Encouraging Words Devotional

What We Need In Times Like These

I recently heard an old hymn that, to tell the truth, I had forgotten. It may be an old one, but it is certainly fitting to our present culture and the circumstances you and I find ourselves in.  The lyrics go like this:

In times like these you need a Savior,
In times like these you need an anchor; 
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock![1]

 

[1] Ruth Caye Jones

The Manual For World-Class Moms

Nearly every household appliance comes with an instruction booklet.  Though we usually try to figure out how to use the appliance without consulting the instructions, if we really get stuck, as a last resort we will refer to the manual.

You Can Rest And Work At The Same Time

Not long ago a friend asked me how to find rest in busyness. That’s a very practical topic that most of us find ourselves dealing with quite often. And the interesting thing is that about the same time I got this request, I came across a verse in Psalm 68 that applies to that very situation.  Verse 19 (NLT) says, “Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior! For each day He carries us in his arms.” I had never even given thought to the fact that God carries us in His arms. And notice that He says He holds us “each day.” Yes, every single day!

Here Is The Way Home

What makes a house a home? When I googled that question, I read this:

A home is a place where you feel warm and cozy…. Most of all you are surrounded by people you love and who love you. A family makes a house a home by living in it and making it special.

That’s not a bad definition. That’s why the physical house you live in here—whether a chateau in France, a farmhouse in Kansas, or a yurt in Mongolia—makes very little

You Can Have Peace Without Knowing The Future

Dr. Glenn Burris tells about the time that he stopped by an airport kiosk, and his attention was caught by a nifty earpiece that conveniently collapsed into a very small, convenient-to-carry size.  He bought it.  After paying for the item, the vendor added that for eight dollars more he could buy a two-year replacement agreement.  Although he didn’t buy the extended warranty, the thought stuck in his mind.  He reflected on how nice it would be if in life we could pay just a little extra and buy some certainty concerning everything in our lives.[i]  But it just doesn’t work that way.

 

[i] Dr. Glenn Burris, Jr., “Journey of Faith” Prayer Guide, November 30, 2009

The Secret To Navigating Tough Times

When circumstances are tough, our natural tendency is to focus on the problem. We struggle to get ourselves out of the dilemma we're in. And in trying to solve our difficulty, the problem begins to occupy nearly all of our attention. Soon we hardly believe that even God can fix it. We forget that Psalm 23 tells us, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

When You Don’t Understand What God Is Doing

Sometimes God allows painful experiences in our lives, and we simply don’t understand why.  You know that God can heal, yet at times He allows your illness to continue. Perhaps you have a problem that lands you in court, and although you ask for God’s help, you don’t win the lawsuit. You have a financial need, yet you don’t get hired at that new job you applied for. Those are the times when our faith is tested.

How To Comfort A Friend

Once when we were walking through the ruins of Petra in the country of Jordan, a woman in our group became dizzy and lay down on the sandstone floor. I stayed with her while the rest of the group continued the tour. In a short time, a number of the local men came and sat nearby. I could see compassion on their faces, though they never said a word.

Surviving Calamity

On January 12, 2020, Taal Volcano in the Philippines erupted.  Our friends Len and Mari Cris Faustino had developed a farm located 16 kilometers from the volcano--filled with crops, fruit trees, coffee trees, rare plants and a number of animals. When the volcano erupted, Mari Cris posted pictures on Facebook of the gray, ash-coated farm that looked as if they had been taken with black-and-white film, and we wondered if the farm would ever again produce the beautiful crops for which it had become well known.

I Will Come And Get You

John 3:16, the verse that probably more people know than any other in the Bible, tells us that if we believe in Jesus, we’ll not perish but have eternal life. That’s a wonderful promise.  But there’s a verse in the 14^th chapter of the book of John that somehow is of even more comfort to me. It’s verse 3, which says, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:3 NLT). In this verse Jesus promises not just eternal life, but eternal life with Him