.....encouragement

Barnabas played an essential role in Paul's ministry. He boldly introduced Paul to the apostles in Jerusalem Acts 9:27, and then searched for Paul when he fled Jerusalem to his home town of Tarsus Acts 11:25-26. After taking Paul to Antioch, Barnabas remained with him for several years while they encouraged the church...and each other.

Being an encourager was a way of life for Barnabas. His name was originally Joseph, but prior to even meeting Paul, the apostles had begun to call him "Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement)" Acts 4:36. Barnabas was able to evaluate other people according to their ability in Christ - an ability determined by the strength of Jesus and not hindered by past failures. This allowed Barnabas to see great potential where others saw only weakness, and to encourage when others had given up.

Barnabas went with Paul on his first missionary journey where they jointly proclaimed the name of Jesus wherever they went. Another young man, named Mark, began this first missionary journey with Paul but then turned back Acts 13:13. This apparent lack of perseverance bothered Paul so much that when he began his second missionary trip he refused to take Mark along.

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus Acts 15:37-39

Barnabas saw the Christ-given potential in young Mark and encouraged him as he had done with Paul many years before. As a result, Mark matured in his ministry and faithfully continued in his service to Jesus. He ministered alongside the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 5:13, was reunited with Paul Colossians 4:10, Philemon 24, and later wrote an account of the life of Jesus - the Gospel of Mark.

The early church faced many difficulties - many opportunities for discouragement - but God used Barnabas to strengthen those who had been called to the front lines of battle. We can't all stand up and preach in front of large crowds or travel as missionaries to foreign lands, but we ALL have the ability to encourage those whom God places in our path.

The world is full of people crying out for someone to care for and believe in them. Individual lives can be changed, families can be restored, entire communities and even nations can be turned toward God, if each of us will encourage others to draw closer to our Heavenly Father, to love Him more, and to trust Him with all our heart. Let’s do our part to change the world! Let's share the love of Jesus and effectively minister by seeing others, and then taking action, as a Son of Encouragement.

- steve troxel

.....feel

Have you ever seen a hot, dusty child throw off their tee-shirt and sandals and run across a beach into the water? Have you ever seen someone who has just received good news do a little dance or twirl – totally oblivious to all around them? Have you, yourself, felt the freedom of the removal of doubts, worries or fears? If so, then you can relate to the following scripture.

“Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance, the race set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

It is only too easy, or perhaps a human reaction, to hang on to our sins. We ruminate our infractions. We question ourselves - How could I have done such a thing? Why am I having those thoughts? What is wrong with me? And on we go, digging deeper and deeper into the pit.

Instead, scripture tells us to throw off the sin that entangles us or "ensnares us". Toss it aside, never to be picked up again. Focus on the goal ahead and run for it. God has forgiven us when we confess, and He has already forgotten our sin. He is with us urging us forward in total freedom. The voice that hinders our race, that insists we are not worth it, that we have totally blown our relationship with God, is the enemy of our souls. He would have us wallow in the darkness of our sin BUT God says, “ No – You are my beloved, forgiven child. Move forward into the light.” How wonderful is that!

The next time we feel burdened by sin and dark thoughts, let’s look up. That great cloud of witnesses is cheering us on. Throw off the gloom and soar as an eagle into the light of God’s forgiving grace. That is His gift to His children and it’s ours for the taking.

- pat earl

.....barnabas

Prior to meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul was one of the greatest enemies of Christians: "Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison" Acts 8:3. But Saul's conversion to Christ was dramatic, and after a few years he tried to join with the believers in Jerusalem. However, with his reputation for hatred toward Christians, the disciples were not willing to accept him.

But one man saw beyond the past mistakes, saw beyond the slimy pit from which he had been removed, saw the grace of Jesus which had worked a miracle in Saul's life - that man was Barnabas! Barnabas believed in Saul, comforted him, and defended him to the other believers.

"But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus." Acts 9:27

Saul was on fire for Jesus, ready to preach the gospel with the same energy he once used to persecute the church. But after just a short time in Jerusalem, Saul had to flee for his life back to his home in Tarsus. It's not clear what he did for the next several years, but there is no evidence of ministry work until Barnabas, once again, found Saul and provided the necessary encouragement.

"Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people." Acts 11:25-26

The Apostle Paul went on to have a greater impact in the forming of the early Church and in defining Church doctrine than any other follower of Jesus. But if not for Barnabas, Paul may not have ever preached beyond his own back yard. In the early days of the Church, Barnabas believed the absolute best in people and encouraged them at every opportunity. His encouragement of Paul resulted in more fruit for God's Kingdom than anything else he could have possibly done or imagined.

We all know someone who can use a lift - someone in desperate need of a friend to believe in them - someone in need of a Barnabas! Let's encourage others today by believing in the power of Christ working through their lives, by looking beyond what we can see to what we know Jesus can do with a life completely devoted to Him, by being the spark which reignites the fire and helps them return to the great race. Let's look for opportunities to encourage our Brothers and Sisters according to the example of Barnabas.

- steve troxel

....situations

 As long as you live in this world, you are subjected to the same chaos, the ups and downs, the good and bad, the positives and the negatives of life. You are not the only person facing this.

What sets you apart from others though, is how you choose to deal with this situation. Here are steps to cope with bad situations and create something good out of them:

1. Release Your Frustrations.

Don’t bottle them up because you might just implode. Talk to a friend about it. A listening ear does wonders. Go exercise and release the tension. Journal it out. Give it up to God. All of it!

2. Realize You Are Not Alone.

No matter what you may think, you’re not alone in this. God is with you. He brought you to this to take you through it. After you get through this, you'll be stronger, more dedicated and more faithful to Him. Knowing this helps you to get out of a self-victimizing mindset.

3. Being Frustrated Isn’t Going to Solve Anything.

The problem will still remain whether you go berserk at it or whether you think about it calmly. The former will create more problems as your agitation prevents you from making good decisions. Remaining frustrated will not help you, so focus on what can be done instead.  Keep your eyes on Jesus.

4. Know You Always Have A Choice.

Realize no matter what happens, you always have a choice in how you react. While you may not be able to control what happens to you, you can most certainly control your behaviors. You can face the worst things in the world, but if you make the choice not to let yourself be affected by them, you won’t be.

5. Objectify It.

An incident is an incident; we’re responsible for the feelings attached. Remove the feelings and look at the situation objectively. This will help us cope a lot better.

6. Focus On What You Can Do.

Action creates empowerment. It brings possibilities. It creates results. By taking action, you are no longer a passive recipient. You are a conscious creator.  "Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only."  (James 1:22)

7. Ask For Help If You Need To.

It’s okay to ask for help if it makes the situation easier. Remember, you are not alone in this. "He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7)

8. See It As An Obstacle To Be Overcome.

Life is a journey of learning and growth, and everything happens for a reason. Obstacles are the things stopping you from getting your goals, and if you keep overcoming these obstacles, you’ll eventually get what you want. "I press on toward the prize of the upward high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14)

9. Identify the lesson learned.

There are always things to be learned from every situation. Learning a lesson, moving forward and not repeating the same mistake will help you the next time.

10. Give It To God

Give it to God - All of it!  And then forget about it. He's up every night. No need for you to be.

No matter what life throws your way, as long as you cope with it constructively, with God, nothing can get you down, slow you down or hold you down.

Keep looking up and you'll move up!

.....hard

Jeremiah had been a prophet for nearly forty years by the time Jerusalem came under attack by the Babylonians. He had long been proclaiming a message of repentance, but the people continued to ignore his words. Now, the enemy had surrounded Jerusalem and the end was near. In this time of great turmoil, God told Jeremiah to purchase a field from his cousin.

This was a strange request but Jeremiah obediently purchased the field. However, he soon began to question God's reasoning: "See how the siege ramps are built up to take the city? Though the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, You say to me, 'Buy the field'" Jeremiah 32:24,25. 

Jeremiah had been a prophet for many years. He had been given the privilege of talking directly with God, but this command just didn't make sense. Why should he purchase a field when the enemy was invading and taking prisoners?

God answered Jeremiah with a simple, yet challenging, question.

"I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Jeremiah 32:27

Yes, the enemy had invaded the land and would soon overrun the city of Jerusalem. But God's plan was for the people to one day return: "I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in My furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be My people and I will be their God" Jeremiah 32:37-38. Jeremiah's field was to be a reminder that God would one day restore His people - a reminder that He could be trusted even in the face of overwhelming circumstances.

We often have a difficult time seeing how all the pieces of God's plan fit together. He leads us down a path and we fail to see the purpose - especially when the enemy begins to attack. We want to fight back, but God says to patiently trust Him and pray. We want to determine a solution and solve the problem, but God says to love Him with all our heart and share His love with others.

The times in which we are most tested and pressed down ought to be the times of greatest growth and closeness with our Heavenly Father. When it seems we have nowhere else to turn, we ought to rejoice and trust Him even more! Let's put our life firmly in His Hands and submit to His guidance - even when we may not see where we are going or how we will get there. Let's trust His ways and always remember...for God, there is NOTHING too hard! 

- steve troxel

.....wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried, 
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied. 

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate, 

And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait." 

"Wait?  You say, wait! " my indignant reply. 

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why! 

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard? 

By Faith, I have asked, and I am claiming your Word. 

My future and all to which I can relate 

Hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to "WAIT"? 

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign, 

Or even a 'no' to which I can resign. 

And Lord, You promised that if we believe 

We need but to ask, and we shall receive. 

And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry: 

I'm weary of asking!  I need a reply!

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate 

As my Master said once again, "Child, you must wait." 

So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut 

And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting... for what?" 

He seemed, then, to kneel, and His eyes wept with mine, 

And he tenderly said, "I could give you a sign. 

I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun. 

I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run. 

All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be. 

You would have what you want ... But, you wouldn't know Me. 

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint; 

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint. 

You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there; 

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me 

When darkness and silence were all you could see. 

You'd never experience that fullness of love 

As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove; 

You'd know that I give and I save... (for a start), 

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart. 

The glow of My comfort late into the night, 

The faith that I give when you walk without sight, 

The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked 

Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST. 

You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee, 

What it means that "My grace is sufficient for Thee." 

Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come true, 

But, Oh, the Loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you! 

So, be silent, My Child, and in time you will see 

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me. 

And though oft may My answers seem terribly late, 

My most precious answer of all is still, "WAIT." 

- Russell Kelfer

.....deeds

The area which probably causes the most contention is the role of grace in Salvation, this debate is largely due to various sides not really understanding one another, and also to shifting the debate to the role of good deeds. This message, will focus on those who agree that Salvation is completely through the grace of God but may disagree as to the role of good deeds.

For those who hold that good deeds do not have a part in Salvation we can point to, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" Ephesians 2:8-9. Our works, or good deeds, do not save us.

And for those who hold that good deeds definitely do have a part in Salvation we point to, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?" James 2:14. The implied answer to this question from James is a resounding NO! This seems clear: Our works, or good deeds, are necessary to save us

.

The answer to this apparent contradiction is found by looking closely at what James is really saying. And he seems to make his point abundantly clear in the next few verses.

"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."James 2:15-17

When combined with verse 14, James is equating the one who claims to have faith with the one who says "keep warm and well fed." He is saying it does no good to verbalize these words, or claim to have faith, if you do not follow through with action - meeting physical needs or doing good deeds. A faith which does not result in action is useless - it is dead!

Our good deeds cannot save us! Jesus makes this clear when He rebukes those who come to Him with their list of good deeds; "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" Matthew 7:23. Nor can simple belief save us; "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder" James 2:19.

How then is Salvation made effective? James gives us this answer through the example of Abraham as he offered Isaac to be sacrificed; "You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did" James 2:22. We see that saving faith cannot be separated from good deeds; rather, a saving faith is defined as a faith which results in good deeds, which can also be defined as obedience or following Jesus, are an integrated, essential part of saving faith!

Let's hold on to a faith which transforms the entirety of our life by the grace of God. Let's put an end to the divisive debate and live a life which worshipfully accomplishes the good deeds of faith.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....pity

Last Saturday, along with millions of other fans, I watched my favorite team play football. Yesterday, social media lit up with hundreds of posts from fans of every team that lost.  Most came from "amateur coaches" and "Monday Morning Quarterbacks", who obviously knew more than the coach about what plays to call and what should have been done. 

If you summarized what they all said, it was statements such as... 

     "If only the coach had/hadn't...."

     "If only the referee had/hadn't..." 

     "If we had just made that field goal..."

     "if we didn't commit that penalty..."

     "If we had only saved that time out..." 

     "I wish we had run instead of passing..."

     "Or conversely, I wish we passed instead of running..."

As I read those posts, I reflected on how many times we can easily live our lives based on a "What if" or a "If only" or a "If only I had/hadn't" statements or other some other fantasy world thinking where we think we can somehow change the past. 

"Leaving the Pity Party"

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet, I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant, and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it - I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip." 

I got tickets to fly there on "Wish-I-Had" Airlines. I got my baggage, which I could have checked, but didn't - because I chose to carry all my baggage all the way by myself. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of "what might have been". No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the "Regret City International Airport". 

As I checked into the "Last Resort Hotel", I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event, "The Annual Pity Party". I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the town's leading citizens would be there. 

First, there would be the "Done Family" - you know, "Should Have", "Would Have" and "Could Have". Then came the "Wish I Had" family. You probably know of "Wish I Had" and his clan. Of course, "The Opportunities" would be present - "Missed" and "Lost". The biggest family would be "The Yesterday's". There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. 

Then "Shattered Dreams" would surely make an appearance. And "It's Their Fault" would regale us with his stories about how things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by "Don't Blame Me" and "I Couldn't Help It". 

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But, as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and all of the subsequent "Pity Parties" could be canceled - BY ME! I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed. 

One thought kept going through my mind, "I can't change yesterday, but I do have The Holy Spirit living in me to make today a wonderful day".  I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, content, blessed and totally at peace - because my sins have been forgiven and I will spend eternity with my Savior. I know who I am and where I am in Christ and I know where I'll be when I die.  Knowing this, I left "The City of Regret" immediately and left no forwarding address. 

Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way to undo them, and more importantly, they've all been forgiven - no matter how bad they were. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If any man is in Christ, He is a new Creature.  Old Things are past away; behold, all things are become new."

So, if you're planning a trip back to "The City of Regret" (located between the land of "What If..." and country of "If Only..."), please cancel all your reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a place called "Starting Again". I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there. My neighbors, the "I Have Been Forgiven's" and the "New Starts in Christ" are so very helpful and encourage me each day. 

By the way, you don't have to carry around all of your heavy baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. God bless you in finding this great town. His Holy Word has all the directions you need. When you find it, please look me up. I live on "I-Can-Do-All-Things-Through-Christ Street!!! 

- dave langerfeld