MAKE YOUR HOUSE A HOUSE OF PRAYER!

Mark 11:17  "Then He taught, saying to them, 'Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves.' "

Jesus was quoting from the prophets, Jeremiah and Isaiah, to get His point across. Den of thieves refers to the practice of cheating people either through a crooked exchange of money, or by selling inferior products. When Jesus saw the men selling things in the Temple, He rebuked them. 

Let's be encouraged to make our own homes into houses of prayer. Let's not allow the temptations of this world to get into our homes and steal our peace. As we dedicate our homes to the Lord, He will surely bless them!

LET'S MAGINIFY THE LORD!

Psalm 70:4  "Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified!' "

How can we not declare the Lord when He's done so much for us? As we recognize His love and great mercy toward us, it becomes an easy thing to magnify His name.

Let's be encouraged today, to share with someone about our relationship with the Lord. As we do, we are declaring His love to another so that they may also rejoice and reap the great blessings that we have experienced!

THERE IS A WAY OF ESCAPE!

1 Corinthians 10:13  "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

There is great comfort in knowing that God will not let us experience anything for which He has not prepared us for. He will give us grace and power to endure whatever comes our way. Let us be at peace in believing that God will not let us enter into anything that we can not bear.

Let's be encouraged today to not be fearful about our futures. But to be comforted with God's grace that He has instilled into our lives, along with His promise that we will always be given a way out of a difficult situation!

DON'T CARRY YOUR PAIN INTO THE FUTURE!

Lamentations 3:22, 23  "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed because His compassion fails not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." 

If we didn't have God on our side, where would we be? His compassion is new every morning. He is faithful in this to us. Whatever happens today does not need to trail into our tomorrow. The Lord gives us a new beginning everyday. A dark night can be distressing, but the light comes in the morning with all things new. 

Let's be encouraged today to yield to the mercy of the Lord. He never runs out of compassion and is faithful to us in all things!

MAKE A JOYFUL SHOUT TO GOD!

Psalm 100:1-3  "Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." 

The Hebrew verb for make a joyful shout is a highly charged command for public praise. How would we share the goodness of the Lord if we didn't show our admiration and praise for Him? As we know, the Good Shepherd loves His sheep, which makes it easy for us to praise Him.

Let's be encouraged today to come before Him with a song in our heart, and share that song with others!

LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF GIFTS!

1 Corinthians 13:13  "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Faith enables us to come to God, and hope helps us to believe. Love helps us to imitate God. Love is the most powerful tool we have been given. With love, we may silence the ignorance of foolish men. With love, we may break free from bitterness. With love, we may learn the ways of Christ and be as He is.

I encourage you today to love all, even those who hate you. By doing this, you are taking the high road, and at the same time being an example to all around you. There is no disappointment in love, it is God's greatest gift!

LET'S NOT GROW WEARY!

Galatians 6:9  "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Although good works cannot justify or sanctify us, they are an important fruit in our life of faith. And we will definitely reap what we sow.

We, as believers, are not only to serve other believers with love, but to show our love and do good deeds to non-believers as well. As we love our neighbor as ourselves, we are pleasing God.

Let's be encouraged today with the promise of a blessing coming as we joyfully give to others!