Words of Encouragement – Heart of a Gold Burden Bearer
By Alix Benjamin
Burden Bearer, you depict an image like no other and your love and compassion is unconditional. You carry the weight of others upon yourself as Christ has done for us on the cross ✝. (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:18)
Burden Bearer, your commiseration and mercy has opened hearts to spread it out to the hungry and the needy. You set aside your needs and desires to focus on those whom you do not know. You put your life on hold, lay aside your dreams and goals in life to devote your attention to helping those you love reach their dreams and goals in life.
You sacrifice time and energy, both at work and at home. “Yet” your need seems to amaze me with your willingness to take on more challenging tasks to help others’ family, friends, and neighbors, which doesn’t seem to stop you from being involved in bringing joy and peace to others.
Burden Bearer, at times you get overwhelmed and feel powerless. Your strength has failed you, for you find yourself at your wit’s end, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, for you are a human being struggling with life’s turmoil too. But you put all of your hardships, difficulties, and physical abnormalities into the hands of God in prayer as you end the calm of evening sky transcends into a peaceful night, and rested the children in their bed. You prayed with and sent them off into the peaceful arms of their heavenly Father. To the earthly fathers who are absent physically in their children’s lives, be grateful for the loving, caring partners, mothers, and grandmothers that we have in our children’s lives.
As for you, O Burden Bearer, time has allowed you this moment to give thanks to the Lord for this day that He has made. But in the midst of your prayer, the calm night has smoothed out the roughness of the day, for the Lord has gotten you through it. While you lay your head down, you drifted into the calm of the night. As the sun rises, so do you, yet begins another day.
Burden Bearer, you take on the challenges of life head on, day by day. You face adversities and demanding pressures of life on a day-to-day basis. Yet by the strength above, you rise up with a brand-new start to start each day.
Burden Bearer, for you are only human, and as Christ suffered, so will you. For the Lord said, in this world you will have trouble, you will have trials and tribulation. But the Lord promises to you, to hold firm, and endure just for a little while longer all shall come to pass. (2 Timothy 2:10; Matthew 24:13; Isaiah 2:9; 2 Corinthians 1:6)
To know this is to also be aware that God has a first-class reservation for you in heaven, which is eternity of eternal life of peace, joy, fellowship, and worship. (Deuteronomy 33:27; John 10:28; 17:2; Hebrews 9:15)
Burden Bearer, you are blessed and a blessing to all those around you. You are truly a servant of God. You will prevail no matter what the day brings, for God is with you and for you; who can be against you.
This word of encouragement is dedicated to my dear wife Marjory J., Benjamin, and for single moms, mothers, fathers, caretakers, and wives who are facing similar circumstances as my wife, who have a “heart of gold” as burden bearers, having your partner separated from you and your children’s father being involved in their lives. Also,
(All scriptures are referenced from New Living Version, King James Version, and New Living Translation Bibles.)
Words of Encouragement Separation Through Barriers (Journal Entry: January 12, 2014)
By Alix Benjamin
At times we as new believers in Christ often struggle with letting God take control of what we know that has such a stronghold on us, that seems hard to shake off. But yet through our faith in Christ becoming a new creation, we are called to put to rest all things which are of the past.
Still we stay focused on the things of the past which then put barriers between us and God and not mention other believers as well. At times we also put fences and gates to separate us from others. The intention might have been harmless, while there are some good reasons to have physical fences. Isolating us from our neighbors is not one of them so we have to understand some of our neighbor’s desires for the feeling of community.
We fellowship from one to another to encourage one another in the journey with our God. God intended for us to connect with other believers because it is vital in our Christian walk. Bible references: (Acts 2:41–47); (Ecclesiastes 4:10). We all need Christian fellowship to build us up and elevate the next generation.
Words of Encouragement / Identity Crisis / Lies ☠️ the Devil 👿 Tried To Convince Me Of
By Alix Benjamin
Do you feel lost?
Do you feel worthless sometimes?
Do you know who you are? Or whose you are?
If you answered no to the third question above, you have been identified with a crisis my friends. This is known as an identity crisis. It’s time ⏰ to seek out for help to find your one ☝️ and only true indentity.
You were created by the one ☝️ who molded you with unique gifts 🎁 and abilities to serve His mighty kingdom (1 Corinthians 12:4-7; Galatians 2:9-10; Ephesians 2:8, 4:8; 2 Timothy 1:6). He chose you while you were still in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5, 25:15-26; Psalms 139:15-16; Isaiah 49:1-5).
He created you from the foundation of His creation from the dust of the earth 🌎. He formed you and breathed the breath of life into you (Genesis 2:7). You were made to be a light 🔦 in a dark world 🌍, just as Jesus Christ is a light 🔦 unto you (John 1:4-6).
You were made and given authority to govern and rule over all that the creator God has made. You were also given dominion over all creatures, plants 🌱, and birds 🕊 in the sky ☁️ and the wild animals 🐅🦓. Everything that has life (Genesis 1:28-29). You were made a little lower 👼 than the angels 😇 (Hebrews 2:7).
To avoid an identity crisis, believe that you were made in God’s own image (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6; Joshua 3:9). You were made to have a close intimate relationship with your creator (John 16:27).
To identify with your identity, know that you have chosen the path that the One ☝️ God intended for you. You’ve not allowed the devil’s 😈, “Satan”, schemes to overpower your will, the will God gave you known as free will.
But we deserve a loving, compassionate ❤️, merciful, and forgiving God who does not only restore order in our lives, but also keeps His promises. When He chose you, He chose you as His child 👶 of God. So your identity is identified in Christ and through Christ.
Words of Encouragement
Characterizations of Vulnerability Through Incarceration
By Alix Benjamin
KEEPING IT 100%
Behind these walls, life seems so different. Days feel like night 🌙 time and night 🌃 time feels like day time 🌞. Your daily life is regulated under rules and regulations. Looking at this surrounding, there are those who are facing life sentences and there are a few who live on the thrill of being in and out of prison. Then there are the youngsters, young bucks or young men, who just want to be down and cool 😎.
KEEPING IT 100%
There’s a lot of material to be used in this place. Life behind bars or living an incarcerated lifestyle is like a wilderness experience and is also a reality show. You are constantly changing whether you want to or not. You played the role of a nice guy but the result is the same as though you had played the role of a bad guy. You tried to change the character which led you in the wilderness but the system makes it hard to let go of your past. You are constantly being reminded of your past failures and mistakes.
KEEPING IT 100%
You tried to improve how people view you, seeking opportunities while living in the wilderness to show change, but again the system which is designed to keep you captivated by the past would have you to believe change cannot take place within you. You can do all that is required of you to be eligible to get out of jail, but then you see the board and you get a six (6) month to a year hit because they focus on your past failures and mistakes. Blinded by your convictions, they can’t get past that you are a changed man 🙋🏾♂️, you are now a new man 🙋🏾♂️, your old 😔 self has been put to rest, and you are a new creature created in Christ (Romans 7:4; John 1:12–13).
KEEPING IT 100%
“I am not who I used to be. I am not where I was once at. For the Lord has met me right ⚙️ where I am and steered me on the right ⚙️ path with a different mindset. He has turned my whole life around from self-destruction to restoration and He also has set you free” (Matthew 6:10; 1 Peter 4:19). He set you free from captivity. He has put a new song 🎶 in your mouth 😇, praise be God my Savior. Now that you have been set free from bondage and you are no longer held captive by the enemy, you can explore and showcase the gifts 🎁 and abilities that are embedded in you. I no longer live under the captivity of man 🙋🏾♂️, but I am free from all bondage.
KEEPING IT 100%
This is not a life for anyone. This is not the life God intended for you. Yet keeping it 100, there are those who have adapted to it but there are some who have no choice but to make it their home 🏠 until God shows them how He can use them in the midst of this journey. Keeping it 100, this is my pit stop, my wilderness. God has my undivided attention. I’m just passing through, along the way using this time to reflect on the purpose of God’s will for my life and to grow into my faith (Hebrews 10:38). No matter what obstacles come my way, no matter if things happen the way I want them to or not, I’m on God’s time ⏰ and His Will, will be done (Matthew 6:10; 1 Peter 4:19). The victory 🏆 is already yours and the battle has already been won. The devil 👿 has been defeated and you have been set free. Free indeed! This is as real as it is, for God said, “It is finished.”
(Scripture references are taken from King James Version and New Living Translation NLT Bible)
Words of Encouragement
You Are Not Alone
By Alix Benjamin
When you feel anxious, know that you are focusing on the visible world and leaving God out of the picture. The world can only offer a temporary photo for you to visualize as a playing field of excitement simply for you to rely on contentment. The world showcases its luxury living by displaying images of those who are rich and famous to draw you to reckless living. For there’s a saying that says, “Money makes the world go round”. But the Bible says otherwise, “The love of Money is the root of all evil”. (1Tim 6:10)
The world offers satisfaction without guarantee and no real assurance to what the repercussions will be until it’s too late. It leaves an open door for adversity to manifest its way into your life. The world promises joy and happiness through the glimpse of what could be or what should be, raising the bar for a futuristic lifestyle with no standard or value. As the world offers its ways of living, it is up to you and I to determine whether or not to follow its ways.
You and I have been given the will to choose. The choice is ours to defer or to follow it. The decision is ours, you and I, alone! But God has an antidote which has been deposited into you and I. When He created us He implanted this antidote to reinforce our ability as free will. The antidote is to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but rather fix our eyes on what is unseen. For when we do, we relinquish all at His disposal; the now, our tomorrow, and the future because He is all knowing. He is the beginner, the author, and the finisher of our faith.
When all is said and done, as we keep our focus on what is unseen, God Himself will reveal to us His glory and expectations for present. As for tomorrow, The Lord will provide as we stay true to Him and true to ourselves. As for the future, He has already seen it and established a teachable method with wisdom, knowledge, and guidance to prepare you and I for the future because you and I are not alone nor were we ever alone. (Heb 13:5,6)
(Scripture references are taken from New King James Version and New Living Translation/ NLT Bible)
Words of Encouragement
Reality Speaks to the Heart to Activate Spiritual Growth
By Alix Benjamin
Webster’s Dictionary defines Reality as (1) the state of quality of being real, (2) a real thing or fact, (3) real things, facts, or events as a whole.
The Bible describes Realities (Real) as follows:
1 Corinthians 2:13 (1) When God is pouring his words into our hearts ♥ and lives, He does not use words that come from human wisdom. He speaks words given by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truth.
1 Corinthians 2:17 (2) Reality (Real): For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ Himself is that reality.
1 John 2:27 (3) Realities (Real): But for you have resolved the Holy Spirit and He lives within you so you won’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know and what He teaches is true. It’s not a lie. So as He taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
Reality can speak in various ways in your life. It can speak to your heart ♥, mind, soul, and body. Reality can also leave us in despair by speaking into our souls, which then causes our hearts ♥ to break down ☹ with pain and sorrow. Reality is fed on both negative and positive emotions.
When things are going well in our lives, the heart ♥ rejoices. When things are not going well, our entire body collapses at the feet of reality, emotionally, physically, and spiritually to assure us that we have been defeated.
But God has given you and I an element that transforms reality to speak positive thoughts to redirect the course of our focus from negative to the truth to activate spiritual growth. God did not give us a spirit of weakness and fearfulness (1 Corinthians 2:10), but a spirit of power and love. God has also given us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16), who paid the ultimate price for your sins and mine. Reality now can be viewed as a reminder to us all. When we are weak, we are not defeated. You and I are strengthened at the sight of our adversities or our defeat, for the Holy Spirit reminds us to let go and let God’s growth in His Words, Spirit, and presence take root onto you, just as a small spark grows into a fire. 🔥
God put his gift in us when He breathed life into us (Genesis 2:7), and He gave us dominion over all things created (Genesis 1:26). God redirects the path of reality by His grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Reality no longer has power to speak defeat into our hearts ♥ and souls as long as we stay grounded in the one true God who is the beginning and end of all things created (Revelation 21:6; 22:13). As the world would have its own definition and outlook on what is real and what is not, the Word of God and His presence is made known to us through His Holy Spirit which speaks victory ✌ because Jesus Christ has already paved the way for us through His sacrifice on the cross ✝ (Matthew 27:35–44).
Reality speaks to the heart ♥ to activate spiritual growth through reassurances, encouragement, promises, and the word of truth over our lives daily. For God says, “Abide in Me and I will abide in you”, (John 10:4). So my brothers, I ask you these questions. “What is reality speaking onto you? Is it defeat or victory?”
(Scripture references are taken from King James Version and New Living Translation NLT Bible)
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