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Psalm 133 NASB
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing–life forever.

Personal Challenge…
I always love it when new verses jump out at me during my reading times.

Unity amongst the brethren…isn’t this what God wants for His children? So much so that Jesus prayed for it and Paul taught about it. Who are we in the church today that we believe we can generate disunity because we disagree with how our brothers worship the Lord or call upon His name. It is God who determines the condition of a person’s heart, not me. Come Lord Jesus, Come!!

Psalm 46:10 NASB
Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Personal Challenge…
Hmmm…Cease striving and know that I am God. I guess the psalmist is telling us that it is not about what I do, or what I know, but that God is who He is. He will be exalted and I have nothing to do with that exaltation. He wants me to stop trying to make it happen on my own accord and just rest in knowing that He is God and that He will be exalted.

‎1 Kings 8:22-24 NASB
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You have promised him; indeed, You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day.

Words of Encouragement…
Have you ever had someone ask you why in the world would you be a Christian? I have and this proclamation by Solomon so many years ago is still as good today as it was then. I am a Christian because I am in a relationship with a God that is alive and constant. He has always been there for mankind (since He created us) and He always will be. He has redeemed us from death through His Son and established His Bride, His Church of which I am a part. All that the world has to offer is temporary and fleeting. Why would I not be a Christian? That is the real question.

‎2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Personal Challenge…
Have you ever had someone call you a wimp, or weak, because you are a Christian? Well to be truthful, Christianity is not for the weak. I know that our strength does not come from us, but from God, but to live a life based on goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and most importantly love is to live a most difficult and challenging life. Oh how often I fail in all of these areas, but by the grace of God He is there to pick me up and help me start all over again.

Hebrews 4:9-10 NLT
So there is a special rest {Or Sabbath rest.} still waiting for the people of God. For all who enter into God’s rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after creating the world.

Encouraging Words…
Talk about having something to hope for…how wonderful it will be when that day arrives for me as I enter into God’s rest. Thank goodness that we have a Sabbath rest, but it is only a shadow of an image of what it will be like when I finally enter into that permanent rest with Him.

‎1 Timothy 6:11-12 NASB
But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Personal Challenge…
In this passage Paul is encouraging Timothy (and us) to flee from the things of the world and to pursue the things of God. We are commanded to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. We are told that this will be a fight and a struggle, but it is a good fight, one that will allow us to grasp ahold of eternal life. Sometimes the struggle is within, our thoughts and desires for the world and the things of the world. Sometimes the struggle will be with those around us, our friends, our families, our acquaintances who want us to hold onto the things of the world rather than the things of God. It is good to know that we can fight the good fight because we have been called, and therefore equipped, to do it.

Philippians 4:8-9 NASB

John 15:15-17 NASB
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.

Words of Encouragement…
I recently had the opportunity to teach a class on cultural sensitivity to a team that is heading to Haiti in March. This is one of the passages that I share in the training as a reminder that we are not slaves in Christ, but His friends. He shares His love to us much more deeply than if we were slaves. As a matter of fact, as slaves, no love is required. He has picked me so that He can pour out His love on me and share His Father with me. He then commands me to pass this love on to those around me.

Luke 2:52 NIV
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Words of Encouragement…
So many religions worship a concept or an idea…we however worship a living God that became a man. He did not instantly appear as the newest and latest guru, but was born of a poor family, in poor and desolate times. His hospital room was a manger surrounded by the farm animals of the day. He also grew up like everyone of us did, facing daily challenges, emotions, and situations. We worship and serve a God that has navigated the road of a normal human life so that in Him we can find life, joy, rest, peace, love, and eternity. He knows what we are going through because He went through it as well.

Hosea 2:20-21 NLT
I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as LORD. “In that day,” says the LORD, “I will answer the pleading of the sky for clouds, which will pour down water on the earth in answer to its cries for rain.

Words of Encouragement…
Sometimes we go through long, dry periods in our lives waiting for the clouds to come and bring forth life giving rain. For some of us that waiting may be our entire lives. But the wonderful thing is that if we keep pursuing God and seeking His presence in our lives He will be faithful to us and hold us as His own. We will truly know Him and in that relationship the rain will come and we will be nourished and refreshed. It is the knowing Him as LORD, on His terms and not on ours, that is the difficult part.