On September 20th, 2024, Encouragement Now Ministries had the honor of participating in the Charlotte Crusade in Charlotte, NC. Kevin, Laura, and Joseph reflect on the crusade and the weeks leading up to it.
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Episode 015: Separated With No Hope
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Grief, Hope, Interpersonal Issues, Loss, Peace, Podcast, Struggle, Worry, WorthLife does not go the way we want it, but that does not mean that it is over. In this episode we talk about the reality that relationships do end, but how can we prepare ourselves to become better in the wake of disappointment.
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Be Strong And Courageous
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Hope, Intimidation, Mental Health, Peace, Struggle, Worry, Worth
God had given a word of command and encouragement to Joshua, the leader of Israel, when he and the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites had just spent 40 year in the desert, Moses and Aaron had died, and now they were about to go into the land and conquer it. If you know anything about this story it is not a small task to undertake, but God was with Joshua and working on his behalf. There are three things in the text that we need to apply to our lives.
Joshua 1:3-9 says this: 3I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
- God’s Promise. God made a promise centuries before Joshua was to step into the land. God reiterated the promises to Joshua that He made Moses, Abraham, and all who came before. We know that God is trustworthy and true to the promises He makes.
- God’s Encouragement. He told Joshua to be strong and courageous three time. God said, “[I] will be with you wherever you go”. Did you notice that God did not say, “Good Luck” and leave? He did not give Joshua a major task and abandon the Israelites. He was going to be with them until the promise was fulfilled.
- God’s Word. God told Joshua to “Be careful to obey all the lay my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”
Are we applying God’s Promises, Encouragement, and Word to our lives? What are areas of your life that need to be conquered? Are you going through life feeling abandoned and discouraged? Life can be very overwhelming. Circumstances can feed fear and discouragement. We can feel lost. God has promised to be with us. He has given us His word that He will never leave not forsake us. Are you following Him? Do you feel lost or need counseling? We would love to talk to you. Please go to our Consult Form page and fill out the information. We would love to talk to you.
Episode 014: Biblical Separation – Part 3
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Depression, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Hope, Intimidation, Manipulation, Mental Health, Peace, Podcast, Struggle, Worry, WorthSeparation can protect you when you are in an unhealthy relationship. We are not called to be subjected to abuse especially when the Bible is being used to justify the other person’s actions. We are continuing a series on the concept of Biblical Separation and what it is and is not. In this episode we have audio from a Jimmy Evans (Marriage Today) video called “Constructive Separation”.
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Episode 013: Biblical Separation – Part 2
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Hope, Interpersonal Issues, Intimidation, Manipulation, Mental Health, Peace, Podcast, Struggle, Worry, WorthSeparation can protect you when you are in an unhealthy relationship. We are not called to be subjected to abuse especially when the Bible is being used to justify the other person’s actions. We are continuing a series on the concept of Biblical Separation and what it is and is not. In this episode we have audio from a Jimmy Evans (Marriage Today) video called “Constructive Separation”.
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Episode 012: Biblical Separation – Part 1
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Hope, Interpersonal Issues, Intimidation, Manipulation, Mental Health, Peace, Podcast, Struggle, Worry, WorthSeparation can protect you when you are in an unhealthy relationship. We are not called to be subjected to abuse especially when the Bible is being used to justify the other person’s actions. We are starting a series on the concept of Biblical Separation and what it is and is not.
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What To Say Or Do When We Feel Helpless
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Grief, Hope, Loss, Peace, Struggle
There are many times in our lives when we feel helpless. They can be directly or indirectly connected to us personally. Our nature is to try to fix a problem so that we can move past it. What happens when that problem is out of our control, not ours or it is connected to someone close to us? Situations can be so great they are on a national or global scale, or we can have a child who is going through a personal crisis. Every crisis can be great in their own situation. The Bible offers us a perspective that can be counter to our natural inclinations to take control or fix the problems ourselves.
In the Book of Job we are given the example of Job’s friends. Job lost almost everything. Satan accused Job of loving God because of God’s favor and protection on his life. God allowed tragedy to touch Job’s life relationally and physically. When Job’s friends heard of the tragedies that Job endured they came together and mourned with him in silence. Job 2:12-13 says “When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”
Jesus also gave us an example of what to do when we have no control in a situation. He was about to be betrayed, arrested, tortured, and executed, and He asked three of His disciples to stay with Him and keep watch while He prayed. The disciples kept falling asleep. Matthew 26:40-41 says “Then (Jesus) returned to His disciples and found them asleep. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ He asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.'” Prayer is a powerful tool that God has given us during our trials and troubles. Jesus had the power to take away His own trials and sorrows, but He chose to endure them to the very end because of His great love for us. He knew that the sacrifice He was about to endure was great. Sin and death was defeated forever, and because of that we are reconciled with God.
Are you or someone you know going through a crisis? Do you feel helpless? Do you feel like you do not know what to say or do? You are not alone. Trials and troubles will always be with us. How we handle them when we feel helpless is crucial, and it can be hard too. Being present with others is so simple yet it is a great blessing. Not having words to say is ok, and sometimes the best thing we can do! And, praying is the one thing we can and should always do in every situation.
On Our Lips And In Our Hearts
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Depression, Difficulty, Dispare, Encouragement, Faith, Fear, Mental Health, Peace, Struggle, Worry, Worth
On Our Lips And In Our Hearts
Did you know that fewer than half of adults read scripture? According to the Pew Research Center 35% of adults read the Bible at least once a week. 10% read once or twice a month. 8% read several times a year, and 45% seldom or never read the Bible. There are 1-2% that do not know how often they read the Bible. These percentages show that there is a large majority of people who rarely read the Bible, and it is safe to say that we are living in a time where the majority of all adults do not read or study the Bible.
In the book of Joshua, chapter 1, God told Joshua to be strong and very courageous; to carefully obey all the law He gave Moses; not to turn to the left or right; to keep the law on his lips; meditating on them day and night. God said that Joshua and the people will be prosperous and successful. When Joshua died and the Israelites entered the time of the Judges, they forgot God’s law. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes, and God’s favor and protection departed. There was no peace. Horrible things happened to the Israelites from both themselves and their enemies. Even though God raised up judges to save them from the hands of their enemies the people turned away from God. His words were not on their lips or in their hearts.
How many of us are walking through this life without the Word of God on our lips and in our hearts? We want to encourage you to make the scriptures a daily diet. Consume the Word of God, so that He can direct our lives, renew our minds, and give us peace.
Choose Your Course
Posted on Categories:Anxiety, Control, Depression, Difficulty, Dispare, Fear, Grief, Interpersonal Issues, Intimidation, Manipulation, Rage, Struggle, Worry, Worth
Written by Kevin J. Phillips
Founder of Encouragement Now Ministries
“That’s what the Christian life is all about, isn’t it? Going, yet not knowing.
As followers of our Lord, we believe He leads us in a certain direction, or in pursuit of a precise goal.”
~ Charles R. Swindoll
Have you ever contemplated: “What is my life’s purpose? What do I want to accomplish, and who do I want to become?” I used to be in awe of folks who just knew what they wanted to do with their lives. For instance, my daughter has known she wanted to be a teacher ever since elementary school. But I was never able to connect with others who were certain about what they wanted to do or study in college.
I felt like an outsider, and that was frustrating since I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t know what to do with my life. Until I was in my late 30s, I had no idea I wanted to be a counselor.
Yet, after giving it some thought, I saw that all of my struggles, difficulties, and experiences had prepared me to become a better, more capable counselor who could connect and relate to his patients. I concluded that each of us needs to determine our life course.
Now, imagine for a moment that you are launching a rocket to the moon. Many engineers would be required to manage all the details for such a mission. Your job is to enter the correct coordinates for the rocket. If the coordinates are off by even 1/2 a degree, the mission would be a failure since that one mistake repeated over and over again would cause the rocket to veer and miss the moon by thousands of miles. Even a small mistake gets bigger the longer it goes uncorrected. To reach our goals or to achieve anything in life—we must have the proper trajectory set in place. But first, we must decide where we’re heading before setting the coordinates.
-What are your objectives and goals in life?-What sort of person do you want to be?
-What direction is your life currently going in, and does it need to change?