a ministry of compassion since 1973
Hope for When It Hurts
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 Do you ever wonder how God puts together His plans for our lives? I look back...
Read MoreTeach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11 What is an undivided heart? (Read Jeremiah 32:39) - a heart that is...
Read MoreMany years ago I was unemployed for almost two years. During this time I would work temporary jobs at different businesses that the temp agency sent me to. Sometimes I didn't know if I would have enough money to afford the cost of rent, utilities, gas, insurance and food. I had been asking the Lord for His direction in ministry, but His plans were totally different from my plans. It was definitely a time of...
Read MoreSolomon's Request: So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. 1 Kings 3:9a Solomon followed in his father's footsteps as he was selected to become king over Israel. He was given the power to rule over the people. He could have asked the Lord for...
Read MoreI want to share a story about kindness and forgiveness from 2 Samuel 19:18b-23. King David had fled from Jerusalem when his son Absalom had forced him out. As he was leaving Jerusalem, Shimei, from the clan of Saul, began...
Read MoreBe on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul was sharing with the Corinthians some personal requests and instructions. In the middle of this chapter we see this exhortation from Paul, urging them...
Read MoreAs Sunday approaches, our hearts and minds are drawn to celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What a shock it must have been for the women who first visited the tomb early on that morning! To be told by angels that Jesus was...
Read MoreDo not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 Anxiety is defined as the distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune according to dictionary.com. It seems to...
Read MoreBut the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 How many times have we been in situations where we meet someone new and immediately try to size the person up? Based on what we are seeing with our own eyes, we might perceive...
Read MoreWho is your greatest encourager here on earth? As I think about this question I would have to say that those who pray for me are my greatest encouragers here on earth!
What brings you the most encouragement?
When I see people come to know Jesus as their Savior. Also, when I have been helping someone and I see some evidence of growth in their life.
How does God encourage us?
I would like to suggest that He is...
What can we do to encourage others?
Challenge: Remember God's encouragement to you and be an encourager to someone in your life today!
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6 This particular greeting from Paul to the Philippians was a special one because...
Read MoreLet us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 My sister and I are pretty close in age. I was one year behind her in school. We shared a bedroom but there were times when we each needed our own space. Sometimes I would...
Read MoreThe Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8 While reading Deuteronomy 31, it was quite clear that God was changing the guard so to speak, from Moses to Joshua. Moses says in verse 2 that he was now 120 years old and no longer able to lead the Israelites to the promised land. He said that the Lord told him that he would not be the one to...
Read MoreIn Numbers 13-14, Moses sent twelve men to explore the land of Canaan which was the land that God had promised to the Israelites. The men went to observe what the people and land were like and then returned with their report. Here is some of what they said: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are...
Read MoreThe next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”
Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is...
Read MoreNo good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:43-45 February is a month that reminds us of the expression of love toward others, especially for those who are married or are in a relationship. It seems everywhere you go, you are reminded of Valentine's Day and this celebration of love.
As I read the passage in Luke 6, it was good to be reminded of...
Read MoreHave you ever wondered about how you ended up doing what you are doing for God? I have been reading the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 recently and I noticed something in chapter 48. Joseph had just revealed himself to his brothers who had come to buy food for their families. His brothers were upset because of how they had treated Joseph. Joseph says to them in 48:6, "And now, do not be...
Read MoreIf God said to you - "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" - what would you ask for?
Read MoreThis past weekend I participated in a planning retreat for one of our H*VMI ministries. We had a wonderful time of fellowship with one another. One of the highlights for me was spending time with some of my fellow missionaries. On Friday night we began our time together with a devotional, time of prayer and...
Read MoreThe Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made... The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down... The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth... The Lord watches over all who love him... My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. Psalm 145: 8-9, 13b-14, 17-18,20-21 What struck me as I read Psalm 145 was how many times...
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