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?

 

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