Tag: Encouragement

What does it look like when God’s Spirit is poured out on a people willing to surrender everything back to Him? There seems to be some common characteristics that mark these times of extraordinary fellowship and the palpable presence of God. This is a glimpse of the Christian community that will stand and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus in our age.

How bad was my living nightmare? No sleep for two weeks, and being terrified of the quiet at night and the sunrise next morning – that’s how bad! Anxiety and depression hits leaders disproportionately. A leader who suffers with this affliction, especially in isolation, is a person at risk. However, biblically, this kind of weakness can lead to finding great strength in God.

God really loves me! Really, He does. When was the last time you contemplated that truth? In this article, Matthew reminds leaders that Jesus loves them always, and a strong illustration of this is when Jesus told His disciples to abide in Him. He also outlines a few practical ways to receive Jesus’ love every day, and to enjoy Him.

Do you know that the Lord Himself finds joy and satisfaction in His people? God’s people give Him pleasure! He joys over us with singing and takes delight in us. The new creation that is the church is a foretaste of the New Heavens and New Earth. While awaiting that glorious future God Himself says that we ought to rejoice in the people He has created. Enjoy the fruit of the ministry. See what the Lord has done and be glad in it!

God is able to do awesome and amazing things. Why can’t you and I as believers of Christ look at our vision with so much passion? We have the greatest story to tell because the story points to a greater story of God. We need to rise up because God is great and we need to share His message.

A rope bridge is probably one of the most precarious tools to use while crossing a gorge or river because you trust your life to the rope’s strength. Solomon compared humans to a single-strand rope. Weakness is a human characteristic, and the Bible tells us that alone, one is weak, and two walking together are not easily overcome, but a three-stranded cord is hard to break (Ecc. 4:12). Dionna points out there are some weaknesses that God allows in order to help us become stronger in Him.

A lighthouse stands firm when storm waves crash over treacherous rocks along the shoreline. It shines a light of encouragement over the dark waves toward wary seafarers. Christian leaders can feel tossed about in the storms of trials and troubles, and the truths Brittney shares can be the same beacon of encouraging light as a lighthouse on a dark night.

“I was helping to train an overseas group of emerging leaders and seeking to impart skills to them for understanding the New Testament. Together we were noticing how Jesus, at first, hid Himself from a couple of disciples (Luke 24:13-16). Then as they walked, while His identity was hidden, He showed them how all the Scriptures spoke of Him (v. 25-27).”