Daily Encouragement

“I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the LORD.'” (Psalm 122:1, KJV)

Okay, a status check: Do we (really) look forward to opportunities for corporate worship?

A lot of things conspire to dampen our enthusiasm for worship with others: The sermon doesn’t engage us; the hymns seem random; and — truth be told — the other folks at worship don’t seem too keen to be there, either.

No matter. Perhaps a clue to David’s enthusiasm for approaching the place of corporate worship is found in the preceding psalm (Psalm 121:2): “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”

For all of God’s gifts to us, gratitude and praise is the only appropriate response. In the words of an old song of the church, “count your many blessings; count them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done!”

Brighten your day with gratitude and praise! – Luther

Tagged the book of Psalms, worship

December 27

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“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44, NIV)

God often first gives us the answers before giving us the test.

In these final chapters of Matthew’s Gospel (chapters 24-25), Jesus is emphatic in His teaching about the nature of the kingdom of heaven; and He is equally emphatic in His teaching about the final judgment of God, and what is required of you and me. You see, Jesus wants everyone to pass; but everyone must pass with his or her own work. No cheating.

The key to successfully facing any crisis — whether financial, emotional, physical, or spiritual — is readiness. The time to get ready is now. The adage is never more true: “You cannot give what you do not have.”

Are you ready? – Luther