DEFEATING DISCOURAGEMENT: WHEN ENCOURAGEMENT DOESN’T COME

July 20th, 2012 | By admin

This is an article via Paul Holland. We all need encouragement. 

            We all need to hear encouraging words. What happens if the encouraging words do not come? What if people – even family or Christians – do not encourage us when we need it? It can be discouraging and hurtful. What do we do?

NEGATIVE REACTIONS

            Pretend we don’t need them. But that’s a lie – it is self-deception. It creates in us a “martyr complex”. We start feeling like a victim. It may help us feel good for a while, but it will have devastating results on our inter-personal relationships if we continue in that mentality.

            “Toot our own horns.” Have you heard it said, “If you don’t toot your own horn, no one else will”? Proverbs 27:2.

            “I’ll show them! I’ll do even more where they have to notice me!” But that usually backfires. Paul was not praised for preaching without pay. He was criticized for it – 1 Corinthians 9. The Pharisees did not commend Jesus for His miracles – they tried to kill Him for them. Plus, again, if done very much or for very long, it leads us to do things to be seen of men, which is what Jesus condemned in Matthew 6 – three times.

            “Nobody appreciates me. I won’t be hurt again. I’ll just quit!” Quitting is not an option. Consider God’s promise in Galatians 6:9 and Colossians 3:23-24. We are His workmanship – Ephesians 2:10. We can’t quit being who we are in Christ.

POSITIVE REACTIONS

            What if people – even family or Christians – do not encourage us when we need it? It can be discouraging and hurtful. What do we do?

            1. Remember God does not forget what we do. Hebrews 6:10. Jesus is right now, preparing a place for those who serve Him – John 14:1-4. The day of judgment will be a day of great reward.

            2. We should examine our own hearts and our own motives. Luke 17:5-10. We do not serve God for the praise of men. God does not owe us any praise.

            3. We can encourage ourselves in the Lord. 1 Samuel 30:6. How? Prayer – 1 Samuel 30:8. Remembering God’s good deeds from the past. Sang psalms.

            4. Work to prevent the absence of encouragement. 1 Samuel 23:16. These were friends. No doubt Jonathan felt this way about David because David felt that way about Jonathan. Proverbs 18:24. We need a Jonathan in our lives. Christian friends are the best.

            5. We can invite encouragement by being encouragers. Galatians 6:7-8.

From Bill Bagents’ chapter “When Good Words Don’t Come” in the book Easing Life’s Hurts, written by Bagents and Jack Wilhelm.

ASK AUNT MARY – CHRISTMAS

December 21st, 2011 | By admin

Christmas is such a fun time of the year. Most people recognize it as Christ’s birthday, but is it really? No, in no way can December 25 be considered as the birthday of our Lord. Why? Let’s look at this from the Bible.

Luke 2 is read most of the time on Christmas Day. In verse 8, it says. “there were shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.” It’s cold in December in Bethlehem. Shepherds keep their sheep closed up in the winter, not out in the fields at night when the temperature will drop low. There can be snow in Bethlehem in December. I’ve seen it many times on television. That alone tells me the date is wrong. (more…)

HOLD YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE

June 23rd, 2011 | By admin

by Aunt Mary

Last night I noticed what close friends our teens are at church. They seem to delight in each others company. Everyone loves to have friends like that. I know I do.

Let me tell you a story about one of my friends. We met two years ago, first on the internet and then later in person. She is one of the finest Christian ladies I know. She has also faced one of the hardest battles I have even known. Through all this, she had kept her faith in God.

November 1, 2010 was supposed to be a good day for her. Her first published book would be released. She was so excited and I was excited for her. She was living her dream of being a published author. It was wonderful until she began having horrible headaches. Her book was released that day, but she was also told she had T-Cell Lymphoma, a deadly disease. Immediately the doctors started her on chemotherapy.

The chemo was horrible. She lost all of her hair. She was not able to do very much and was sick a lot. During all this time, the doctors talked to her about stem cell transplants. When the chemo was over, the doctors started her on radiation. Finally a date for the bone marrow transplant was set. (more…)

Have You Committed Social Suicide Yet?

May 18th, 2011 | By admin

by Debra  Reitz

It sounds like a really dumb question! Who, in their right mind, would choose to commit “social” suicide?

We need to live in society, or so we are told. “It takes a village” is the common cry among the progressives who attempt to embrace all society has to offer and incorporate it into their personal, subjective lifestyle of selective faith. This is worldly wisdom, and we know where things of the world lead, do we not?

What is “social” suicide and why do we need to commit it? Not only do we NEED to commit it, we are commanded to commit it!

Social suicide is putting “death” to the ways of the world, or society in general… i.e… our peers from before we put on Christ in baptism and are added to a new kingdom, the church.

(more…)