I Thessalonians 5:11 ERV; So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing.

Two things caught my attention when I read this short verse this morning; Encourage each other; Help each other grow stronger in faith. The other morning I wrote about activating faith so it could grow, but did you catch this verse? Grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. So our faith should not ever remain the same, it should be growing so that we can encourage others and help them grow in their faith.

Every time I pick up my phone to encourage a friend via text, Facebook or email, I’m helping someone grow. It may not seem like a lot, but it’s working. Just like pouring water on a plant, I can water those who God places on my heart during the day. So if you ‘feel’ like you’re not making a difference, think again. Encouragement is like pouring water on someones parched hope and dreams. God has purpose for it and for you.

You can’t always be the one needing encouragement, you must be the one growing and giving the encouragement. Every time you share a victory, it encourages others. Each time you win a race, finish a project, get a prize, those who have forged the way are cheering you on. Remember, there are always people behind you and people ahead of you. Those ahead are pulling for you, those behind are pulling on you. It’s ok! It all balances out. Soon those behind you will focus on those behind them, and they will take on the roll of encourager. Bloom where you’re planted, just leave seed to multiply.

Father, I’m so grateful for Your Son, Jesus. Each day I read His words, they encourage me, build me up so that I can share with others and encourage them. May they benefit from what I do today and everyday I post. It may be the seed that they need. I always want to be what You’ve made me to be, and encourager. One who’s not afraid to admit I’ve made mistakes along the way, but You have been my Help, my Deliverer. May the One who runs before me find me faithful. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

2 Chronicles 1:8-12; Solomon said to God, “You were very kind to my father David when you allowed me to rule on his throne after him. ⁹ Now, Lord God, continue to keep your promise to my father David. You made me king over so many people that they are like the dust of the earth. ¹⁰ Now give me wisdom and knowledge so that I can lead these people in the right way. No one could rule this great nation without your help.”

¹¹ God said to Solomon, “You have the right attitude. You did not ask for long life and riches for yourself. You did not ask for the death of your enemies. You asked for the wisdom and knowledge so that you can make the right decisions. ¹² So I will give you wisdom and knowledge, but I will also give you wealth, riches, and honor. No king who lived before you has ever had so much wealth and honor, and no king in the future will have as much wealth and honor.”

How often have we come to God asking for everything but what we need; wisdom and knowledge. We could be poor as a church mouse and come to God asking for wisdom and He would give it to us. That wisdom would get us out of the situation we’re in and into a wealthy place. Don’t get me wrong, wealth is not all about money and treasures, but without it, you can’t do the things God intended for you to do. So wisdom is the most valuable gift.

Where does knowledge come in? Knowledge gives us the ability to apply wisdom. You may have an idea that could be another revenue stream, but without knowledge, you won’t know how to get it off the ground. God has a vast supply of both and is just waiting for His people to ask Him for them. He said that we have not because we ask not, ask LARGELY that your joy may be full. I don’t know about you, but I need these power twins at work in my life today.

Father, today I ask for wisdom and knowledge. More than enough to get me through today, I need You everyday of my life. Help me to have discernment, to know what to do with the ideas you give me. To trust in You and Your ways not me and mine. Every time I become fearful of stepping out in faith and doing what You show me to do, may I remember to trust in Your abilities and not my own. I love You, Lord. I just want to be a good and faithful servant, to serve you well on the earth. If the only gift I have is encouraging others, may I do it with everything in me and please you. It’s in Your Name I ask this, Amen.

Romans 12:3 ASV, “ For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.”  II Corinthians 10:15, “not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,”

I could write about several things in these passages this morning, but I’d like to focus on the word faith. In Romans 12:3 we see that God has dealt or given to each person a measure of faith. But looking in II Corinthians 10:15, Paul wrote that faith can be increased. I believe that God intended for us to invest and increase the faith He has given each one of us. In fact, as I was reading this morning and thinking about faith, the Lord brought to my mind the story Jesus told in Matthew 25:14-30. We’re all familiar with it, the Master who was going away and gave 3 of his servants treasure. Two of them invested theirs and gained but the one was afraid and buried it. The master was only angry with the one who buried it out of fear, so he took from him and gave to the one who had the most.

Faith must be activated to increase. If you always do what you’ve never done, then you’ll always get what you’ve never got. If you know anything about God, you’ll understand that He is ALIVE and so is His Word. His Word is active and since He and His Word is one, He is always active. When He says to do something, He means do it, don’t sit and think about it until you die. He can’t direct your steps unless you’re moving. He said you’re healed, so begin taking steps to healing! Ask Him what you should DO and DO it. If he says rise up and walk, DO IT! Manifestation comes through doing, that’s called activation.

But Sandy, it’s so hard and I’m in so much pain. Well I don’t mean to be hard, but aren’t you in pain anyway? Better to be in pain moving, believing and activating your faith then to be in pain, doing nothing and expecting. Jesus told the paralyzed man, “Rise up! Take up your bed and walk!” Do you really think the man would have walked if he hadn’t activated his faith in Jesus’ words? What are you believing for? Activate your faith. I will guarantee you one thing, God honors a doer, not a hearer only. It’s time to rise up from your bed of affliction and be a doer.

Jesus, I believe, help my unbelief. I will listen to what you say and I will do it, regardless of the impossibilities, the roadblocks, the pain. I will listen to your Word and not my feelings. If You said it’s possible, I will believe You. The obedience factor is where I fall short, so help me to be quick to hear and quick to obey. It’s all for Your glory, so that Your Kingdom will be established on the earth. Be glorified in my body. May my little faith develop into big faith so that I may help others come to know you in all of Your fullness. In Your Name I pray. Amen

  or

John 8:31-32, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

To understand this verse fully, we must understand what the word, abide means. The dictionary defines it as: to remain; continues; stay; to have one’s abode, dwell, reside; to continue in a particular condition, attitude or relationship with; to endure, sustain; to withstand without yielding or submitting; to wait for or await. Of course that last one makes me think of Isaiah 40:31, “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Being an avid reader, it’s a rare case when I don’t finish the book or series I’m reading. I remember the day when the Holy Spirit asked me, “Why do you engross yourself in every book but mine?” Since He asked, I figured I’d be honest with Him. I replied, “Your book is hard to read. There are parts I just can’t get through. Holy Spirit, will you give me a love for Your Word and help me understand?” Since that day, I’ve committed to reading more of His book than any other and I have a deeper understanding of it. It’s all linked together so beautifully and shows me who I am and what is mine.

What is the truth that makes us free? It’s the Word of God. In John 15:7, Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” Seriously? Why don’t we do this? Because we’re not abiding. We ask but if it doesn’t happen right away we move onto the next thing. It’s like our appetite, if we eat something and we’re not satisfied, we move onto the next thing but the reason our food doesn’t satisfy us is because it’s not alive. If we eat raw foods more often, our bodies would be satisfied. It’s the same with the living Word of God. He satisfies us with good things and renews our strength when we partake of His Word.

Father, give me a deeper love, a deeper hunger for Your Word. It is the Bread of Life. I draw on every promise in Your Book that is mine. I will abide in it until what I see in my spirit manifests in the flesh. Your Word is honey on my lips and health to all my flesh. It’s a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It leads me directly to Your throne where I can talk with You and worship You. Right now, I worship You and praise Your holy name. I thank You for Your Word and that it dwells inside of me and is alive, powerful and sharper than a two edged sword. Your Word is my weapon and it wins every argument and stands up to every enemy. Give me a greater understanding of how Your Word works in me. I want to be affective in Your Kingdom and for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Jeremiah 1:19, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

I don’t know what you’re facing today, but I felt the Lord had me post this for you, whoever you are. You’ve been in a battle for a long time. You’ve been thinking, “God, how much longer? I’m so tired! Send reinforcements!” The Lord would say to you, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you to deliver you.” Gird yourself up and strengthen yourself for the final thrust because God has heard you and your deliverer is on the way.

Galatians 8:9 GW, “We can’t allow ourselves to get tired of living the right way. Certainly, each of us will receive everlasting life at the proper time, if we don’t give up.” 

Ephesians 6:10-13 GW, “Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength.  Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies.  This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.  For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.”

Father, I speak strength to my fellow warrior today. Strength to overcome every obstacle, every foe. Strengthen them for the hour they are facing because in their own strength they cannot win, but in You they have the victory because You have overcome. Your Word is alive and powerful and is at work in them to win against everything that comes their way. Your Word says that You will never leave or forsake them, that You are with them always, even to the end or the world. You are God and there is no other. We give you a shout of praise for victory belongs to the King. It’s in Jesus’ Name we praise. Amen.

Jeremiah 32:17, “‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.”

Have you ever found yourself measuring the difficulty of a situation you’re in and trying to figure out how you’re going to solve it? It could be financial, a bill that’s due and you don’t have enough money in your account to pay for it. It could be you’ve received a diagnosis and you try to figure out which doctor would be the best for your situation. But have you ever entertained the thought that this would be a great faith builder right here? Unfortunately, God only enters the picture after we’ve exhausted all other means.

A few years ago, I was headed toward the medicine cabinet to down some more pain relief medication for some chronic pain I was having. Out of my spirit I heard the Lord say, “Why don’t you try me first? If you don’t start trusting me for the little things, you’ll never have the faith you need for the bigger things.” So I put the bottle back in the cabinet and said, “You’re right, Lord. I want to cultivate my faith to believe that nothing is impossible with you. I will never rely on what masks the symptoms when I have you who heals all my diseases. May I never take your sacrifice for granted again.”

Do I still have moments when I want to run to the doctors or grab a pill? Yes! But every step I take toward God, He responds with 10 steps toward me. As I research His Word on healing, deliverance, peace, hope and joy, I find so much more. I no longer look at God as on onlooker, but a participator. We’re in this together, He and me. He created me, He makes all things new. We’ve each been given a measure of faith and it’s in each one of us, but we must cultivate it, feed it, water it, give it Son time so that it can grow and become a tree that bears fruit and others can partake of it. It’s never just about you! It’s about getting it right so others can get it right too.

I once heard a pastor who was standing in faith for his healing and at the same time, he was researching about his diagnosis, what the treatment options were, the surgical procedure needed, the recovery time. After the surgery he asked the Lord, “Why didn’t you heal me? I was standing in faith and believing for it!” Listen to what the Lord said, “If you have spent the time you spent researching the internet, researching my Word, you wouldn’t have had to go through the surgery, but you discovered you had other options so I allowed you to take that route.” Lesson learned!

Let’s go to God first and build our faith and trust in the God who made us. Like Jeremiah discovered, ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” Do you really think that the God who created you stands by wringing His hands trying to figure out what to do? No! He sent His Word and healed you. Start speaking what His Word says until you believe it with every ounce of your being. Healing isn’t just a word, it’s walking in health all the days of your life. Stop thinking like the world things and running to the doctor for everything. As Christians, our first line of defense should be the Word.

Father, thank you great creator for watching over Your creation, me. The beating Jesus took on His back was so that I could walk in healing, live in healing, be the healed. There is nothing too hard for you! I believe You’re my healer! My deliverer! The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me and makes alive my mortal body. Your blood flows through my veins, so sickness and disease cannot! What a great Doctor you are. For every battle going on in my body, I have the assurance that YOU give me the victory. I praise You and give You all the glory in Jesus’ Name. Amen

John 16:13-15 Voice; “The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth. He will not speak His own words to you; He will speak what He hears, revealing to you the things to come and bringing glory to Me. The Spirit has unlimited access to Me, to all that I possess and know, just as everything the Father has is Mine. That is the reason I am confident He will care for My own and reveal the path to you.”

Did you know that we have unlimited access to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. There is absolutely no reason that we shouldn’t know which path to take with that kind of knowledge. The only reason I can think of is, we just don’t take the time to ask or listen for the answer. We’ve adapted the worlds ‘instant’ mentality. When we need something, we want it now! When we want something, we want it now!

Say I have a recipe I want to make for dinner. In my refrigerator is everything I need to make this wonderful dish, but instead of opening the door and retrieving what I need, I simply stand there waiting for them to come set themselves in front of me so I can continue. How many know that we’re not eating tonight! No, I must first open the refrigerator and gather the things I need, put them in a bowl, mix them together, put them in a pan and bake them all in the oven. It’s only then that we can it it.

God has given us wonderful stories in His Word which contains the ingredients for life and godliness. If we fill ourselves with His Word, we will eat and be satisfied. Not only that, but we will have a continual supply of Words in us to encourage, build up and strengthen ourselves and others. You can’t eat unless you open the book and pull some things out. The greatest part is when you partake, you end up with a feast to feed thousands and tens of thousands because what is in you multiplies. When you understand the great love of God, you become a conduit for that same love to change people around you. When you understand the power of God, you become a conduit for signs, wonders and miracles in YOUR workplace, YOUR community. YOU become the preacher, teacher, leader that God has called each of us to be.

Father, I see now that I am full of the Spirit you sent me and that He is the one who leads me and shows me things that I simply couldn’t know myself. I’m not humanly smart, educated or wealthy, but in the Spirit, I have access to everything Jesus had to operate here on earth. I have the answers because YOU have the answers and you show them to me. Oh man, that makes me so excited for my future. I have Your favor living inside of me and things are about to get very interesting. I’m excited for all the recipes I’m going to partake of as You reveal to me the things that have remained hidden in Your Word. It’s to Jesus I give all the praise and honor for glory, Amen

Matthew 21:21 NLT, Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.

Isaiah 55:11 NLT, It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

I don’t believe God wastes words. It says here that each of God’s words are deliberately sent to be productive. Nothing comes back without doing what He intended those words to do. Jesus believed and did what he saw the Father do with his words when he spoke to the unproductive fig tree to dry up at the root, it did. If we then, are children of the most high God, made in His image and likeness, why aren’t we practicing the same with our words? I believe it’s because we don’t understand the value of our words.

Last night I took a friend to dinner at a restaurant I’d never been to before. When the waitress came to take our order, I asked her what was good on the menu because it was our first time here. She said, “The chicken marsala is to die for!” I replied, “Well, I guess I won’t have that, because I’d like to keep on living!” The look on her face when confronted with the reality of her words was priceless. She stood there thinking of a better response but I’d made my point. I won’t die for chocolate, food, a vacation spot or anything else. We simply say what we’ve heard without thinking of the consequences of those words.

I can’t say it enough; Stop the stupid talk! Don’t just talk for the sake of talking, instead, our words should make a profound difference in the world. We should use our words to bless, not curse. Do you know how many people use curse words on a regular basis? They have such a limited vocabulary, like they’ve never thought of what they’re saying and how it’s affecting those around them. I’d rather have someone say, “Bless you!” then “Damn you!” any day of the week.

Proverbs 18:21 has always been one of my favorite verses; “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” I love to talk, but I want my talk to have good purpose. I want my words to hit a target, not aimlessly hitting and missing. It’s a waste of ammunition if you go out to hunt deer, load your gun and shoot aimlessly at the trees. Good hunters use ammo wisely. Well, God’s children should do the same with their ammunition, their words. If you see someone sick, speak healing. If you see someone in need, speak provision. If you see someone crying, speak comfort.

Father, I want to use my words right today. Not based on my loose feelings, but based on Your Word that is in me. I want to reflect you to those around me and I don’t want to sound like the world. I’m YOUR child, not the worlds child. I want to produce good fruit, not rotten fruit. May my words bring life and not death, blessing and not cursing. Place a watch guard on my lips that I may be known as one who makes a difference in my surroundings. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen

Have you ever said this? I need a break? Sometimes life gets so overwhelming we just need a break, don’t we. That’s what vacations are all about, taking time to get away from work and rest. By the way, that’s what I’m doing right now.  It’s been 9 crazy, packed, long months since we’ve taken a vacation and boy did we need it. We didn’t travel far and we’re not doing anything crazy, we’re just enjoying the solitude on a quiet lake, just Walt and I, reconnecting and planning our next phase in life.

Wanting to take a break is a normal thing. Even God took a break after He created the heavens and the earth, the sea, all the creatures etc, He rested on the 7th day. That is one of the reason we rest on the Sabbath because working 7 days in a row was not how God made us.  But there are some things you should never take a break from and that is, filling yourself with the Word of God and building the Kingdom of God. You see, when you make Jesus Lord of your life, you will always be in His service and available for Him to use you wherever you are and whatever you do. Even on vacation, I stay attentive, looking for opportunities to share encouragement or minister in anyway the Holy Spirit leads me.

I heard about a father who left his wife and children because he was tired of all the responsibility. SERIOUSLY! You gave up that right when you planted your seed in that woman. It takes a real man to deny his feelings and stay to make a difference. To be a servant-hearted leader of his home, taking his family to church and being a leader there as well. You gave up the ‘self’ card when you made a covenant before God, your family and friends and made your vows to stay until death. The reason you grow weary in your duty is because you haven’t filled yourself up by reading the Word and praying in the Holy Spirit. If you don’t eat for a long time, your body gets weak and hungry. When you don’t feed your spirit, you become susceptible to moments of weakness where you give into all sorts of crazy ideas the devil throws at you.

Learn to discern right times to ‘take a break’ from your labor. Galatians 6:9 Amp, “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” Farmers don’t take vacations during harvest time. They don’t take vacations during sowing season either. There are times when you just cannot afford to take a break because there is too much at stake. It’s harvest time in the Kingdom so take your place in the field and let’s link arms and strengthen one another. Don’t sit at home resting, causing others to do double duty because you’re tired. Fortify yourself in the Spirit and get back to doing what God has called you to do.

Father, thank you for my season of rest and relaxation. During that time, help me to call upon You for wisdom, strength and direction for what’s coming next. I’m in this race to win, not faint at the halfway mark. You have called and chosen me, so help me to be faithful so I won’t fall out and not finish. I give you glory for all you are accomplishing in and through me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Romans 12:3-5 ERV, “God has given me a special gift, and that is why I have something to say to each one of you. Don’t think that you are better than you really are. You must see yourself just as you are. Decide what you are by the faith God has given each of us.  Each one of us has one body, and that body has many parts. These parts don’t all do the same thing.  In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others.”

As I listened to our pastor explain the Word to us last night, things that I’d been studying and have a deeper understanding of became so much clearer. It was as though I had a beautiful, tasty cake and she just put the frosting on it. I love to listen to her teach the Word. She instills in me a desire to know more, be more, do more. As I read this verse, I suddenly saw each of us as a cell, organ, bone, appendage of the body of Christ. It’s important that we do our part, whatever that is, and function in the capacity God created us for.

For example, the tongue helps us form words, but the toes can’t help the tongue. The toes help pick things up from the floor! It’s function is not the same. Cells in the body have different functions, but when they become diseased, they must submit to healing or be taken out so they don’t poison the whole body. We are all linked together to form the body of Christ, a body in which Christ can function on the earth.  Wouldn’t it look crazy if all of the sudden our hand started slapping us up upside the head? I think sometimes we believe we’re on our own and can just do whatever we want, but if we really believe that we are a part of His body, we must get our instructions from Him and do what He says.

You can’t be me and I can’t be you. I’m not jealous of your gift, it’s yours. You have a completely unique gift that the Father has given you, so use it. Quit wishing you were someone else and do what God made you for. If you have the gift of giving, give. If you have the gift of encouragement, encourage. If you have the gift of teaching, teach. If you love to give flowers, give flowers. Just don’t expect people to do what you do, they’re not you! If each of us would operate in our own special gift instead of trying to make others like them, can you imagine?

Father, thank You for the gifts you have given me. If I try to use them apart from You, they fall way short and have little or no lasting value. But You are in me and I am in You, therefore I am part of something much larger then myself and my plans. I’m a part of Your Kingdom and I work for You. Today, I want to thank You for Your gift of salvation to me. Since I’ve trusted in Your saving grace, my whole life has changed. You have made me new and the life I live, I owe to You. Remind me of that when selfishness sets in or I become angry when someone does something that I wouldn’t do. Help me see others for what they are, a gift. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen