InstaEncouragements Blog

How Can I Know the Will of God?

4/22/2022

Does it ever feel like you’re grasping at straws to figure out what the will of #God is for your life? How can you and I determine the will of God for our lives, both in the big decisions of life as well as the everyday decisions? I remember my dad telling me that 95% of God’s will is found in God’s Word. I was worried about the 5% concerning when, where, how, and with whom I would live out that will of God for my life. #Godswill #willofGod #Bible #Biblestudy #Scripture #Jesus #lifechoices

I remember when I was a teenager, and I was wondering what God wanted me to do with my life. I heard people say that I should be doing the will of God. But at the time it felt like I was grasping at straws to figure out what the will of God was.

I listened intently to the preaching and read my Bible looking for that big flashing sign that would say this is the will of God for you! But I never found that. Instead, I found simple steps of obedience in God’s Word that pointed to His will for my life.

I remember my dad telling me that 95% of God’s will is found in God’s Word. I was worried about the 5% concerning when, where, how, and with whom I would live out that will of God for my life.

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5 Essential Prayer Requests for Believers

3/25/2022

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There is a lot of talk these days about the cost of fuel for our cars and for heating our homes as well. Projections for the cost of these life necessities are predicted to continue to rise both in the States and around the world.

But you didn’t come to Instaencouragements to be reminded of the pressure inflation puts on our pocketbooks, now did you? You probably came here looking for some encouragement during days that seem to abound with discouragement and bad news.

Praise God that we have His Word to run to for comfort when prices soar and life seems to be out of control. Considering the current fuel situation, one passage caught my eye recently and reminded me that the “fuel” for our walking closely with the Lord is found in His Word and through prayer.

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8 Ways God Spoke to People in the Past and How He Speaks to Us Today

2/25/2022

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If you've spent any time #reading your #Bible, you'll notice #God spoke to His people in various ways. I have a chart in my Bible that summarized the many ways we find God speaking to His people throughout history. Let’s look briefly at these various methods of communication in #Biblical history. Do you know God as your Sustainer and Friend? Everything we need to know about Him is revealed in His Word! May I encourage you to go see Him revealed in His Word and let Him speak to you today!

If you have spent any time reading your Bible, you will notice that God speaks to His people in various ways. I found a chart in my Life Application Study Bible recently that summarized the many ways we find God's speaking to His people throughout history. Let’s look briefly at these various methods of communication in Biblical history.

1. Angels

There are several people that God spoke to through the use of angels. Jacob met an angel in Genesis 32:22-32 when he was preparing to meet his brother Esau with his family. This angel wrestled with Jacob until finally he blessed Jacob and changed his name to Israel (v. 28). Of course, the Christmas story is full of angels speaking to people in the announcement of Jesus’ birth.

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3 Ways We Should Train For the New Year

1/21/2022

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And it's not too late to get started!

2022!! A new year has come and is already well underway. I wonder if you made some goals about training physically this year. Maybe you planned to do some running or to head to the gym a bit more this year than last. Maybe you are counting your calories or the ounces of water you drink each day. Fairly normal and good things for us to consider at the start of a new year, right?

The Bible does tell us that bodily exercise profits a little bit (1 Timothy 4:8). But Paul says in that same book that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6)! At the start of this new year, what kind of spiritual goals have you made? Are you doing any purposeful training in your spiritual life?

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4 Observations From the Life of Elisabeth

12/24/2021

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4 Observations From the Life of Elisabeth

Who are the main characters in the Christmas story? Well, there’s Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the angels, the shepherds, Herod, and the list goes on. But what about the story that precedes Mary and Joseph? Have you ever spent any time considering the character of Elisabeth who was the mother of John the Baptist? Let’s take a look at the life of Elisabeth and what the Lord reveals to us about her character so we can learn from her in this important narrative leading up to the Incarnation.

Take some time before reading further and just read with fresh eyes the account of Elisabeth and Zacharias in Luke 1:5-80.

When studying the life of someone in Scripture, it is good to start with some background about the person. Names in the Bible had great significance. Elisabeth means “God is my oath” or “a worshipper of God.”

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3 Reasons Not to Fear the Storms of Life

11/19/2021

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3 Reasons Why We Don’t Have to Fear the Storms of Life

As a child growing up in the Midwest, we often experienced violent thunderstorms and at times even tornados. It was always comforting for me to run to my parents’ room and find peace and safety in their arms because I trusted them to keep me safe. Storms naturally cause fear, but just like my parents comforted my fears as a child, we can trust God to be with us and lead us through the storms.

My problem in the storms of life is that I often respond as the disciples did in Mark 4:35-41. Let’s set the scene. In the verses preceding this account, Jesus has been teaching the disciples truths about Himself through parables. The lessons have been taught “in the classroom” and now Jesus is going to test their understanding and application of what He has just been teaching. The test is really that immediate since Mark says in verse 35 that this happened “the same day.”

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How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

10/22/2021

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In a world that is driven by social media and the number of likes on those posts that supposedly quantify how popular a person is, the thought strikes me…is any of it real?

What does a “like” on my post really mean? Does it really indicate someone actually cares about me or just that they have “seen my story” or given me a nod with “a thumbs up” or “heart” reaction?

Don’t get me wrong…I use social media to stay connected with people around the globe, but I believe it takes much more for us to show we care than just to “like” a post.

When I struggle with questions like these, I believe the best way to find an answer is to go to God’s Word looking for a model or a pattern of how Jesus would have handled these situations.

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How Can I Know the Will of God?

5 Essential Prayer Requests for Believers

8 Ways God Spoke to People in the Past and How He Speaks to Us Today

1. Angels

3 Ways We Should Train For the New Year

And it's not too late to get started!

4 Observations From the Life of Elisabeth

3 Reasons Not to Fear the Storms of Life

How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

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How Can I Know the Will of God?

5 Essential Prayer Requests for Believers

8 Ways ​God Spoke to People in the Past and How He Speaks to Us Today

1. Angels

3 Ways We Should Train For the New Year

And it's not too late to get started!

4 Observations From the Life of Elisabeth

3 Reasons Not to Fear the Storms of Life

How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

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8 Ways God Spoke to People in the Past and How He Speaks to Us Today