Encouraging Words for the day | Christian devotionals - Hopeful Heart

Pageant's Star

30/9/2011

I once watched a dog beauty pageant. It was a fresh sight as I have never watched this type of pageant before.

The owner trotted proudly with their pedigree pooches parading the canines’ shiny styled fur and that’s not all. The pooches are highly trained and are able to perform tricks to entertain the audiences and the judges. To me, they are all the pageant’s stars.

After the show ended, I wondered what these dogs are really like in their daily lives. Do they ever play in the mud and let their shiny fur matted? Do they train everyday or do they let loose and chase their own tails?

What are we like when nobody’s watching us? The Pharisees displayed many ‘right’ attitudes in the public. Those attitudes will win men’s approval but not God’s. HE focuses on what we are like inside; the real us when no one else is watching.

HE will never ask us to compete for the winning title “Pageant Star”. HE will not judge us according to our behavior and outward appearances. Let’s focus on what really matters and not live for men’s approvals but God’s.

1 Samuel 16:7
The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

Not Us but HIM

29/9/2011

Like many Christians, you are probably overwhelmed by the responsibilities of our calling to be the ambassador of Christ and reflect His glory to our fellow non christian friends. After all we are all imperfect by nature. How are we supposed to help others recognise God just from them watching our lives and knowing us?

Sure, we've all fallen short and missed the bull's eye mark in many many ways but don't be disheartened. God is far too tenacious to be thwarted by our sins. God dwells in the life of every believers and HE will enable us to glorify HIM to the degree that we externalise the internal existence of the living Christ within us.

Our part is to press on in doing good and remember that God is quick to forgive when we have fallen short. When you have fallen, do not give in to self-guilt and stray away from HIM. We are made righteous not by our own doing but by HIM who lives within us.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The Kindness of a Stranger

28/9/2011

I was required to travel interstate a few times at my previous work and although I enjoyed the travels, I dreaded the small planes.

During one of my flights back to Perth, I was petrified to board the plane. A man who happened to walked past asked if I felt okay and I assured him I was fine. He then surprised me by saying he would wait for me to board the plane and he will board after me. It was worded in such a sincere way that I could see he understands my fear and was genuinely concerned.

I don't know his name but I will always remember his kindness.

As followers of Christ in this self centered world, we too are encouraged to entertain strangers and what better way to do it than to give kindness to strangers who need it?

Kindness is a universal gift that we can give to anyone.

Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Be an Encourager

27/9/2011

The prophet Elisha served others till the day he died. When he was on his deathbed, Joash the king of Israel went to Elisha for advice and Elisha gave the king a strategy to defeat his enemies (2 Kings 13:14).

You too can lift or encourage others even when you are down. You might feel like a hypocrite when you are also struggling in your own situation, that is okay. Most people will feel that way but it shouldn’t stop you from encouraging other people who need encouragements.

When you reach out and encourage someone else, you are shifting the focus off yourself and your discouragement will lift. It may seem like a weird concept but it is the truth that many of us are unaware of.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Childlike Faith

26/9/2011

Watch little children in the ways they handle things and you will notice what Jesus meant by childlike faith. Things that little children constantly teach me are:

They do not doubt.
Their life is simple because they so easily believe. They believe in fairy tales and magic. They believe all the promises made to them without the urge to question. When they pray, they believe God will hear.

They ask boldly.
They are able to approach an adult and ask boldly without the fear of rejection. They do not procrastinate due to fear and worry. When they have a need, they will ask and be expectant.

They easily forget
They do not waste their life crying over broken toys or broken promises; they will cry a little but they will not dwell in their misery.

Little children’s simplicity cause continuous joy in their life. They are able to laugh whole heartedly and live their life to the fullest. When they ask, they believe they will receive.

We adult tend to complicate things with theories and hypotheses. Shouldn’t we slow down and let the little children teach us how to be more childlike when we approach God?

Matthew 18:3
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

At His Feet

23/9/2011

A beautiful poem by Ruth Graham (1920-1997), the wife of the evangelist Billy Graham.

Lay them quietly at His feet one by one;
Each desire, however sweet just begun;
Dreams still hazy, growing bright;
Hope just poised, winged for flight;
All your longing, each delight, every one;
At His feet and leave them there, never fear;
Every heartache, crushing care;
Trembling tear;
You will find Him always true,
Men may fail you, friends be few,
He will prove Himself to you,
Far more dear.

Micah 7:7
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior. My God will hear me.

Rest, Always and in Every Way

22/9/2011

I cannot overemphasize the importance of seeking peace and rest in our daily walk with God. HIS peace is not given only on special occasions, it is always available. When you seek it through prayer, you will receive it.

Apostle Paul understood the essential nature of peace, he prayed for each of us to always receive the peace God has for us. “Always… in every way.”

Maybe your life is in a storm right now, calm down. Peace is attainable during the storm. Infact, peace is attainable in any situation but it is not producible by human effort. Peace is a fruit of the spirit and God will give it freely to anyone who asks for it with faith. Ask and you shall receive (Luke 11:9)

2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace always and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Find Rest in HIM

21/9/2011

Our daily lives can overwhelm us with unnecessary stress and worry. Sometimes we lose sleep worrying about work, things or people in our lives. That is not the lives God intends us to have. He delights to see us live a life of rest and peace.

When Jesus walked on this earth, HE certainly took time to pray; HE got away from the crowds and spent time in prayer to The Father. Being fully man, HE knows what it feels to be worn out from the demands of daily responsibilities and tasks. HE knows HIS Father in Heaven is able to provide rest.

How our Heavenly Father provides us rest can be found in Psalm 23. HE will lead us to a tranquil place of quiet meadows and still waters. A place of peace and rest that can only be found in spending time with HIM.

Find peace and rest through prayer and meditation on HIS words. Let HIM renew our strength and in HIS presence, we will find the rest and peace we need.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul...

Permissible but not Beneficial

20/9/2011

I've always wanted a certain automobile ever since I first laid my eyes on it. The thought of owning it excited me and I knew I will be able to have it eventually.

The twist is, when I finally can afford it, I made a choice not to buy it. I had to accept that its impractically would cause me more inconveniences than benefits.

The Bible states, “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial”, this simply means that God has given us free will to make our own decision but not all the choices we make may benefit us.

Everything in life is a matter of choice. Should we choose to watch TV all day or spend time with our family and some time in prayer? Should we spend on everything we want and go into debt or spend wisely and save? Should we give or should we take? Should we say sorry or should we keep quiet?

It’s all a matter of choice and every choice we make will have a consequence attached to it. Let’s choose wisely.

1 Corinthians 10:23b
Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive.

Are You Busy?

19/9/2011

Do you realize when we are asked how we are, we tend to reply “I’m tired” or “Oh.. just busy..” Busy or tired isn’t exactly the life God intend us to have.

The devil knows as long as we stay busy exhausting ourselves for the non essential things in life, we will not spend any time for God. The devil will always try to convince us that we are self sufficient and that we ought to strive with our own strength to make things happen.

Our daily fight is not of the natural but of the supernatural. Spending time with God replenishes our spiritual needs and reaffirms our identity in Christ. In Christ, we are more than a conqueror thus we have been given the victory to live a life of freedom from false yokes placed by the Devil in our lives.

Jesus has come to give us full joy and rest. HE will give us rest and renew our strength whenever we draw close to HIM. Seek HIM and HE will enable you to wisely prioritize your daily task hence busy and tired will no longer be in your main vocabularies when you are asked how you are.

“Sometimes being BUSY just means Being Under Satan’s Yoke.” - Bob & Debby Gass.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Ephesian 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.