Good News Brief For Men

Psalm 56:1,3 Be gracious to me, O God, When I am afraid, I put my trust in Thee. (RSV) There have been times in my past when I was dealing with a physical issue that had posed a serious threat to my life. I needed God to lay out His plan before me so I could follow Him. In all the times I asked Him, I never received a clear answer except, follow Me. Jeremiah 29:11   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (NKJV) This verse had become very strong in those times of great need. In my commute from Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC after that morning of radiation treatment for Cancer, I was looking for peace and surely strength to make it yet another day. I also needed Courage. I knew God had a future and hope in front of me, but I also needed courage and strength. I then recited Joshua 1:9 …...Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord...

2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (NKJV) As we participate in various Bible Studies around the church along with various small group gatherings, we need to always be on the lookout to what God is saying to us. He can do this through Bible verses that just pop up in our memory from some familiar time before, through friends in conversation or even through a praise or worship song that comes to mind. Be assured, God is always at work in our lives. We see God’s grace develop itself through the scriptures mostly and that is why reading the Bible and learning from the Word is so important. We never know when God is going to use us to reach and encourage someone else, we encounter along our journey. Key Point: Growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, will take effort on our part. He is always ready for you to open His Word and look for His grace and knowledge. Start today. You will reap the rewards! Prayer: Lo...

Colossians 3:16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (NIV) Do we let the message of Christ radiate through our connections with others along our daily journey? Are we looking for an opportunity to be an encouragement to someone along the way? What would the Apostles do? If you read their letters written in the Word of God, you can see that their focus was Christ Himself. Jesus’ focus Himself was the kingdom of God. We see this clearly in John 14:1-6 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  2  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am,...

  I Instruct You Proverbs 4:11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. (NIV) We receive vast amounts of wisdom in the Word of God. As we meditate and practice His precepts we grow in understanding and knowledge. It does not come all at once. That would be overwhelming. God parcels His wisdom out in bites of knowledge we can absorb as we continue through His Word. The more we read the Word of God the greater our ability to grow in wisdom as He directs. We take this wisdom and ask God to lead us along the journey He has planned for us. He takes our wandering ways and straightens it out as we work His Word into our everyday life. As we read and study we grow more in His wisdom, and we look at life differently. We see how He leads us and directs us even through the scriptures in which we do not quite see the application. But rest assured, God is at work making our paths straight as we follow Him. Key Point: Our life takes on new purpos...