Today's Words of Encouragement 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. We all face temptations each and every day of our lives. In a culture that is filled with moral depravity and sin-inducing pressures, Paul gives us strong encouragement about temptations in the verse above. Being a Christian does not take temptations away, but it does give us a place to turn to avoid them. I have found that asking myself the simple question, "What would Jesus do," helps me to overcome the temptation. The facts are: (1) wrong desires and temptations happen to everyone, so don't feel you've been singled out; (2) others have resisted temptation, and so can you; (3) any temptation can be resisted because God will help you resist it. God helps you resist by helping you to (1) recognizing those people and situations that give you trouble, (2) run from anything you know is wrong, (3) choose to do only what is right, (4) pray for God's help, and (5) seek friends who love God and can offer help when you are tempted. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Hebrews 8:8-9 "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them." Why did God decide to make a new covenant with us? The key in this verse is "they did not remain faithful to my covenant." God will never allow anything to keep us from Him. The old covenant was a covenant of law between God and Israel. The new and better covenant is one of grace - Christ's offer to forgive our sins and bring us to God through His sacrificial death. This new covenant goes far beyond Israel and Judah to include Gentile nations. It is also new because it is written on our hearts and in our minds. It offers a new way to forgiveness, not through animal sacrifice but through faith. God wants to be with each and everyone of us for eternity and the only thing that will stop that is us individually. What love God has for us, that He will never let anything stand in the way of being with us. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Matthew 12:28-29 "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." There are two ways of doing things. One is to follow the ways of the world, and the other is to follow Christ. Following the world's ways will bring the burdens of sin, oppression and persecution, or weariness in our search for God. Jesus frees us from all these burdens when we turn them over to Him. The rest that Jesus promises is love, healing, and peace with God, not the end to labor. A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose. It's easy for us to get caught up in a world that offers instant gratification, but that same gratification wears off very quickly. When we struggle day by day we sometimes feel like there is no end to the treadmill and the results always comes out the same, with no purpose. Each of us has been created for a purpose, and when we follow Christ, we not only find our purpose, but are filled with love, peace and joy. Allow Jesus to take your burdens and begin to experience His amazing love for you! Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Luke 17:12-15 As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When He saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." As they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him - and he was a Samaritan. Jesus told these ten men to go to the priest before they were healed - and they went! They responded in faith, and Jesus healed them on the way. Is your trust in God so strong that you act even before you see evidence that it will work? Or do you need proof before you will do anything? These ten lepers acted out of faith and were all healed. It's interesting to note that only one of them came back and thanked Jesus for what he had done, and that man was a Samaritan while the others were Jews. It is possible to receive God's great gifts with an ungrateful spirit - nine of the ten men did so. Only the thankful man, however, learned that his faith had played a role in his healing; and only grateful Christians grow in understanding God's grace. God does not demand that we thank Him, but He is pleased when we do so. And He uses our responses to teach us more about Himself. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Being joyful, praying continually, and giving thanks - often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, we will begin to see people in a new perspective and find it easier to be joyful and thankful. We cannot spend all our time on our knees, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times. I personally think about God and thank Him throughout each and every day of my life. Even short thankful prayers are important in order to build our acknowledgement and dependence on God. They are also a good reminder of His presence within us. Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for everything that happens to us, but in everything. Evil does not come from God, so we should not thank Him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for God's presence and for the good that He will accomplish through the distress. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you with everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." God reaches toward His people with kindness motivated by deep everlasting love. He is eager to do the best for you if you will only let Him. After many words of warning about sin, this reminder of God's magnificent love is a breath of fresh air. Rather than thinking of God with dread, look carefully and see Him lovingly drawing you towards Him. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." "I believe the will of God prevails; without Him all human reliance is vain; without the assistance of that Divine Being I cannot succeed; with that assistance I cannot fail." These are the words of Abraham Lincoln, a man who became a Christian in 1839 in Springfield, Illinois during revival services at the Methodist Episcopal Church under the ministry of James F. Jacquess. In a fascinating narrative, Rev. Jacquess described Mr. Lincoln's conversion, "I had chosen for my text the words; 'Ye must be born again,' and during the course of my sermon I laid particular stress on the word 'must'... I noticed Mr. Lincoln appeared to be deeply interested in the sermon. A few days after that Sunday, Mr. Lincoln called on me and informed me that he had been greatly impressed with my remarks on Sunday and he had come to talk with me further on the matter. I invited him in, and my wife and I talked and prayed with him for hours. Now, I have seen many persons converted; I have seen hundreds brought to Christ, and if ever a person was converted, Abraham Lincoln was converted that night in my house." Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement 2 Thessaloians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. Effective communication is difficult; often the message sent is not the message received in the home, marketplace, neighborhood, or even the church. Even when clearly stated or written, words can be misinterpreted and misunderstood, especially when filtered through the sieve of prejudices and preconceptions. "But I thought he said...," "I'm sure he meant...," "It's clear to me that we should...," "I disagree. I think we must..." We must be very careful to back up anything we hear with God's truth (the Bible), or it may lead us to false teachings about Christ. The internet has become a powerful tool to look up Scripture for any situation we may face, and I use it all the time. I read everything very carefully and always double check what I read with my Bible in order to be certain that what is written is the truth according to God's teaching. You must remember that everything written on the internet is not true even if it sounds good. That is why God gave us the Bible, so that we would be absolutely certain of the truth! Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement 1 Thessaloians 5:19-21 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to good. Avoid every kind of evil. By warning us not to "put out the Spirit's fire," Paul means that we should not ignore or toss aside the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. We must never stifle the Holy Spirit's work in anyone's life but encourage the full expression of these gifts to benefit the whole body of Christ. We shouldn't make fun of those who don't agree with what we believe ("treat prophecies with contempt), but we should always "test everything," checking their words against the Bible. We are on dangerous ground if we scoff at a person who speaks the truth. Instead we should carefully check out what people say, accepting what is true and rejecting what is false. As Christians we cannot avoid every kind of evil because we live in a sinful world. We can, however, make sure that we don't give evil a foothold by avoiding tempting situations and concentrating on obeying God. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Doing "all in the name of the Lord Jesus" means bringing honor to Christ in every aspect and activity of our daily lives. As a Christian, you represent Christ at all times - wherever you go and whatever you say. People who claim to be Christians and act like everyone around them are not the type of Christians Jesus wants us to be. In dealing with others we must never forget that we are ambassadors of Christ representing Him at all times. Each of us should ask two important questions about ourselves. (1) What impression do people have of Christ when they see or talk with you? (2) What changes would you make in your life in order to honor Christ? Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let him rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." We have all faced the question of our origin at one time or another. If you believe that man evolved from apes, then you should also wonder why apes are still here. The very fact that man can think, reason and rationalize should also be the first clue that man was in fact created by God rather than some freak accident in outer space. Out of all the animals on our planet, I do not know of one that can build a skyscraper, a battleship or even cook dinner. Look around at what people are doing today and compare it with Scripture and you must come to the conclusion that God created man! Daniel 12:4, "Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." Written approximately 536 years before Christ, Daniel's vision from God is coming true in our ability to travel all over the world (here and there) and knowledge is increasing by leaps and bounds. You can train a dog to stand on its hind legs and dance around in circles, but that dog can not train other dogs to do the same thing, only man can train them. The verse above was written somewhere between 1450 - 1410 B.C. and it still holds true today in the fact that man does rule over every animal on this planet. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement John 9:38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped Him. A man that was born blind had his sight restored by Jesus. At first he thought Jesus was a prophet, but then he realized Jesus was God's Son. The longer he experienced his new life through Christ, the more confident he became in the one who healed him. He gained not only physical sight but also spiritual sight as he recognized Jesus as his Lord. When you turn to Christ, you begin to see Him differently. The longer you walk with Him, the better you will understand who He is. The Apostle Peter tells us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). If you want to know more about Jesus and who He really is, you need to keep walking with Him. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Psalm 97:10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. A sincere desire to please God will result in an alignment of your desires with God's desires. You will love what God loves and hate what God hates. If you do not despise the actions of people who take advantage of others, if you admire people who only look out for themselves, or if you envy those who get ahead using any means to accomplish their ends, then your primary desire in life is not to please God. You must learn to love God's ways and hate evil in every form - not only with the obvious sins but also with the socially acceptable ones. As Christians we are called to love one another. The type of love we are talking about is an action, it is not a feeling. Jesus came and healed many sinners during His ministry here on earth, even though He hated their sins. We do not have to like what someone is doing, but we must still love them no matter what. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Mark 12:28 "Of all the Commandments, which is the most important?" By Jesus' time the Jews had accumulated hundreds of laws - 613 by one historian's count. Can you imagine trying to keep 613 laws? I don't think I could even remember them all. Some religious leaders tried to distinguish between major and minor laws, and some taught that all laws were equally binding and that it was dangerous to make any distinctions. God's laws are not burdensome and they can be reduced to two simple principles: love God and love others. When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the Ten Commandments and other Old Testament laws. According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all God's laws. Let love rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions towards others. When you are uncertain about what to do in any situation, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Matthew 4:19 "Come, follow Me," Jesus said. What powerful words Jesus has for each of us, "Come, follow Me." Although most of us have heard this statement, there are many who don't understand how to actually do it. We have a tendency to make things more difficult that they really are. The way you follow Jesus is actually very simple, you read and do what He says in the Bible. When you start doing what Jesus says, you are following Him, and the best part is that He takes care of everything else. When you follow Jesus, doors begin to open, your life starts to change and you begin to have a new understanding of who God really is. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. What does John mean by the "Word?" The Word was a term used by theologians and philosophers, both Jews and Greeks, in many different ways. In Hebrew Scripture, the Word was an agent of creation (Psalm 33:6), the source of God's message to his people through the prophets (Hosea 1:2), and God's law, His standards of holiness (Psalm 119:11). "The Word became flesh" means becoming human. By doing so, Christ (the Word) became (1) the perfect teacher - in Jesus' life we see how God thinks and therefore how we should think (Philippians 2:5-11); (2) the perfect example - as a model of what we are to become, He shows us how to live and gives us the power to live that way (1 Peter 2:21); (3) the perfect sacrifice for all sins, and His death satisfied God's requirements for the removal of sin (Colossians 1:15-23). What Jesus taught and what He did are tied inseparably to who He is. John shows Jesus as fully human and fully God. Although Jesus took upon Himself full humanity and lived as a man, He never ceased to be the eternal God who has always existed, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and the source of eternal life. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Isaiah 59:21 "As for Me, this is My covenant with them." says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD . When the Holy Spirit dwells within His people they change! Their former desires no longer entice them; now their chief desire is to please God. We who are Christians today are heirs of this prophesy; we are able to respond to God's will and distinguish between good and evil because the Holy Spirit dwells within us (John 14:26; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 5:14). As Christians we will always have God's Word on our lips, we know the difference between right and wrong and we choose to follow God's way of doing things. True Christians will never look down on unbeliever's, because they recognize where they came from before accepting God and His salvation. Our job is to help others know the truth about God and guide them in a direction towards salvation. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, (2) to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who morn. Jesus quoted these words in Luke 4:18, 19. As He read to the people in the synagogue, He stopped in the middle of verse 2 after the words, "to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor." Rolling up the scroll, He said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21). The next phrase in 61:2, "and the day of vengeance of our God," will come true when Jesus returns to earth again. An anointing is when the Holy Spirit provides a believer with the words to say to someone they are talking to. If you are in a conversation with a believer and ask a question, the believer when anointed, will give you an answer that will open your eyes to complete truth and understanding, since these are not the words of the believer but the words coming directly to you from God through the believer. When a person is anointed, it is always for the benefit of the listener, not the believer. Anointing's come and go as needed. To "release from darkness for the prisoners" is not to let the criminals out of jail, but to emphasize the fact that we are all prisoners to sin in a world that has fallen. Jesus in these verses is once again making His claim to be God in the flesh and the Messiah sent to save the world. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Grasping for the sweet things - possessions, experience, power, and pleasure - we find nothing inside. Solomon spoke of this human dilemma almost 3000 years ago; but the insights and applications of his message are still relevant today. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon takes us on a mental journey through his life, explaining how everything he tried, tested, or tasted was "meaningless" - useless, irrational, pointless, foolish, and empty - an exercise in futility. And remember these words are from a man who "had it all" - tremendous intellect, power, and wealth. After this biographical tour; Solomon made a triumphant conclusion: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (12:13, 14). although the tone of Ecclesiastes is negative and pessimistic, all of Solomon's remarks relating to the futility of life are there for a purpose - to lead people to seek true happiness in God alone. He was not trying to destroy hope, but to direct our hopes to the only One who can truly fulfill them. Solomon affirms the value of knowledge, relationships, work, and pleasure, but only in their proper place. All of these things in life must be seen in light of the eternal, that everything apart from God is empty, hollow, and meaningless. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." When God created man and placed him in the Garden of Eden everything was perfect. There was one thing however, and that was God's command to Adam not to eat from the one tree in the garden. We really are a remarkable creation of God when you stop and think about it. We have the ability to think, create, and even to love. But there can not be love without a choice. God placed that tree in the garden because He wanted Adam to obey, but God also gave Adam the freedom to choose. Without that freedom Adam would have been like a prisoner and his obedience would have been hollow. Choosing to obey brought rewards, while choosing to disobey brought sad consequences. God still gives us choices, and we too, often find ourselves choosing wrongly. These wrong choices may cause us pain, but they can also help us learn and grow to make better choices in the future. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Romans 6:21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? We have all done things in our past that we are not too proud of. A Christian is not someone who cannot sin, but someone who is no longer a slave to sin. The definition of a slave is: "One who is abjectly subservient to a specified person or influence." In a permissive society it is easy to overlook or tolerate some immoral behavior (greed, drunkenness, etc.) while remaining outraged at others (murder, child abuse, etc.). As Christians we must not be selective about what we condemn or excuse. Staying away from more "acceptable" forms of sin is difficult, but God expects His followers to have high standards. When we accept Jesus and become "born again" we are made new. The three aspects of God's work are all part of our salvation: our sins are washed away, we are set apart for special use ("sanctified"), and we were pronounced not guilty ("justified") for our sins. In our past we may have done many things that were not right in God's eyes. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:11, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of God." The past is the past and cannot be changed, however, the future can through Christ Jesus! Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Isaiah tells us to call on the Lord while He is near. God is not planning on moving away from us, but we often move far away or erect a barrier between ourselves and Him. There are times when we get this feeling inside that is prompting us to seek God. This is usually a prompting or nudging from the Holy Spirit telling us that God is near and calling out to you. This is the time you need to respond by seeking more information from someone you may know that is a Christian. They will guide you in the right direction. Don't let these times slip by and don't wait until you have drifted far away to seek Him, since it may become more difficult later down the road. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God." There are many words in the Bible that are translated so that we will have an understanding of what God is saying to us. Sometimes we have a tendency to use certain translations and apply our Western cultural meanings to them. The words "Be still" are a perfect example of how we interpret a meaning that is incorrect. We would obviously consider "Be still" to mean that we should get off into a quiet place alone and wait on God. While this is a good practice, the actual Hebrew meaning of "Be still" is to stop what we are doing and surrender allowing God to take control. If we go through life solely in our own power trying to make things happen, we will end up frustrated when the results do not meet our expectations. Only when you surrender and turn everything over to God will you fully experience what God has for you. Surrender may include walking away from people or things we are doing. God will guide and direct you in order to fulfill His purpose for your life, and if you follow His instructions you will eat from the best of the land. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement 2 Kings 5:9-10 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." Naaman was commander of king Aram's army. He was a great man in the eyes of his king, but Naaman had one problem, he had leprosy. A young Israelite girl that was taken captive and served Naaman's wife told her that if Naaman would seek out the prophet in Samaria he would cure him of his leprosy. Naaman set out to Elisha's house, and when he arrived and a servant came out to him and told him to go dip seven times in the Jordan river, he went away angry. Naaman thought that Elisha himself would come out and greet him because of his stature, not some servant. He was looking for the prophet to wave his arms in the air, say some holy prayer and heal him. When he finally decided to go to the Jordan (which is a muddy, murky river) and humble himself by doing what he was told, he was healed. When we place God into the "I thought" way of thinking we too can miss the very answer to our prayers. God works through people, and an answer you may be looking for could come through a person you bump into at the grocery store, or even a beggar on a street corner. Naaman felt that a lowly servant could never give him the advice he needed. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that God only works through a high priest wearing a robe covered with crosses. Pride almost cost Naaman his healing. Don't let it stand in your way! Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Haggai 1:9-10 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of My house, which remains in ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops." In 586 B.C., the armies of Babylon had destroyed the temple in Jerusalem - God's house, the symbol of His presence with them. King Cyrus decreed that Jews could return to their beloved city and rebuild the temple. So they traveled to Jerusalem and began the work. But then they forgot their purpose and lost their priorities, which brought the work to a standstill. They spent more time building their own homes and making them beautiful than rebuilding God's temple. The people were more concerned with their own needs than doing God's will, and, as a result, they suffered. Although these passages focus on the temple in Jerusalem, the meaning goes much deeper. Our values and priorities are reflected in how we use our resources - time, money, strength, and talent. Often our actions belie our words. We say God is number one, but then we relegate Him to a lesser number on our "to do" list. As Christians we are the symbol of God's presence within us, and if our house remains in ruin, blessings will be withheld. Go into 2012 with a new understanding and renew the way you think, act and honor God by placing Him first in everything you do, and the blessings of heaven will be poured out beyond your imagination. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." We're all encouraged by a leader who stirs us to move ahead, someone who believes we can do the task at hand and will be with us all the way. God is that kind of leader. He knows the future, and His plans for us are good and full of hope. As long as God provides our agenda and goes with us, we can have boundless hope. As we move into a new year, allow God to guide and direct your path bringing you into His overwhelming love, grace and the plan He has for you. May God bless every step you take and provide from the best of the land for you always. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. New Year's resolutions seem to hit the lips of most everyone. Everything from stop smoking, stop drinking, lose weight, get in shape, start saving, and more. Wanting to change is a good thing, since it could be a possible indicator of things in our lives that may need to be corrected. Making the actual change can be a little more challenging, since there is usually more than one factor involved in what we want to change. Our surroundings and the people we associate with can play a major role in being successful or unsuccessful in adhering to our resolutions. To stop something you need to "Walk Away" from it. You do have help, and that help is in Jesus; (Psalm 121:1-2) "I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." May the New Year bring you blessings, peace and joy through our Lord Jesus Christ. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:22-24). It's hard for some to understand that we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Some are good people and think that makes them right in God's eyes, others think they can earn their way to heaven by doing good things. Both are total lies. The moment that Adam disobeyed God, sin entered the world, and man was separated from God for eternity. A price had to be paid for that sin and that price was death (Romans 6:23). But God loves you so much that He was willing to take your place and pay the price for you. God sent His Son who became a man named Jesus for that very reason, so that you could live. And all God asks in return is that you willingly accept His free gift of salvation. Each of us will stand before God when we die, and those who have not accepted His salvation will be separated for eternity. Jesus would rather die than live without you. Please don't let His death be in vain for you and accept His free gift (click here). Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
Today's Words of Encouragement 1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from the outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. The Greek word for fish is "ichthys." As early as the first century, Christians made an acrostic from this word: Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter, (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior). Greeks, Romans, and many other pagans used the fish symbol long before Christians. Christians used the fish, because unlike the cross, it attracted little suspicion, making it a perfect secret symbol for persecuted believers. When threatened by Romans in the first centuries after Christ, Christians used the fish to mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes. According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger on the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company. Today some Christians display bumper stickers with the fish on them, others wear a necklace with the cross and some with the fish. We, as Christians, do not worship these symbols but rather use them as a statement of who we are and whom we worship, and that is Jesus Christ. They are no different than a wedding ring telling everyone we are married. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
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Today's Words of Encouragement Exodus 33:13 Moses said to the LORD, "If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You." Moses wanted to know more about God, and he also wanted God's reassurance that He was going to be with him and his people on their journey to the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (the Promised Land). God's reply was, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know your name." Then Moses said, "Now show me Your Glory." And the LORD said, "I will cause My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My name, the LORD, in your presence." Notice that God did not give Moses a vision of His power and majesty, but rather of His love (cause My goodness). God's glory is revealed in His mercy, grace, compassion, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice. Even today, when Christian's reach out through acts of kindness, compassion, faithfulness and forgiveness, it is a reflection of God's glory working through them for all to see. Like The Blackboard? Add A Friend Accept God's free gift of salvation (click here) Need Prayer? Missed Some Previous Blackboards? |
