Theme of the Week: Encouragement Changes Lives
Bible Verse: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9
Scripture Reading: Psalm 98:1-9
An intentional encourager is motivated by a heart filled with joy. Joy is more than a feeling or heightened emotional state. Joy is a rock-solid confidence that Jesus Christ lives in me and that I rest by faith completely in Him. It arises out of a deepening, growing relationship with God. This relationship does not break in any circumstance, but fuels my passion for living, my love for others, and my confidence in seeing opportunity and purpose in every situation.
When you are truly connected with God in a faith relationship marked by obedience, joy fills your heart. Because of the active presence of God in you, your life becomes an overflow! The Hebrew root word for overflow is not a verb, but a noun. Out of your intimate relationship with God, you can overflow! Those who live in and out of the presence of God will “still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green” (Psalm 92:14, NASB). The picture of your life then emerges as a tree that gives forth its life-giving juice when you touch it.
When transferred into a human context, this means that all those who come in contact with you during the course of a day will be touched by the joyful overflow of your heart! The Hebrew word for ‘full of sap’ is fat, meaning the state of bursting, ready to burst, or overflow. When joy overflows in your heart, you are ready to live life as a real intentional encouragement to others. This life is not lived in isolation, but as a passionate member of God’s family – all those who are willing to trust Jesus as their personal Savior, director and God. Imagine joy increasing, enlarging like a fire inside of you. You cannot hide it or keep it!
Jesus reminded His first disciples with these words as he sent them out into communities around them: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). As you deepen your spiritual roots in God, the more He will pour the waters of an enriching life into you so that you can give away this same life to others. Receive and give – that is the sign of a joy-motivated life!
Taken from Majesty in Motion: Creating an Encouragement Culture in All Your Relationships Stewart Brown, © 2009. Used by permission of Word Alive Press. All rights reserved.
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