Intentional Encouragement

     Well, I'm reading Luke 14:11 just now.  " For   everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (ESV).   It's about servanthood.  It's about giving up my life for the sake of others.      Simple enough, right?  The way up is the way down.  The way to the penthouse is through the basement.  It preaches very easily.  But is it really easy?        The reality is that it comes down to motivation.  If I am trying to get to the "top," then I am on the wrong path.  But even if I am trying to be a servant of others with the desire that it will eventually get me to the "top," then I'm still on the wrong path.  It's still about me getting to the top.      So the real instruction is that I'm suppose to do what is best for other people.  I read elsewhere that if you want to test your leadership motivation, you can ask yourself a simple question.  Whose best interest am I seeking to serve?      T

     Our church just finished our annual mission conference.  I was very happy to get my attention squarely on the part of our life that is closest to the heart of God; seeking worshipers from around the globe to join us in praising our Father.      This Sunday, I am going to begin a series of studies that will direct our attention to the account of the last days of Jesus' life.  It has me questioning how this year will be different than previous years relative to what our Resurrection Day celebration will "accomplish."       I’m looking, as I write this post, at Luke 24:9-12.   The women, who went to the tomb early that first Resurrection morning, came running back to where the disciples had gathered in their grief to report to them that the tomb was empty and that they had talked to angels who told them that Jesus had risen from the dead!       We look back at that scene from 20 centuries later and say (in a quiet “reverent” tone) “praise the Lord.”   We are even a litt

     It is this time of year that I think I'm most happy to live in southeastern Virginia, at least as far as the weather is concerned.  I spent a couple of hours yesterday cleaning up the yard and starting the process of getting ready for spring to fully arrive.  We cleaned up the twigs and remaining leaves that had fallen over the winter months and I got the first round of fertilizer on the yard.  I don't even like yard work that much, but it was really nice to be doing things that signal the onset of spring.      I love springtime.  I can’t wait until the flowers begin to break through the cold ground for their first peeks at the warmth of new beginnings.   I love watching those little buds on the trees come into bloom.   I like watching the grass green up and make the lawns pretty again.      Spring time is all about new beginnings.   I love that.   Most people talk about the New Year as their time for new beginnings.   I'm beginning to think that it would be better t

What is your favorite food?   Are you a sweet eater or a salt lover?   Do you go after a nice steak, or do you prefer chicken or fish?   When your stomach growls, is dessert the first thing on your mind? There is a familiar story in John 4 that let’s us in on the secret of Jesus’ favorite food.   We all remember the account of the Samaritan woman to whom Jesus spoke on his way through town. Jesus and his disciples stopped by a well just outside of Sychar.   Jesus was weary, so sat down to rest.   The disciples hurried off to town to get some lunch; no doubt they wanted to get some food and get on through Samaria as quickly as possible. While the disciples were away, a woman with a sordid past and a sinful present came for a container of water.  Jesus opened her spiritual eyes to who He was and she was gloriously saved.   Just as the disciples returned with lunch, the woman dropped her water jar and raced off to town to tell everyone who would listen, that she had found the Messiah. Pi

I have a friend from my college days that has been fighting cancer for over 3 years.  I received word this morning that he has just weeks to live.  Tim was told just over a year ago that he had a month and a half to live.  This time, all the accompanying signs of impending death are present.  I fully expect that I will read of his homegoing before the end of the month.  It is certainly sad, and I am praying for his wife and his 2 kids as they traverse these troubled waters. As I have prayed with a heavy heart today, God reminded me of 2 Timothy 4:6-8 .  The apostle Paul's circumstances were different in some ways.  Paul was not sick with a disease that would take his life.  He had faced persecution for many years and felt he would soon give his life for the sake of the gospel.  He recognized that his time was near.  But in other ways, Paul and my friend Tim are similar.  Tim has faithfully served the Lord in several local churches over the last 30 years or so.  He has been used