An Encouraging Heart #103

Philippians 2:1-2

1Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Is your heart tender and compassionate? What a probing question. What is inside of you? The encouragement you are to others is determined by what is in your own heart. Is it a heart of an encourager? Is it a heart of love? Is your heart at one mind and purpose with another? Then you can be an encourager.

The theologian William Barclay once wrote, “One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement….It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals: it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.”

Is your heart a heart of encouragement. Be aware that everyday God will send someone into your life who needs uplifted. He will send them your way in order that you can ‘be there’ for them. Look for them. They may be as near as your spouse or child. It may be a discouraged student or a co-worker. It may be in a hospital room, or a nursing home. You are God’s emissary of the moment. Be available with a heart ready to encourage.

I hope you find purpose for your life today as you grow in Christ. May God bless you as your spiritual life prospers in Jesus.

______________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from downtown Custer, SD in the beautiful Black Hills. Sandy, Collin and I arrived on Monday in order to spend a few days camping. Tuesday we fulfilled a promise to Collin to see Mt. Rushmore. We made the hike up to the faces and spent almost three hours at the marvelous creation.

Almost two years ago I had promised Collin that I would take him to see Mt. Rushmore. Of course last year that became an impossibility. Not only did we not get to Mt. Rushmore but I spent most of the summer in the hospital. Part of me doubted I would ever fulfill that promise, BUT another part believed God would give me the health to show Collin what a magnificent place Mt. Rushmore is. God was gracious enough to see that come to be. PTL

I will be preaching on August 1 at the Community Bible Church in the capital of Pierre, SD. Looking forward to seeing people again from that great church.

I have been telling you we are making changes to The Encourager. The changes are made.We have set up a blog site. ALL of the 103 encouragers are found on the blog site,Several of you have commented that you wish you had saved copies or could refer to an Encourager you may have read a year ago. Well now you can. I will continue to send The Encourager as usual, BUT if you want the new format and would like to receive your Encourager from the blog site please go to Follow the simple directions to submit your email address.You can also check it out by a google search to dgtheencourager.blogspot.comI hope you will change to the new Encourager. I will repeat this message for the next two or three weeks. You will receive the Encourager by email, but it will be the blog site you will receive. All you need to do is sign up.

Blessings to you. ~DGW