Love Encourages..Craig Denison Ministries

 Love Encourages

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

James 2:26 tells us, “Faith apart from works is dead.” If we are going to experience the fullness of life offered to us through our faith we must be those who put our words into action. We must not profess to love God on Sundays and live as if he isn’t present, real, or good on Monday. May your faith come alive this week as you seek to be a doer of the word.

Scripture:“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25

Devotional:

When was the last time someone really encouraged you? Maybe it was a family member or friend. How did it make you feel? How did you view yourself afterwards? If you haven’t been encouraged in a while, how greatly do you long for it?

Encouragement is powerful! It has the ability to change emotions and trajectories. It has the power to fill someone with courage and boldness to say yes to the plans and heart of God. Encouragement is truly a gift we’ve been given for edifying each other. We are meant to encourage one another. The Bible makes it clear that as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are meant to both give and receive encouragement. Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Have you ever thought about how you could change the day of a complete stranger just with a few kind words? Jesus knew the power of encouragement. He loved to use the tool of encouragement to direct his disciples into the life God intended for them. Jesus spoke life into the people he encountered. He encouraged the outcasts, the downhearted, the needy. A perfect example of the power of encouragement can be found in the story of Zacchaeus. Luke 19:1-10 reads,

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Jesus encouraged an outcast tax collector and changed the trajectory of his life. He simply told  Zacchaeus that he wanted to spend time with him, followed through with that commitment, and the entire town was blessed. Zacchaeus got his income through overtaxing his own people for the benefit of Rome and himself. He was cast out from society and hated by those around him.. Jesus, to the dismay of the others, encouraged Zacchaeus, spent time with him, and changed his life.

You can live like Jesus today. Who needs an encouraging word from you? Who needs to be encouraged by you simply wanting to spend some time with them? There’s grace on your life to minister to the hurting and lonely around you. There’s grace to minister like Jesus. Walk in relationship with your heavenly Father, live with the knowledge that you are fully loved, and love others through the power of encouragement.

Guided Prayer:           

1. Take some time to meditate on what the Bible says about encouragement.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”Ephesians 4:29

“Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”Proverbs 12:25

2. Ask the Lord whom he would have you encourage today. Maybe it’s a co-worker that’s seemed down lately, a family member going through a hard time or even a stranger that just needs a kind word.

3. Ask God how he would have you encourage that person. It could be as simple as sending a text message or taking someone out for a meal. Maybe it’s a few kind words or help financially. Ask the Spirit to help you follow his leadership.

The Bible makes it clear that the tongue wields incredible power. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Choose to speak life today. Choose to honor those around you instead of condemn. Choose to see the grace God has placed in people around you—to see past the façade and tough exterior people put up and speak to the heart. God intends for you to both give and receive encouragement. Who will you speak life into today?

Extended Reading: Romans 12

3 Things to Learn from Malachi: The Last Book before Centuries of Silence..Alice William

 3 Things to Learn from Malachi: The Last Book before Centuries of Silence

By Alice William

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. – Malachi 3:1

The term Malachi means “My Messenger,” which aligns perfectly with the purpose of the book as it communicates God’s message to His people. It is laid out as a conversation between man and God, argumentative, heartfelt, and convicting.

Let’s look at a few things we can learn from this minor prophet.

1. God is unchanging.

Malachi is home of the famous verse on God’s unchanging nature. “For I am the Lord, I do not change;” (Malachi 3:6) Throughout the book, we can encounter God, going through a roller coaster of emotions. From love, to anger, to justice, God remains true to His character.

2. The names of God evoke different responses.

Throughout Malachi we read about different names given to God. What is interesting is that almost each of these names invoke a certain type of response from us. Here are just a few:

Father

In Malachi 1:6, God calls Himself “Father” and He urges honor from His people. Just like how a child would respect their father.

Master

In the same verse, He is called a “Master,” demanding reverence and respect that a servant would show to his earthly master.

Lord of Hosts

Several times in Malachi, God is called the “Lord of Hosts,” which speaks of His authority and dominion over Heavenly beings. Our response to His dominion is to glorify Him and to make His name great. (Malachi 1:11; 2:2)

3. God answers our strange questions.

Malachi is written as a conversation between God and man. And in those conversations, one of the strange things that recur is when God makes a straightforward statement followed by man’s counter-argumentative question to which, most times, God responds.

Malachi’s opening lines express God’s love for Israel. Strangely, the question posed to God is, “In what way have you loved us?” (Malachi 1:2) These people were first-hand witnesses of God’s mighty hand at work, guiding, rescuing, protecting, and watching out for them. Yet, they questioned God’s love toward them.

Later in chapter 1 when God says that they have despised His name and offered defiled food, they respond saying,

“In what way have we despised Your name?

In what way have we defiled You?”(Malachi 1:6-7)

One would think that these people would have learned by now not to retort the Almighty God. Four more questions, similar to the above, span out in the rest of Malachi, which are vague rhetorical questions, reflecting the people’s oblivious nature. They didn’t honor or comprehend what God had done for them, nor had they looked at their own lives and reflected on God’s accusations.

Malachi is special to us now, as we wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the second time. Just as He promised, He will come. Until then, let’s remember to heed His word and glorify His name.

Empowered to Love Your Spouse ..Emily Rose Massey

 Empowered to Love Your Spouse

By Emily Rose Massey

“We love because He first loved us” ( 1 John 4:19, NIV).

December 5, 2009. It may have only been a little over thirteen years ago that my husband and I said our “I do’s,” but that special day sure does feel like a lifetime ago. Time tends to do that to us, doesn’t it?

Perhaps, this feeling isn’t the fact that physical time has gone by and that we have grown another year older. Perhaps, it is because with time comes change – for better and for worse. I know my husband and I have each changed since December 5, 2009, especially after we both became parents! Oh my, did we experience changes in our marriage once that happened! Often, in marriage, the changes may happen slowly or small enough that we don’t notice it right away, but when it comes to the person we have vowed to spend the rest of our life with, it is difficult to ignore when you finally realize that time has shaped you each in unique ways and it is starting to cause a lot of friction between the two of you.

Problems and arguments arise and increase. We may get on each other’s nerves a lot. Instead of talking it out calmly and sharing our hearts with one another, we build walls around our hearts to keep the other person out. We may want to spend time with someone who understands us better. Sometimes all of this friction and struggle may cause us to want to throw in the towel. When things get hard in relationships, calling it quits seems like the easy thing to do, right? After all, this isn’t the person you first married. So many people who are wrestling with this feel stuck and don’t know what to do or where to turn. The D-word may even have come up a time or two.

But I can say emphatically divorce is not the answer! You can experience personal changes in your lives individually and still stand the test of time and grow stronger together! This might sound impossible. And honestly, in our own broken and weak human strength, it is. But take heart! There is hope for your marriage because Matthew 19:26 tells us that with God, all things are possible! Even if you were not a Christian when you got married but found Christ later on (or if you stumbled upon this website and are not a Christian at all), know that you cannot love your spouse and stay committed to them without God’s help. Without God’s love shed abroad in our hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are incapable of loving another person unconditionally. We are able to love our spouse because God first loved us.

“We love because He first loved us” ( 1 John 4:19, NIV).

There is no step-by-step guide to having a successful and thriving marriage, but there are things we can implement to help strengthen it. Thankfully, when we make a commitment to put God first within the marriage, He gives us grace and wisdom for the journey together. The Holy Spirit truly does empower us to show the love of God, even to the most unlovable.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
One way we can be empowered to love our spouse is to study the Word of God regularly, both individually and together. The Bible is full of truths about God, who is Love Himself (1 John 4:8). The more we dive into His Word, our selfish minds are renewed to think as He does, and love like He does, extending the same grace and mercy we have received from Him to others. The Word transforms us from the inside out, all for the better, and we begin to see the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) develop and mature in our life, which we need to fully love others.

In addition to studying Scripture together, you can pray together and pray for each other. God is the only One who can change someone’s heart and life. Don’t just pray for God to change your spouse but pray and ask God to help you love your spouse in the midst of the difficulties and obstacles. Your circumstances may not change right away, but you will be surprised at how God changes you in the middle of those circumstances, and you begin to see your spouse how God sees them – with eyes of mercy and grace. Be quick to forgive and quick to apologize to your spouse. Because we have been forgiven through the Cross of Jesus Christ, we must forgive others. We have received such great mercy; therefore, we must extend that same mercy to our spouse, even if they have wronged us or offended us. 

Obviously, there are so many other ways we can ensure our marriage has a solid foundation that not even time can shake it or destroy it. Just like how our individual lives must be founded upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, most importantly, our marriages must have that same foundation. Jesus is our example of how to love one another selflessly and unconditionally. May the Lord continue to empower us with His grace to do just that. 

Further Reading:

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
• Matthew 19:4-6
• Ephesians 5:22-27

A Prayer for When You Are Lonely..Christopher Eyte

 A Prayer for When You Are Lonely

By Christopher Eyte

“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.” - Luke 19: 1 - 6

When I was in my twenties, I flew from the UK to live in South Africa for some months. I had an amazing time experiencing wildlife in the Kruger National Park, teaching at a school, and learning about the local cultures. One day, I found myself walking alone in a city surrounded by thousands of strangers from a completely different way of life. They didn’t even speak my language. I realized how far I was from home at that moment, and I felt very alone.

Loneliness is an omnipresent disease affecting multitudes. It can take many forms and affects different people in all sorts of ways. Perhaps you sit in an office by yourself all day, staring at a computer screen with no one to talk to. Or you do work with others in an office but still feel disconnected on a personal level. Or maybe you are a mom or dad on the school run. You drop the kids off at school and come home to an empty house with no friends to see. The quietness is deafening. Or you could be someone who sits in a cafe or goes to a bar - anywhere with a bit of color and noise to drown out the empty silence. In days gone by, perhaps you paced the schoolyard by yourself during lunch breaks because you had no friends. Staying in the hospital can also be lonely - finding yourself there unexpectedly and surrounded by strangers, both patients and medical staff. You see other sickly people receive visitors, but no one visits you.

Or it’s possible that you are another Zacchaeus. You have millions of dollars and live in a wonderful house with sweeping lawns, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. People come to your parties because they love your wealth, but you know they’re not real friends. Inside your heart, you feel as sick as a dog from the remoteness. No one knows the real you, and you worry that if they did, no one would really like you. Actually, you don’t have to be filthy rich to feel like this. Our material belongings can mean little if we don’t have the right relationships to give us that sense of belonging in a community.

I wonder what was going through the mind of the biblical Zacchaeus when he lifted himself up from the crowds and hid at the top of a tree. He had no expectations - just a secret wish to see Jesus. Loners can both want attention and hide from the limelight because of insecurity. That’s why this tax collector shields himself from Jesus but makes sure he can see him. And then everything changes. The crowd jostles to a halt as the Lord suddenly stops walking and lifts his head. He peers up at the tree branches and looks right into the heart of this rich, solitary man. Then he calls Zacchaeus to step down from his loneliness and bad ways of living for the simple reason that Jesus desires his company!

Why did Jesus emphasize he ‘must’ stay at the house of Zacchaeus, and why did he put it so pressingly: ‘today?' Perhaps there is a clue in a parable he once told of a father who sees his prodigal son far away and runs to him. There is an urgency in the heart of God for us to understand he really loves to be with us. When we draw close to him, he is quicker at drawing closer to us! Today, not only tomorrow. The very name of Jesus means ‘God with us,’ and that’s a truth regardless of any feelings of isolation. “And I am with you always, even to the end of time,’ he told his disciples in Matthew 28:20. So, let’s clothe ourselves with cheerful hearts because we are united with the Living God! Now and forever.

Let’s Pray:

Dearest Father,
Thank you that although I may feel alone at times, I’m not really alone because you are with me. The Bible says, ‘God is Spirit’ and ‘God is love,’ and so I can trust in your unseen presence and the joy of your grace for me. You love me, and I am content. Help me to overcome these battles in my mind and give me strength in self-discipline so that I grow in you as I read your Word and spend time in prayer each day. Help me to not feel sorry for myself but instead to reach out to others in your name. My needs are met in you alone - so help me to help others for your sake.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.