Tag: Encouraging Quotes

“Don’t Romanticize Life!”

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Text-Free Image by Barbara A Lane from Pixabay

“Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you,” 1 Peter 4:12

“Confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we may through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God,” Acts 14:22

One of the best things about being an avid reader is the happy ending that appears at the end of almost every book I read.  When you first dive into a new book, you begin to get familiar with the characters and their life.  Each turn of the page takes us along on their journey, revealing to us their joys and sadness, hardships and pain.  By the time we reach those last few pages, everything has worked itself out.  There’s almost always a reason for celebration and the typical “aww” moment, especially if you’re into romance novels.

That’s the great thing about books.  They allow your imagination to soar, taking you into worlds you may not otherwise get a chance to explore.  Your mind’s eye becomes connected to the writer’s vision for the book, and soon a vivid story begins to unfold before you.  Though there are no pictures, illustrations begin to form, revealing all that is written therein.  Television has its place – oh, but to read a book!

Whether it’s a movie, a television program, or a book, the stories we hear and see transport us, giving us a reprieve from reality.  But when the last page is read or the screen goes blank, it’s back to reality.  And reality isn’t always as picturesque as the stories we left behind.  Sometimes love does not find its way.  Sometimes the bad guy does get away.  Sometimes the hero doesn’t make it home.  Sometimes the disease doesn’t heal.  Sometimes the child does not find their way home.  Sometimes the friend does not stick closer than a brother, and so on.

Sometimes life is just not fun!  I think more so than ever that we have not heard enough about the reality of life.  Instead, we are raising up a generation of rose-colored glasses wearers.  Even from the pulpit of most American churches, the messages of peace, prosperity, and wealth have taken over the reality of life.  Jesus Christ Himself clearly stated that in the world you will have tribulation (John 16:33).  Peace and blessings will come.  Promises will be fulfilled, but our physical being is living in the world right now, and while we are here, we have to face the reality that everything, every day, is not going to be easy.

This philosophy breeds a culture of disillusionment.  Romanticizing life leaves one totally off guard and taken aback when troubling times come.  A hard life is a hard life, no matter which way you look at it, and when one is not ready in the least for it, the residual effects can be devastating.  “We may through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God.”  It is going to be hard sometimes.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you,” 1 Peter 4:12.  In other words, the test is going to be hard sometimes.  Tests are not passed with a fly-by-night attitude.  Tests are passed when people are prepared for them.  But the wearer of the rose-colored glasses will have a harder time because the tests seem like a “strange thing” that has happened to them.

Listen, prepared or not, some things in life will just come out of the blue and whip your world around, causing you to say, “What the what?”  It’s inevitable.  The idea behind not romanticizing life is to expect the unexpected.  We don’t want to lose out on those promises God has for us because we have the false illusion that nothing will ever happen to us.

The promises are coming, that’s a given.  In John 16:33, after Jesus warned, “In the world ye shall have tribulation,” He also gave us cause to celebrate.  He said, “But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  And after Peter wrote of the “strange thing,” he exhorted his readers with verses 13-14a.  He said, “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you . . .”

Oh yes, thank God for the promises.  Every word that speaks of them is true.  But don’t be surprised when we have to go through some stuff today before we reach those promises.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

“The Word of Our God Shall Stand Forever!” Isaiah 40:8

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The WORD OF OUR GOD shall stand forever! People can’t explain it away or act like it’s not there. It is, and it’s real, and it’s the truth! There will come a time when even the heavens and the earth, and everything else one puts their trust in shall pass away, but Jesus said, “My words shall not pass away,” Matthew 24:35. Believe the Word!

“Quitting is not an option!”

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On your marks.  Get set.  Go!  Once you have accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Savior you have officially entered the Christian race.  The prize is before you and the contest is around you and the only way to make it to the finish line is by focusing on He who paved the way ahead of you.  The struggle may seem hard at times but Jesus promised, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved,” (Matthew 24:13).

Quitting is not an option and endurance is the key.  We cannot give up now.  He has brought us too far.  We must continue in our holy pursuit of Him.  May these verses help you to reach the finish line where our only prize is found in Christ.

Here is some encouraging words to help you in your pursuit.  Everyone needs extra strength sometimes.  Everyone needs a faith boost sometimes.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” 1 Corinthians 9:24

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9

“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Luke 1:37

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

 

“FRAGILE!”

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Handle with care I wish I could post,
a stick it note to remind of what matters the most.

Distractions, directions unprofitable and robbing;
relentless in their unfocused pulling and prodding.

But my days are few upon this earth,
to make an impact of valued worth.

The reins have to be taken back;
no longer the less valuable plans to detract.

Focus, you only have one life to live.
Frail, is this only life to give.

Here today, and gone tomorrow;
let me cherish each one without resentment and sorrow.

Life is fragile and can break like a dam.
So, Lord teach me to measure my days, that I may know how frail I am.

To gain the worth of each day given.
This time on earth; this limited edition.

Invest in the works, the love and matters of the soul.
To fulfill His glory is our heavenly goal.

“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am,” (Psalms 39:4).

“The God We Feel!”

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Your beauty cannot be measured.
But, I can feel it when I sit still in
Contemplation and the warmth of
Your light shines within me. 
I know You are near because I can
Feel You.

The depths of Your love cannot be fathomed.
But, I can feel it when sorrows seem to
Overwhelm me and Your comforts come in
And bring delight to my soul. 
I know it’s going to be okay because I can
Feel You.

Sometimes it’s hard to explain everything we have with God.  Mere words cannot cover the scope of our experience of walking hand in hand with Him on this Christian journey.  But, we can feel Him.  We feel Him inside us, around us, over us, and working through us.  We feel God.

We feel His mercy, grace, and favor all at the same time when our sins are being forgiven and washed away.  In our failings and in our mistakes, oh, yes, we feel Him, as He takes our ashes and makes them into something beautiful.

We feel Him carry us when we have no strength to carry ourselves.  When burdens, stresses, and the disappointing waves of life crash over us and overwhelm us.  In His lifting of our heaviness, we feel Him helping us that we might endure to the end and be saved.

We can feel His Spirit empower places in our hearts and minds where we didn’t think we were equipped enough to do anything; where we felt inadequate, unsure, and insecure.  But, by the mighty rushing in of His presence on the inside, we have come alive with possibilities.  In that, yes, we feel Him.

We can feel Him take over storms and circumstances.  As He stands at the bow of our lives, He speaks peace over every worry and fret, washing them all away in the confidence of who He is.  Yes, we feel Him.

We feel Him when our eyes are opened to the blessedness of a new day.  As a flower stretches high to bask in the rays of the sun, we feel the smile of the Son shining His countenance down on us, welcoming us to experience this life with Him once more.  We feel Him.

When we see miracles break through impossibilities and prayers being answered in new and surprising ways, we feel Him.  He who sits on the throne of heaven, has bowed His ear to hear about little old me, and you think I don’t feel Him?  Yes, I feel Him!

In times of brokenness, we feel His wholeness patching up the breaches of our worn-down walls.  In times of sadness, we feel His joy come in like a new morning, chasing away the black of the night.  Ah, we feel Him.

Though words sometimes escape us, what we feel with God lets us know He is near.  He is never far.  He is reaching out to love us, to carry us, and to hold us through it all.

He’s not only this great and wonderful God that we read and learn about, but in our walk with Him we experience Him; we feel Him in every area of our lives, and through every situation we face.

He is glorious, and we can feel that.  He is wonderful, and the amazement of that is alive in us.

A relationship with God is more than just knowing of Him, but it’s feeling Him in our daily lives!

The psalmist said, “O taste and see that the LORD is good…” (Psalm 34:8).  This is something you need to know for yourself.  This is a heart-stirring within, saying personally try Him today!  Take up the sweetness of what He offers and taste Him today!  Experience Him today!  Feel Him today!  Because, He is GOOD!

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

“Hurts and Disappointments and Troubles – OH MY!”

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Anytime we hear a three-worded phrase followed by a quick, “Oh my,” our minds automatically associate with that old 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.  It’s when Dorothy and her companions are readying themselves to go into the dark, dense forest when their chant of possible woes begin that tell of what may lay ahead and come to prowl.

The Bible tells us there is an enemy that’s on the prowl.  He is described as a “roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,” (1 Peter 5:8).  He is never full and always looks for destruction and he seeks to block the pathway of those trying to reach that glorious city.  And no, we’re not talking about the Emerald one, but that city called heaven.

Hurts, disappointments, and troubles are things we can run into during our sojourn in this life and things the enemy seeks to magnify in our lives.  David likened it to times of walking through the “valley of the shadow of death,” (Psalm 23:4a).  It can be a fearsome place with many traps and travails scattered about the pathway.  But, unlike the fear that took over those venturing into the dark forest, David declared, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me . . .” (Psalm 23:4b).  For David, it wasn’t about the dark forest and it wasn’t about the valley of the shadow of death.  For him, it was all about Who was with him in the midst of it all.

And, the “Who” that was with him was the same God who declared, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” (Hebrews 13:5).  The same God who sits high above the earth and His train fills the temple, Isaiah 6:1.  The same God who is ever mighty, ever omnipotent, everlasting, and never failing.

This is the same God who is Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14), our Provider in the time of need.  He is God Most High (Psalm 97:9), always in charge and always reigning sovereignly over all.  He is always above and never beneath.  He is always with and never without.  All dominions and powers must and will bow down to Him.

God is the Creator who spoke the universe with all its cycles, atoms, particles, and life into existence.  With His power to speak anything and everything into being, comes also the strength and authority to heal.  With His ability to fashion the things uncontrollable to men such as the winds and the waves, He can speak, and bring forth peace out of chaos, and make them be still.

You see, when David gave his recitation of the Lord as his Shepherd, he was doing more than putting cute words together.  He was making a bold declaration of faith, choosing to believe in and focus more on He who was with him than all that’s going on around him.

This is the strong key to the faith we need to successfully deal with things that may be hiding in the dark forest or the low valleys of our lives.  Hurts, disappointments, and troubles are something we will all have to face from time to time.

But, oh my!  When they meet the God I know; the God I serve!  The God whom David expressed such bold confidence in!  The God who is indescribable in His holiness and majesty because it goes beyond what we can comprehend; and yet, describable by His characteristics of love, mercy, and grace.  The only God of all heaven and earth . . .  When they meet Him, He can change their roaring course.  He can subdue their evil uprising.  And, He can take over and overwhelm their destructive nature, all the while, surrounding and protecting His people with His love, security, and readiness to stand with them and for them.

While we are on this side of glory we are going to have unpleasant things to face.  But, oh my – when we see Jesus, every trial, trouble, and evil way will dissipate and all that will remain is our God and those who are tied to Him in a covenant relationship through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Until that day, remember, no matter what you are dealing with today, if you are a child of God, you are not alone.  He’s there.  He’s here.  He’s right beside us.  His Spirit dwells in us.  God is walking with us and holding us through every dark forest and every valley of the shadow of death.

Isn’t that wonderful to find out – oh my, you are not alone.  Lean into Him with trust as He walks with you through this journey.