christ of history birthed in your heart...

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is, ’ do not believe him. ” (Matthew 24:23) The consequence of not getting into the only life raft in sight is death. Jesus of old is that life raft. It is one thing to suffer a life without the ability to be satisfied. It is another to reject the satisfying life. Jesus said, “Like the serpent in the wilderness was lifted up f...

Let us imagine God is only knowable to us through His love fitting comfortably within our hearts. After all, God is love, Mr. Love Himself. His love for us is like an endless ocean stretching far beyond the horizon. He is so vast that our finite minds cannot fully comprehend His depths except through our hearts. It is like trying to measure the universe with a ruler. That is how limitless God is....

If our perception of Christianity revolves around the idea of constantly striving, fighting, and anxiously waiting for the next battle, we might be missing the essence of God's grace.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23) It is not a good idea (NAGI) to ignore justice, mercy, and, most importantly, trustworthiness. We miss the point if we focus o...

“For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this , did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.” (Matthew 21:32) Today, those who know that they want a better way of living purposely disavow trust in their flesh. They do not trust time, money, things, education, position, friend...

“‘The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?’ And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’” (Matthew 21:25) John came baptizing for one reason: to proclaim Jesus as the Christ. He was told what to do and what to look for. John had even advised the Jewish leaders of Jesus. He scolded them...

“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22) Talking to Father God about your desires is not some magical incantation. It simply harmonizes your heart with Father’s. Prayer explores His desires and discovers if they match yours. After a few prayers, you will gain the muscles to receive what is gifted. That is, God has, once and for everyone, gifted His Son, Jesu...

“And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and cast into the sea,” it will happen.’” (Matthew 21:21) For whatever reason, the fig tree would not feed its creator. That is not a good idea ( NAGI ). Your existence is not to glorify a self-willed s...

Understanding that Christ has already made you right with Father God, is important. It's a done deal, a gift that we can receive. Attempting to earn what has been freely given is like biting the hand that feeds you. It's a contemptible act. The name of Christ, the Son, is Jesus, which means "Jehovah Saves." There's no need to wait to be better to earn God's love because that's not how it works. Re...

Living with Jesus, as a permanent resident in your heart, is most transformative and comforting. It feels as if you have been invited, by the most loving and wise friend to dwell together, forever.

And He said to them, ‘Because of the littleness of your trust ; for truly I say to you, if you have trust the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; nothing will be impossible to you.’ (see Matthew 17:20)