Be encouraged and “in courage”
Posted on 06 November 2011 by
Jack Weinzierl
I know that some of our friends and family are facing foreclosure, health challenges, lost jobs, divorce, etc. I pray that this encourages you, as God has a very special plan for you and the enemy is doing everything he can to keep you from leading a victorious life that will glorify God.
Worship was awesome this morning… not because of the songs we sang… not because of the talent on stage (and they are talented), but because of who He is. Worship and prayer has been so important to Stephanie and me over the past few years. It kept us focused on His grace and mercy in the midst of some very difficult storms. It kept me focused on all that He has done for us and what He delivered us from… and what He is still delivering us through. We are so thankful!
Over the past 3 years… we lost two businesses, lost our so-called “dream” home to foreclosure, lost our business reputation, lost friends who believed the lies, lost a church when it closed, lost health temporarily with depression… diagnosed with skin cancer in five places, atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation, $25,000 in legal fees fighting a baseless lawsuit, faced over $700,000 in debt, and several thousand online attacks on me, my family, faith, church and school.
The enemy did everything possible to take me out…
at times wondering if my family was better off without me… if I can be so honest in hopes of helping someone else. Christians often put a good face on, while ignoring serious issues that so many face in private. You are never too low or have fallen too far from God that He cannot heal and restore you.
I am sharing all this in hope that it helps someone else. It is not easy to go through the storms in life, but continue to praise Him for what He has done, is doing and will do in your life. He has delivered us from some very difficult circumstances… almost everyone of these mentioned above. He did not bring those things to us, but He will use these circumstances to strengthen you and we give Him all the glory. We have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. He is our encourager, our provider, our healer, our deliverer, our comfort, our victory. He has provided for us in so many supernatural ways and we look forward to sharing…. the rest of the story very soon. Be encouraged… be ” in courage” this week. Pray with someone else you know going through a difficult time. Sow seeds of encouragement (even when you don’t feel like it) and the harvest will be great.
Remember to be thankful for your many blessings. Most of you reading this make more than $2 a day which is the average pay for 50% of the world’s population. Be thankful that you can worship and pray without persecution and that we serve the only Risen Savior.
I want to make sure to clarify one thing in my post above. We are not victims. We made several bad choices and decisions and much of what we experienced was due to those decisions. Yes, the enemy will use these circumstances to try to take you out, make you ineffective for the Kingdom by making you feel unworthy and filled with self pity and even hatred, but I thank God for His mercy and grace. I know that I chased the almighty dollar at times vs putting “The Almighty” first. I will contend for the very best, falling short at times, but failing is an event, not who you are.
Have a great week friends and look for someone to encourage and love. It may be a matter of life and death to them.
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