Intentional Encouragement

     As I write these words, the national US holiday of "Thanksgiving" is a week away. Many of us will gather around tables filled with food and surrounded by family members whom we've not seen in a while. We will enjoy the bounty of the day and reflect on God's goodness to us throughout the past year. At least that's the picture on most of the cards I see about Thanksgiving.      The reality may not be as picturesque as that. There may be some quarreling. There may be some strained relationships. Possibly this has been a difficult year and the provision has not been as lavish as some in the past. For some, they will struggle to think of things to be thankful for.      I'd like to suggest a few verses of Scripture for you to read and a thought to hang onto. The thought is this. Sometimes we have to choose thankfulness. Sometimes we have to decide that we will focus on who we are in Christ and the relationship we have with our Father in He...

     This morning I read from Matthew 18 where Jesus instructed his disciples (who were debating among themselves which was the greatest) that they needed to become like little children and acknowledge their complete dependence on Him alone.      Then I opened the quarterly that I have been asked to teach from in Sunday school for the next several months and read the first sentence.  "One of the greatest hindrances to true worship is a lack of thankfulness, and the greatest hindrance to thankfulness is the illusion of self-sufficiency."        It has given me the opportunity to think for a little while about this matter of how we view our ability to do what God has called us to do.  This applies to any situation in life.  Whether it is a ministry situation or a "secular" vocation or raising kids or simply being a good spouse, we have to come to the place where we recognize that we simply don't have it in u...