Encouragement Archives | Page 8 of 21

July 4, 2026

July 4, 2026

Get Back on the Horse!

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV) I will reluctantly confess that I’ve fallen off every horse I’ve ever been on. I would like to blame it on a “faulty” horse, or saddle, or something brilliant like that, but I will outright say that riding a horse doesn’t seem to be my area of gifting. With that being said, even though I’ve fallen off a horse numerous times, I did get back on the horse! I could live […]

July 3, 2026

July 3, 2026

Second Chances

“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:11 (NIV) John Mark was a young believer when Paul and Barnabas took him on a Gospel outreach trip (Acts 15:36-41). Things went okay until they ran into some intense spiritual warfare. That was it. John Mark could hardly get out of there quick enough. “Mama, I’m comin’ home!” A couple years later, Paul and Barnabas are planning another trip, and the question comes up, “Should we take John Mark along?” Barnabas wants to, but Paul is […]

July 2, 2026

July 2, 2026

My Heavenly Father

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:15 (NKJV) My father had a painful upbringing in his younger years. At eight years old, his parents separated, and his father found another woman. As a result, his mother and his siblings left our community, and he was given to another family to be raised by them. These painful events no doubt wounded his heart and soul and shaped his worldview in all things. Three things come to my mind: abandonment, love, […]

July 1, 2026

July 1, 2026

Gospel Good

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Genesis 50:20 (NKJV) Joseph endured unimaginable hardship. His brothers hated him, plotted to kill him, then sold him as a slave. In Egypt, Joseph was wrongfully accused, and was thrown into prison. Undoubtedly, there were times when Joseph felt that God had abandoned him. Yet, in the end, we see that God had been with Joseph during it all. He was promoted to second in command in Egypt. In […]

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

Music with Creation

“In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.” Genesis 1:1 (KJV) “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3 (KJV) Just recently I was reading a short article about creation. The writer said that he believed that while God was in the act of creation, He did it with music in the background. He noted Job 38:4,7. It reads, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? . . . When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (NJKV) […]

June 28, 2026

June 28, 2026

The Old Ways

“Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim.” John 2:6-7 (ESV) The first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding in Cana. The six stone water jars are said to represent the old order of Jewish law and custom. The old order of things said that you must use a stone jar when you purify yourself (stone jars didn’t catch impurities that made people unclean). But now the Lord was […]

June 27, 2026

June 27, 2026

The Great Mouse Scare

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) A friend of mine shared unexplainable things that were happening in her home. I immediately asked the question, “When you are awakened to noises, what do you do?” I was reminded of a similar thing happening to me when I was in Bible college. I moved off campus and rented a basement suite. My first night there, I heard banging in the boxes at the end of my bed. I thought it was a mouse that had got into a box and was trying to get […]

June 25, 2026

June 25, 2026

The Last Resort

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Proverbs 3:5a (NKJV) I was listening to two elderly women talking in church. “So how is Robert doing?” Ann asked. “Not good, the cancer has spread,” May replied. “I guess there is nothing left to do but pray and trust God,” Ann said and shook her head. They both sighed. They had lost hope; they expected the worst to happen. It was a serious situation — an old man had cancer, his wife would probably soon be an old widow — but what caught my attention was that prayer and trusting God […]

June 24, 2026

June 24, 2026

What’s In a Name?

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1 (NIV) Humility is one of the characteristics of a godly person. It’s much better to have others speak highly of oneself than it is for us to do it ourselves! But a good and godly name is something to celebrate, and something to strive for. Notice that our emphasis is often on our last name rather than our first. If “Craig” is a good name, then it would mean me being measured up alongside all others named Craig. But it’s […]