No matter what you are up against or what issues you are facing in your life right now — real joy is yours! Perhaps you have experienced declining health or you’ve just received an unexpected diagnosis. Perhaps your finances are in a tailspin and your future is uncertain. Today, your child may be hurting, your spouse might be bitter, and your marriage may be on the rocks....
It isn’t easy to be joyful when you’re facing the hard things in life. That’s why we are so thrilled to have the best news that you could ever receive!
The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi from a prison cell. We cannot even begin to imagine the conditions he must have endured and the treatment he received. There is nothing in today’s prison system that can be compared to the conditions of the prison where Paul wrote to the Philippians. And, yet, Paul wrote the following words:
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. Phil 1: 3-7 (NIV)
Despite chains, Paul knew real joy because of what Christ had done for him.
We want you to know, dear friend, just as Paul had the church at Philippi in his heart, I have you in mine. Your love for Jesus Christ and your prayers and support of The Encouraging Word gives us the great joy of sharing in God’s grace together.
That is what makes The Encouraging Word so special. It is about God’s grace and our relationship with Him and one another, as we partner together in spreading the Gospel across the nation. Don’t you want your family, your friends and even those you don’t know to experience the joy that can only come from a relationship with Jesus Christ? We know that is the only way to experience real joy.
It is our prayer that God has blessed you through The Encouraging Word. We are so grateful for your partnership and fellowship. As God leads, when you send a financial gift for the ministries of The Encouraging Word, We would like to send to you Dr. Wilton's message on CD, The Real Secret of Joy. You will want to share this with your family and friends to encourage them and to give them joy for these uncertain times.