Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 Some crucial questions regarding loving encouragement are worth answering. Who should I attempt to encourage? Ideally, everyone I meet; but realistically, those with whom I have established a close relationship. By the way, don’t think that is automatic. […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Encouragement & Healing
Essential Encouragement
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24–25 All the way through Hebrews the spotlight is on Jesus […]
Read MoreJesus and You Under the Fig Tree
Connecting with a Saviour You Can Trust I’ll believe it when I see it. Have you ever said that? Someone tries to convince you of something that doesn’t sound true. Not until you see it with your own eyes will you believe it. Philip excitedly told his friend, Nathanael, “We have found the very person […]
Read MorePersevering through Pressure
Doubts often steal into our lives like termites into a house. These termite-like thoughts eat away at our faith. Usually, we can hold up pretty well under this attack. But occasionally, when a strong gale comes along we discover we cannot cope.
Read MoreWhen Logic Fails
Human logic breaks down in crisis. The mystery is enormous, and it is the enormity of it all that calls for faith. I’m sorry if that sounds like an overused bromide. But if we could unravel it, why would we need faith?
Read MoreWe Have an Anchor
The word picture of an anchor is used often in ancient literature, but it’s used only once in the New Testament in picturing hope as an anchor for our soul. Lots of hymns and gospel songs make use of this anchor metaphor.
Read MoreThe Hope You Need
Somewhere along the many miles of southern California shoreline walked a young, 20-year-old woman with a terminal disease in her body and a revolver in her hand. She had called me late one evening. We talked for a long time.
Read MoreStress Reduction: Spreading Out the Workload
We’ve been talking about the very common and very real problem of stress. Today I’d like to tackle a practical suggestion for stress-reduction: spreading out the workload. There is a side of stress that is easily overlooked, and that is trying to do too much ourselves. All of us have a limit. If those huge freight trucks on the highway have a load limit, you can be sure each one of us does, too.
Read MoreContradictory Truths, Part Two
God often delivers His best gifts to us in unexpected ways . . . with surprises inside the wrappings. Through apparent contradictions. Somewhat like the therapy He used when Elijah was so low, so terribly disillusioned. How did the Lord minister to him? By an earthquake? In a whirlwind? Through a scorching fire? You’d expect […]
Read MoreThe Turning Point, Part Two
Yesterday I told you about my days in a Marine Corps Quonset hut in Okinawa in 1958. It was an intense time living among those whose lifestyle I found nauseating and empty. I can trace the acceptance of my circumstance and the shift of my focus to a single verse of Scripture. When I happened upon it, it seemed to leap from the page.
Read More