InstaEncouragements Blog

How Do I Know Jesus Cares for Me?

10/22/2021

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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3 Ways to be a Good Friend

10/15/2021

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When I moved from Pennsylvania to Georgia, seven years ago, one of the most daunting things I faced was the need to make new friends in a new place. I struggled. For me, the small talk and slow give and take of information, actions, and opinions that eventually build trust, love, and friendship is a hard process.

Don’t get me wrong, I love friendship, and I have several close friends with whom I love to talk and spend quality time. I love friendships that are already established—already tested.

I love friendships where:

trust is given and received freely.
disagreements are interesting instead of uncomfortable.
distance makes us more creative with ways to stay close instead of pulling us apart.

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7 Things God Is Not (Part 3)

9/24/2021

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We have reached the final part of the series I started two months ago considering the seven “God Is Not…” statements found in the Bible.

We have looked at God is not:

A man - Numbers 23:19

The author of confusion - 1 Cor. 14:33

Mocked - Galatians 6:7

Unrighteous - Hebrews 6:10

Let’s finish with the last three statements today.

God is not:

Ashamed to be called their God.
Slack concerning His promises.
Willing that any should perish.

Read 7 Things God is Not (Part 1) here.
Read 7 Things God is Not (Part 2) here.

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Trusting God with the Unknown

9/17/2021

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We don’t know a lot more than we do know. For this reason, we spend a large portion of our lives preparing for things that may never happen.

We have car insurance in case we crash.
We have life insurance in case we die before our loved ones.
We have smoke alarms in case there is a fire.
We wear a life jacket in case we fall into the water.

We make these kinds of plans because it is responsible to prepare for the future the best way we know how.

We don’t always just plan for the unknown, though. Often, we worry about it too. “The Big Unknown” becomes more worrisome to us than death and taxes because we don’t know what it is.

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5 Gospel-Centered Books For Little Hearts & Minds

8/27/2021

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5 Gospel-Centered Books For Little Hearts & Minds

One of the passions that my husband and I share is a love for books and reading. Additionally, we take great joy in sharing this love with those around us. My husband is constantly loaning out or simply giving away theology books from his seminary days to friends and family. While we tend to be more minimalistic when it comes to possessions or things, we make an exception when it comes to books!

When we became parents to our daughter Emersyn we agreed we wanted not only to instill a love for books but especially for books that would deepen her understanding of the Bible and cultivate a desire to know God. Therefore, from the very beginning, we’ve been building her little library with books that reveal God’s character, who we are as His creation, and how we can know and love Him better.

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7 Things God Is Not (Part 2)

8/20/2021

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Last month, I shared the first part of this three-part series considering the first two “God Is Not…” statements found in God’s Word. We looked at the first statement in Numbers 23:19 – God is not a man. And the second one was found in 1 Corinthians 14:33 – God is not the author of confusion. Let’s continue into the next two times the Bible tells us something that “God Is Not.”

Statement #3 – God is not mocked.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7

Statement #4 – God is not unrighteous.

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Hebrews 6:10

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Seeking Him Week Twelve—The Personal Devotional Life: Seeking Him Daily

8/17/2021

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Seeking Him Week Twelve--The Personal Devotional Life: Seeking Him Daily

Welcome to our Summer 2021 Book Club-Style Bible Study! We are using the book Seeking Him by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom.

How would you like to seek personal revival with us this summer and change your life forever! I have done this study twice now, and let me tell you, it is life changing!

Join us for 12 weeks this summer on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 est beginning June 1 through August 17. If you can't come then, come when you can.

Whether you are a brand new lover of Jesus Christ, or you’ve been a Christian for years, this insightful study will impact your life in a transformative way. Seeking Him will reward you with a deeper walk with God and set your life on a path to be used greatly by our Savior.

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