Short words of encouragement for the journey
A collection of brief, daily-style encouragements from Gary Bailey — each one a short letter to strengthen your faith, settle your heart, and point you to Jesus.
What you think upon will set the direction of your life
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.Romans 12:2
The mind renewed with thoughts of God and His Word will result in a life transformed. It is the Word of God that gives us light and life, for we come to know God by His Word. As Isaiah wrote, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).
The mind is the fulcrum of our lives. We are three-part beings: we are spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. It is the soul that leans either toward the flesh or toward the spirit. We are free moral agents, and the soul is where we make our decisions and choose life or death and everything in between. A fulcrum is the point on which a lever rests and pivots — the thing that plays the central role in whether the whole board tips one way or the other. Whatever direction the soul leans becomes the direction of a person’s life. Like a seesaw, the more weight you place on one side, the more the whole board follows.
To say it another way: what you think upon, what you meditate upon, will eventually determine the direction of your life. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Your circumstance does not have to determine your thoughts. Paul was once imprisoned beneath the palace in Rome in the Mamertine Prison, whose lowest level served as the city’s sewer. It was from that dark place that he exhorted us to think on good things. You choose what you think about, and your thoughts have the power to carry you where you truly want to go. Think on purpose. Think for a purpose.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.Philippians 4:8
Hearing God is a matter of recognizing His voice
When we talk about hearing God, it can seem like a great mystery, but the truth is that hearing from God is simply a matter of recognizing His voice. There is no such thing as a Christian being spiritually deaf. In fact, anyone — saved or unsaved — has the ability to hear God if they really want to. That may be the biggest obstacle of all: our want to.
The next biggest obstacle is the clamor around us. If you have ever tried to hear a person speaking right next to you in a noisy room, you know how hard it can be when the disturbance is loud enough. The fix is simple, really: go somewhere quiet and prepare your heart to listen. God is speaking; we just have to reposition ourselves to hear Him.
Get up early before anyone else is awake, or stay up late after everyone has gone to bed. Turn off the television and give Facebook and the internet a rest. Open your Bible and read — God will speak to you through His Word. Get away from the hustle and bustle. Go to a quiet place and pray. Jesus said to enter into your closet. Offer up your prayer to God; then quiet your voice, quiet your mind, and listen.
It may take some practice. The residue of the day’s activity may keep buzzing in your head. That’s all right. Eventually you will learn to silence the tumult. God is close by. He is speaking. Take time aside to listen — and you will hear His voice.
True peace begins on the inside and changes everything around you
In a world of turmoil, people are looking for peace. Without Christ there is no peace — not really. It has been aptly said, “No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.” Did you get that? Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Paul writes that “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). Righteousness is the rule, peace is the atmosphere, and joy is the attitude of the kingdom of God. To experience true peace we must enter into His kingdom, and His kingdom must enter into us. Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you. This peace begins on the inside, and if you will allow it, it will saturate your life and change the atmosphere around you. Get enough of it on the inside, and it will break through into the world around you.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.John 14:27
Do you want peace? Then pray about everything, for prayer gets God involved in your life. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7). Keep your mind on God; include Him in every thought, because He is the source of all genuine peace. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee” (Isaiah 26:3). Can we really have peace in this life? By Jesus, God’s only Son, we can.
Don’t worry about anything — pray about everything
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6–7
Did you catch that phrase — every thing by prayer? We could say it this way: don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. God hears our prayer. He is a very present help in the time of trouble. There is no need to call 911; God is already on the scene.
The Bible says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Open your mouth and cry, “Jesus!” He will never leave you nor forsake you. No matter the problem, regardless of the trouble you may find yourself in, He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Whether big or small, pray about everything that troubles you.
When you do, His peace will encompass you. He will wrap His arms around you. You need not be afraid — He is with you, and He is for you. By calling on Him, by acknowledging Him, you show God your faith. He is waiting for you to call; His ear is open to your prayers. Will you do it? Go ahead — pray. Pray right now.
Every member of the Body matters — including you
God has placed so many precious gifts and ministries in His Body, and we need them all. When we refuse to receive the ministries God sends, we may keep ourselves and others from the very help they were meant to bring. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul goes into great detail about gifts and ministries and how important each member of the Body is to the others.
For the body is not one member, but many… If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?… But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.1 Corinthians 12:14–18
Paul continues, “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary” (1 Corinthians 12:21–22). The parts we think are less honorable, God says, are the ones on which we ought to bestow more abundant honor.
Is there a problem in the Body of Christ when it comes to receiving members and ministers different from ourselves? Paul seems to think so, and John addresses it too: “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not” (3 John 1:9). So receive the brethren. You are needed — and so are they.
Joy is a spiritual force — and it can be refueled
From time to time it seems we run out of joy. But remember that joy is a spiritual force flowing from your heart. Just as a car needs to be refueled from time to time, we need to re-joice. Life has a way of emptying a person. You would never set out on a long trip without fuel, or pass a gas station when you were running low. In the same way, from time to time we must stop and rejoice. Praise, worship, and rejoicing in the good things God has given will give you strength for today and tomorrow.
It was while Paul was in prison that he wrote to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Not just once, but always. He told the Thessalonians the same: “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Joy will increase as we pray, worship, and fellowship with God. And we are invited to ask that our joy be full: “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). God wants us to be happy.
Neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.Nehemiah 8:10
Joy gives you strength for the day. It even brings health: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). In Christ we have joy every day. So stir it up — let’s go through life filled with joy!