Friends,
All of us want to be loved. To be loved is to know that you are valued and treasured. And the Lord has a deep love for those whom He has called.
Proverbs 8:17-18 [NKJV]
I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.
Seek the Lord, and find true love.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
It seems self-evident that we ought not to require a reason to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. But there are days, aren't there? Given that no man is perfect, it follows that no man loves perfectly ... and that every man will - at times - need to search for a reason to love his brother.
Here is your reason:
1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.[NKJV]
Christ Jesus died for you and me before we acknowledged Him as Lord, Savior and Redeemer. He did so well before we had the opportunity to show Him our love through our obedience. We no longer need any proof of His love. It is there at Calvary.
As He has proven His love for you and me, let us demonstrate our love for each other. By dying to ourselves daily. By serving others ahead of ourselves. By loving the least of these.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
The wounds of our lives can leave a deep and persistent scar. But we have been given a new life ... the old man is crucified with Christ ... and in that life we are privileged and graced with great love and healing.
Isaiah 61:7
Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs. [NKJV]
Honor and affirmation are bestowed upon the children of God by our Father. No lies of Satan, nor any attacks from his foul host, can take those away. He will attempt to steal it, but Christ will not allow the enemy to possess what has rightfully and legally been give to the Christian.
Honor is yours, brothers and sisters.
Joy is yours!
Remember.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
There is a source of wisdom that drives away confusion and timidity. But are you too proud to go on record as seeking that source?
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. [NKJV]
God is offering all wisdom ... without reservation or shame. He knows that we our wisdom is flawed and finite. He does not answer such a request begrudgingly or with impatience. He answers it joyfully! He so wants to share Himself with His children.
We need only to ask.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
The LORD promises something remarkable to those who are godly. He promises that we will be treated as a distinct and unique group of people. We will not experience the same things as those who are not godly.
But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The LORD will hear when I call to Him.
Psalm 4:3 [NKJV]
Sometimes, this means that we will be subject to higher standard, and therefore to more severe consequences for our disobedience.
At most times, though, this means that will experience great blessings while the world explodes around us. We will hear the blasts, and feel the percussion. But while the ungodly see only destruction, we will be at peace, seeing eternity.
We are truly set apart. He listens specifically for the voice of His people, just as those who are truly His know the voice of Almighty God.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
The present age is full of all kinds of struggles, hardships and obstacles. We are pitted against a sinister enemy who plans everyday to steal, kill and destroy. But we know that the enemy's days are numbered. And when we experience that final victory, the elders of our church will look upon us and say ...
They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. -- An elder, from Revelation 7:16-17 [NKJV]
When the difficulties of this life become overwhelming, it is helpful re-envision this scene. It is already accomplished. And each brings us closer to the moment that we are privileged to walk in it.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
Genesis 27:1
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. [NKJV]
When the Lord called us into His Kingdom, the invitation came with a requirement. That requirement was that we are no longer to be bound and tied to the worldly and carnal priorities. We must no longer seek comfort, strength, love, peace and fulfillment from the world. Rather we are seek those things from the only One who can truly provide them unconditionally and unfailingly ... Christ.
That is why, so many thousands of years ago, Isaac admonished Jacob not seek a wife from the Canaanites. Over and over, the LORD commanded Israel to refrain from making covenants, and treaties with the various people of Canaan. He knew that the Canaanites would draw His people away from Him.
We are faced with the same challenge and temptations. When we form deep relationships with the things of this world, we invite them to be a wedge between us and our Father. And that is why we, too, are admonished not to do so. If we obey this command, we enjoy the promises that were made to our forefather Jacob.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
No matter how strong your faith is, there will be times when the LORD seems far, far away. Prayers seem to either bounce off the ceiling or just fade into thin air. It can be a frustrating time. Those kinds of times can make a person feel lonely, hopeless or even terrified.
And it is in those moments that lifting up songs and shouts of praise just may be the most important action you can take:
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 [NKJV]
Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying:
“For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever,”
that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
These verses close a passage describing the re-entry of the Ark of the Covenant into the temple that Solomon built. The Ark passed in front of the whole of Israel. There were sacrifices being made amid great and solemn procession. But it was the praise that brought forth the presence of Almighty God.
All kinds of things may have been thrown at you this week. The enemy seeks to keep you focused on his attacks rather than on staying close to the Father. In response, brothers and sisters, lift your voice and SING!
Sing praises to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Sing Hallelujah to the One who delivered us from Egypt.
Give glory to the Mighty Redeemer who has freed you and me from the slavery of this world.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
I know of no one whose life is completely stress-free. The enemy is hell-bent on denying us the peace that Christ has given us. Every possible means is employed ... work, family, finances, government. There is a purpose and a plan behind these attacks, and it is to cause you and me to focus on the problems of this life instead of on the LORD.
The solution and unassailable defense is to remember - at all times - the promises of God:
Psalm 3:5-6 [NKJV]
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
If we believe that our sustenance is derived from our own efforts, strength, cunning, wisdom and capabilities, then when those things inevitably falter, we will fear the defeat that seems so imminent. But when we finally realize that it is God - who is Almighty and All-powerful - that sustains us, we can lay down and sleep without fear of any weapon formed against us.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
We certainly live in gravely uncertain times. No one expects their world to turned upside-down by earthquakes, tsunamis, economic upheaval, or political unrest and rebellion. Yet, we have seen all of these happen again and again just in the past months. And in the short period of the last 30 or 40 years, the world has changed in more ways than you and I can count.
For sure, it would be nice to be able to rely on something, right? Wouldn't it be a relief to really know that we can be confident in at least one aspect of our lives?
Ephesians 1:13-14 [NKJV]
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (emphasis added)
Christ did something remarkable when He bestowed His spirit upon us. He gave us the opportunity to experience a portion of what we can expect when we are reunited with Him in glory. That small amount is more than just a preview ... It is a down-payment on the full inheritance which He has promised.
We cannot experience that full inheritance in this current, fallen world. But in the same way that "earnest money" is an assurance to contract parties that the terms of the agreement will be fulfilled, Christ's gift of His spirit assures us that we will enjoy the complete and abundant reward of being in His presence for all eternity.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
- God, as recorded in Genesis 18:14 [NKJV]
Before the LORD appeared to Sarah and Abraham, He promised that Abraham would father a great nation. In that act, Almighty God put His own reputation and glory on the line. After all, why would anyone worship a god who could not deliver on his own promises?
Of course, we know how the story turned out. And we who are depending on the grace of Christ must remember that the Father's promise to us is just as binding as His promise to Abraham. The Lord tells us that His grace is sufficient for us. He declares that we are counted among the righteous. These are literally life-changing promises. For they change the definition of life for us from something temporal to something eternal. If we cannot count on God fulfilling those promises, then what's the point?
But we can count on those promises. The LORD has demonstrated over and over that He keeps His commitments and fulfills His prophecies. We are imperfect, and therefore we occasionally doubt. But Christ Jesus is not imperfect. And therefore, He has no doubt in the Father's will and power. By Christ's grace, He lives within us and keeps us firmly in the promises of God.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
It happens so often.
Things work out, but not quite the way you expected them to. In the end, the desired result is achieved, but the path you took was far different from the one you had planned.
Mark 14:31 (NKJV)
But [Peter] spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And they all said likewise.
Of course, we all know the familiar story of Peter's inability to resist denying that he knew Jesus. We know that Christ brought Peter back to Himself after His resurrection, and that Peter went on to be used by the Lord for great and far-reaching work.
In the end, Peter was executed for His steadfast refusal to disobey Jesus. But he did not accomplish this on his own. When he utilized his own strength to accomplish his own plans, he failed spectacularly.
But when the Lord directed Peter's steps, the fragility and limits of his strength were rendered irrelevant. And the Lord demonstrated, in spectacular fashion, His faithfulness to accomplish what He begins.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
There is one promise for all of our Lord's people. He has elevated each and every one of His followers to the same exalted position ... seated at His right hand.
...the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
Ephesians 3:6 [NKJV]
Too often, we exalt some ministries above others. Or we give favor to those who possess worldly credentials. And even more, we too often place our flavor of Christianity above all others, arbitrarily separating ourselves from the believers in the church down the street or around the corner.
Have you done this?
Has your church group done this?
The time is past for separatism in the Body of Christ. We are one Body, and it is time that we treat each other truly as brothers and sisters.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
There are many seemingly powerful men and women walking this earth today. In our individual careers, we have bosses and customers who may appear to have significant influence over the success of our efforts. Politicians and celebrities will claim the authority to tell us what is best for us, and even seek to impose those views on our decisions. The temptation is to seek the approval of those men and women. The temptation is also to place our trust in their "good intentions," believing that they have our best interests at heart. And of course, such trust inevitably leads to disappointment.
Psalm 118:8-9 [NKJV]
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in princes.
It seems quite simplistic to say ... Trust in the LORD, not in man.
Yet, it is advice that we all too frequently ignore. We allow ourselves to be caught up in the schemes and workings of people, forgetting that we serve an infinitely powerful and faithful God.
It is the LORD that keeps us.
It is the LORD who is worthy of our trust.
It is the LORD that truly has the best in store for us.
Trust in Him and Him alone. And you will never be disappointed again.
Be encouraged, Jose
Friends,
With each day, each hour and each and every breath, we are sowing. Seed is being distributed whether we realize it or not. But what does that ground look like? Is the ground fertile and ready to bear fruit for the Kingdom? Or is it ground that will bring forth thorns and thistles? God is telling you and me to stop taking this question lightly:
3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
"Break up your fallow ground,
And do not sow among thorns."
Jeremiah 4:3 [NKJV]
But the typical believer might ask ... How am I sowing seed to thorns?
I tithe!
Don't you realize, dear brothers and sisters, that we are sowing seed to thorny ground when we devote excess time and energy to things of the flesh. We are sowing seed to thorny ground when we fret and worry over our jobs and finances. We are sowing seed to thorny ground when we pray fervently for self-centered gain.
Stop that.
Our Father in Heaven knows full well that we need food, shelter and clothing. He will provide all of these things according to His bounty and wisdom. We need not worry over them nor should we devote excessive time and energy to acquiring them.
Instead, devote time and energy and focus and attention to learning the character of Christ, that we might be transformed into His image. In that way, we will finally begin to truly seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Be encouraged, Jose
The people of Israel spent 40 years in the desert, in part because they thought that being a grasshopper was a bad thing.
There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 13:33 [NKJV]
They saw the "giants" and got scared, figuring they'd get stomped on like bugs. But they had forgotten that the Lord had sent swarms of grasshoppers into Egypt as part of His terrible judgment upon that land. And they had failed to connect to God's promise -- that they would be His instrument for wrath upon the current occupants of Canaan.
In other words, they were like grasshoppers ... and that is an awesome thing.
Sisters and brothers, we may be looking around, feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges set against us in this fallen world. In those moments, remember the grasshopper. We are an army. We are on the Lord's side. When Christ returns, we will be a swarm that overwhelms that which overwhelms us today.
Be encouraged, Jose
Each and every day, the Lord calls us to step out in faith and bring forth the Kingdom of God. Jesus told us that the Kingdom is at hand! Why then, do we behave as frightened as the Hebrew spies of old when faced with enemies that Almighty God has already vanquished:
Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there."
Numbers 13:27-28 [NKJV]
The Lord had already told Israel that there were enemies in the land, and that He would drive them out before His people. He even sent them through Hebron, a city that Abraham had purchased and that was home to Abraham's final resting place (and from which we get the designation "Hebrews"). But instead of seeing the future that God had promised, and instead of recognizing their legitimate claim to the land, these 10 men only saw large people, large cities, and large walls.
Are we falling into the same trap?
The Lord has promised us great blessings, as well as great trials and tribulation. Are we focused only on the trials and tribulations, giving them power to stop our advance into the promises of God? Or will we instead follow in the footsteps of Caleb and Joshua, who declared in faith:
Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.
Numbers 13:30b [NKJV]
Brothers and sisters, the enemy is determined to frighten us into paralysis. He wants us to believe that he has the power to defeat the faithfulness of Almighty God. If we are to believe that God is indeed Almighty, then we must stand firm and step forward, knowing that no force of hell can stop us.
Be encouraged, Jose
Each day brings its own challenges. There aren't enough words to describe the ways that the prince of this world pokes at God's people. And yet, because of the presence of Almighty God in our hearts, we can not only survive those attacks, we walk victoriously right through the midst of them ...
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted. -- Psalm 89:15-16 [NKJV]
No matter what daily circumstances bring, those of us that walk in the light of the Father's face have no long-term worry. Therefore, we can rejoice all day long. We have the name of Jesus in which we take shelter. We have His protection and provision.
Brothers and sisters, we have the promise of the joy of eternal life.
Be encouraged, Jose
As believers, we know that we don't have to go looking for trouble... for trouble is looking for us. And when we are deep in the fight of battle, sometimes we forget that the Lord has given us a variety of responses. One response, of course, is to fight; to take up the sword of the Word of God and wield it in truth. Another response is to take authority over the trouble-makers, just as Jesus did, and command them to cease and desist. These are normal responses that may fit very comfortably with a naturally aggressive personality. But there is another response, expressed by a valiant warrior ...
Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
Psalm 6:2 [NKJV]
When the LORD sends trouble to test and refine us, it is entirely appropriate to seek His guidance and His wisdom in our response. And King David, who penned these words, obeyed God and therefore cried out to Him for mercy.
Every situation is different, and therefore we must listen to what the LORD instructs us to do. When He tells us to fight, we must fight. And when He tells us to fall upon His mercy, let neither our pride nor old habits stop us from obeying His voice.
Cry out to Jesus. His mercies endure forever.
Be encouraged, Jose
