Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. When the Lord empowered Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt across the Red Sea, He commanded that the Passover and certain other feasts be remembered annually. (Deuteronomy 16) The theme? What the Lord has done. Many people here in America commemorate the linkage of their families on a day called “family reunion”. The theme? What the Lord has done. Yet no command to remember what the Lord has done is greater than what Paul told the Church at Corinth: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) Further, Paul told the Church at Colossae: “Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Colossians 3:23) Paul’s example was to give his all to the Lord each day. To work for the Lord is to do something with Him in mind each day. When we do that we are in effect commemorating what the Lord has done in our lives each day. If you really think about it, each day the Lord is blessing us. Each day that we awake is a Memorial Day for us in Jesus Christ. Be encouraged.
Be a Daniel:
The political climate in America offers what the famed actor Sidney Poitier called, “a spit” of pessimism. The politicians on whom we depend struggle with a multitude of left and right baggage. Neither side is offering much encouragement for the future. America is at a crossroad. Our political parties have failed America in the worst way. What do you do? Find ways to unite the parties and bridge differences. It is called compromise where you must and stand firm where you can. But the Apostle Paul asks the Church at Galatia why would they follow after someone or something else once you had the truth which is Jesus Christ? (Galatians 1:6-7) Consider Daniel how once he knew what the actions of the enemy were, continued to stand on his convictions. (Daniel 6:10) We live in a time where children are flooded with distractions. They spend 8 hours or more each day watching television, skateboarding, on iPad and computer viewing, and somehow we are surprised that they are not insane. In a word, it is troubling. So Paul gives us an answer: “A man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 2:16) Who is the political leader at the moment is not as important as who is the Lord of your life? Jesus said: “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Don’t compromise your faith in Jesus Christ. Be a Daniel as you were before. Be encouraged.
Things that I cannot explain:
If there was any one man on earth who had reason to question God’s love, it was Job. He lost his family, his health, and his wealth, all at the same time. His friends came to his side only to question his spirituality. God had already answered the question of his integrity. Job was described in the opening verses of the book as “blameless and upright”. (Job 1:1) His calamities were not born from sin. Job acknowledged God’s right to do anything in his life until one day he could take it no longer. He questioned God’s motives. The Lord answered Job, but not in the way Job had wanted to hear. He asked Job a series of questions that represents the most incredible discourse of correction by God to any human being. (Job 38-39)Three chapters later, Job realized that he has questioned the motives of the Author of the universe. He fell flat before his Creator and realized his total depravity. “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:3) Have you ever questioned God’s activity in your life? Have you questioned His love for you based on circumstances that came your way? The cross at Calvary answers the love question. He sent His own Son in replacement for your sin. If you were the only person on earth, He would have done the same. His ways cannot always be understood with our finite minds. For now, these are things that I cannot explain. Embrace the Lord for the future when all will be understood. Be encouraged.
Hard to admit:
It was a familiar scene. The disciples had been fishing all night but had caught nothing. (John 21:3) Then they heard a voice from the shore call out, ‘Children, have you any food?” (John 21:5) John always the perceptive one, recognized that it was Jesus asking the question. But why did the Lord ask them this question? The point was to show them their own need. He wanted them to admit their failure: “We caught nothing.” It isn’t that this was the biggest failure you ever have. After all, we have all had this happen when we have gone fishing. But Jesus was using their empty nets to illustrate a larger point. God will do the same with us. Before we can find restoration, before we can find forgiveness, we have to admit our failure. That is really hard for some people. We don’t like to admit we have failed. Worst is that some people do not even want to take responsibility for their actions. But before we can receive the forgiveness and restoration from the Lord, we must confess that we need Him. No excuses. No blame game. Just an honest admission and confession that shows we take responsibility for our own action. (Luke 15) Be encouraged.
When not so good is good:
Jacob was forced to flee his family after receiving the blessing of God from his father, Isaac. (Genesis 27:41-Genesis 28:5) He ran as a result of his broken relationship with his brother, Esau, who threatened to kill him. He was alone after leaving his family and was sleeping in the wilderness area at Bethel. It is here that Jacob encountered God personally for the very first time. He had a dream in which Heaven was opened up to him. The Lord spoke to him there and gave him a promise to give him the very land on which he was lying on. (Genesis 28:13-15) This encounter with God made him realize that God was in this place, even though he had not been aware of it. God had to remove Jacob from all that was of comfort to him in order to reveal Himself to Jacob. What began as a crisis that forced him to be removed from his family and friends led to an encounter with the living God and a fresh vision of God’s purposes for his life. God often does radical things in our lives when He has special plans for us. He separates us from family and friends. He removes physical and emotional resources. He allows disarray or despair that leads to an encounter with Him. But these are often the hallmarks of His ownership of our lives. The not so good often is good. Let Him give us a fresh vision for today’s journey. Be encouraged.
He is always present:
In the Bible, valleys symbolize periods of hardships and suffering. The Psalmist evokes a particularly dangerous and painful image by referring to “the valley of the shallow of death.” (Psalm 23:4) In the midst of a poem meant to provide comfort and assurance is a cold reminder that spiritual valleys are inevitable. But if we read only of green pastures and quiet waters, we miss the heart of Psalm 23 and a core truth about the believer’s life. The valley verse contains a promise not found among the lovely first lines. In hardship, believers discover “Thou art with me.” (Psalm 23:4) God’s unwavering presence becomes most obvious to us when we are vulnerable. And along with our experience of His assurance and comfort comes the understanding that the Lord goes with us daily-even into the depths of our despair. When people do not recognize His constancy, they turn to other coping methods, such as going to bars for a so-called “Happy Hour” or burying themselves in work. But filled with the knowledge that God holds us no matter how deep or wide our “valley” is, believers can release fear and endure suffering. (Matthew 28:20) When we are in a dark valley, God may be our only comfort. But we can take
The natural Christian:
The role of worship is to magnify the Lord. After you have been a Christian for a while it should take more than “volume” for you to be moved naturally. What should be natural to a Christian? Let me suggest faithfulness; forgiveness; and thankfulness. Paul declared to the Church at Corinth: “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) As a Christian looking forward to the Christmas season one of the things that we do is to give gifts. We want to buy gifts for family and friends. We tend to give gifts to those who treat us well, people who are kind and considerate to us. We don’t give a gift to our enemies, irate neighbors, or to someone who tried to run us out of business or anyone who has hurt us. This is a natural act for all of us. But what gift are you planning on giving the Lord of your life? What do you plan to do to magnify your God? Giving back to God should also be a natural act for the believer. God is magnified before the world of your life as you live for Him. If you want to live for Jesus just take your Bible and follow the word of the Lord. Then He is praised and honored. Be encouraged.
Do you want to?
Max Lucado in his book “Grace” wrote: “You are loved by your Maker not because you try to please Him and succeed, or fail to please Him and apologize, but because He wants to be your Father.” It is also the mantra of every parent, you want to be their father, you want to be their mother. The Apostle John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) Bill Clinton admitted in his book, “My Life” that certain mistakes that he made during his presidency were because he “wanted to.” The Psalmist declared that he would pay his vows to the Lord openly before the people because he wanted to. (Psalm 116:14) Most of us do things in life because we wanted to do what we did. That is the response that the love of God desires from us. He wants us to love Him because we want to. He wants us to obey Him because we want to. He wants us to serve Him by serving others because we want to. He wants us to forgive because we want to. (Matthew 16:24-27) It is called being a man or woman of grace. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Be encouraged.
A reason for hope:
A reason for hope:
Death does not hurt but life does. Our Christian loved ones do not leave us to go somewhere but rather they leave to go be with someone. As a result, they that leave us are happier than those of us they have left behind. Although they are in a state of joy it was a struggle and hard choice for them just as it will be for you and me from within our souls. Why? Paul speaks on this dilemma for himself and other believers when he says: “To me, the only important thing about living is Christ and dying would be a profit for me. If I continue living in my body, I will be able to work for the Lord. I do not know what to choose living or dying. It is hard to choose between the two. I want to leave this life and be with Christ, which is better, but you need me here in my body.” (Philippians 1:21-24 NCV) That is the dilemma we find ourselves in especially as parents. As our children deal with modern day challenges you want to be there for them, to protect them, and perhaps save them from themselves. But that appointment with death is unavoidable apart a return from Christ. What we can do is to remind our children of Paul’s closing words in Philippians 1: “But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.” (Philippians 1:27 NLT) Let’s encouraged our children and loved ones in the Lord. Be encouraged.
Last day of the year:
The main character in the film Chariots of Fire fell in his important race. He was hurt and discouraged. But he got up again and continued to run. He finished the race. He won the race. Even when you stumble, even when you fall, you can still get up and run. You can still win. “It’s not over till it’s over.” Some of us may have stumbled. Some of us may have fallen in the race of life. Or maybe we have been discouraged or something has happened to set us back. It’s not too late to get up and start running again. Sometimes you read a passage of Scripture that did not make any sense to you, or there was a time in your life when it seem as if God did not come through for you, Perhaps you have been tempted as a Christian to just give up following Jesus, well you are in good company here also. Now you have a good idea how Jesus’ disciples felt on the day when Jesus laid down some of His hardest teachings. (John 6) But instead of giving up on their faith, they deepened in it. That was a day when the wheat was separated from the chaff, the true disciples from the false ones. In the same way, we will have to decide to stop, or to keep running on this the last day of the year. Be encouraged.
Dr. A. Ray Campbell’s Blog 