Video Bible Lesson - The Power of Selfless Encouragement by Kia Stephens

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

 5/17/2020

The Power of Selfless Encouragement

KIA STEPHENS

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)While sitting at my computer on a Saturday afternoon, I received an unexpected text from a friend.In her message, she said the universally dreaded words no one wants to hear: “I have cancer.”I was shocked to read those words from her. She was a mother of two, a devoted wife and successful in her career.It seemed so unfair. I wanted to rewind to just a few months ago when we casually chatted about family. Unfortunately, her words and her present journey were irreversible.Before I finished reading her text, I purposed in my heart to offer some type of encouragement. I was prepared to plan a visit, bring a meal or text a few kind (but inadequate) words, given her circumstance. As I scrolled through her lengthy message, I was soon blindsided by the encouragement she offered to me.We hadn’t spoken in months, and she was undergoing chemotherapy. Yet her focus was on me. Unbeknownst to her, she shared the very words I needed to hear at the exact time I needed to hear them. Rather than responding immediately, I just sat and sobbed, tremendously impacted by the love of God I saw in her. She offered selfless, thoughtful and kind encouragement to me despite her medical condition.This is the type of exhortation Paul, Silas and Timothy describe in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, which says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” In Acts 16 and 17, we learn that Paul, together with his fellow laborers, wrote this letter to the people of Thessalonica after having been flogged, thrown into prison in Macedonia and forced out of Thessalonica.At a time when Paul could have been discouraged by persecution and nursing his emotional and physical wounds, he was instead concerned for the Thessalonian believers. He modeled the personal and heartfelt encouragement he wanted them to offer others.The believers were admonished to couple this encouragement with building one another up. The Greek word used here for “building” means “to build a house.” This single act of using our words to encourage and edify fellow believers is likened to building a structure: the universal church.This type of purposeful encouragement is vital for a believer’s faith, both individually and collectively. For the believers in Thessalonica, this was especially true because they were a new church facing persecution from nonbelieving Jews.A commitment to encourage others like this challenges us all to selflessly lift the countenance of someone else — no matter what we might be facing ourselves. As we offer soul-deep encouragement to others, we can trust that God, in His sovereignty, will encourage us.This is the principle described in Proverbs 11:25, “… whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (NIV). I saw this time-tested truth in my friend’s text message and in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian believers. Through their noble examples, we are inspired to selflessly offer encouragement to others in the same way.Dear God, please help me to offer heartfelt encouragement to others no matter what I may be facing. Help me to trust that as I refresh others, I will be refreshed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.TRUTH FOR TODAY:Romans 15:5, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” (NIV)

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness… an angel of the Lord... saying.... now come, I will send thee into Egypt" (Acts 7:30-34).

Often the Lord calls us aside from our work for a season, and bids us be still and learn ere we go forth again to minister. There is no time lost in such waiting hours.

Fleeing from his enemies, the ancient knight found that his horse needed to be re-shod. Prudence seemed to urge him on without delay, but higher wisdom taught him to halt a few minutes at the blacksmith's forge by the way, to have the shoe replaced; and although he heard the feet of his pursuers galloping hard behind, yet he waited those minutes until his charger was refitted for his flight. And then, leaping into his saddle just as they appeared a hundred yards away, he dashed away from them with the fleetness of the wind, and knew that his halting had hastened his escape.

So often God bids us tarry ere we go, and fully recover ourselves for the next stage of the journey and work.
--Days of Heaven upon Earth

Waiting! Yes, patiently waiting!
Till next steps made plain shall be;
To hear, with the inner hearing,
The Voice that will call for me.

Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!
With hope that need not grow dim;
The Master is pledged to guide me,
And my eyes are unto Him.

Waiting! Expectantly waiting!
Perhaps it may be today
The Master will quickly open
The gate to my future way.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
I know, though I've waited long,
That, while He withholds His purpose,
His waiting cannot be wrong.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
The Master will not be late:
He knoweth that I am waiting
For Him to unlatch the gate.
--J. D. Smith

What? Jesus?

What? Jesus?
by Ryan Duncan

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." – Matthew 3:16-17

It was Sunday morning, and I was making my way to my seat at church when I happened to glance at the program. The title of the sermon was short and to the point: “Jesus." What happened next embarrassed me more than I can say. I looked at the title again and said to myself,

“Jesus? Why are we talking about that?”

C.S. Lewis once cautioned readers about how easy it is to start using Christianity as a convenience. The center of our faith can easily slip from Jesus' sacrifice to preserving marriage, social justice, tithing, or a hundred other good things Satan can use to distract us from God. The truth is that everything written down in the Bible, everything we believe as Christians, can be summed up in John 14.

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father '? "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves." Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. – John 14:7-13

Jesus wasn't just a great teacher; He wasn't some vague Jewish mystic; He was God. Through His life and death, we are finally reconciled with our Creator. Nothing else, no politics or policy, is more important than that. As long as we remember that, we will remember Jesus.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you allowed something comparatively minor to take your attention away from Christ? Take a moment to examine where the priorities of your faith lay.

Further Reading

John 14

Trusting God’s Timing (Genesis 40:14)

Trusting God’s Timing (Genesis 40:14)By Lynette Kittle

“But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison” - Genesis 40:14

Have you ever experienced feeling forgotten by someone who promised to keep in contact with you, or said they would recommend you for an opportunity, but then seemed to have disappeared and forgotten all about you?

Scripture tells us about the extraordinary life of Joseph, a man who understood what it meant to be forgotten by others. Sold into slavery by jealous brothers who truly did want to forget all about him, their actions led to Joseph’s imprisonment.

While serving time with fellow inmates, Joseph interpreted a dream for the chief cupbearer who was also imprisoned at the time. Joseph asked to be remembered by him when he was released. But, following a quick release, this inmate forgot all about Joseph’s assistance. Genesis 40:23 explains, “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.”

So, was the cupbearer just a terrible person who purposely forgot Joseph? Was he a self-absorbed individual totally ungrateful for his help? Or, was his delay in remembering Joseph all in God’s timing? It’s a question we too may want to consider when it seems like we’ve been forgotten by someone we thought for sure would remember us.

Genesis 41:1-13, describes what followed. After two full years had passed, the chief cupbearer’s boss, the Pharaoh, had a dream that he didn’t understand. When all his advisors and consultants couldn’t interpret the troubling dream for him, the chief cupbearer had an “aha” moment where he remembered Joseph.

This “aha” moment led to Joseph being called before Pharaoh to interpret his dream, an act that led to his release from prison and being placed into a high position within the kingdom (Genesis 41:41).

Although forgotten throughout his life by others, God didn’t ever forget Joseph, working through his life in remarkable ways (Acts 7:9-10).

Like Joseph, when we have felt forgotten by others, we can take comfort in knowing God remembers us. We can also trust God is at work in our lives, whether by way of those we are hoping will think of us, or through those who may surprise us.

I have a family member who was praying and asking God for a job, when friends who were thousands of miles away, ones he hadn’t been in contact with for years, “just happened” to be looking through a box that brought him to mind.

In thinking of him, they had an “aha” moment, where they felt prompted to contact him in consideration for an upcoming opening at their organization. In calling to reconnect with him, they discovered he was looking for a job, which led to his being hired for the position.

So, whenever we’re feeling forgotten by others, we can choose to trust God hasn’t forgotten us. We can believe He has a plan for our lives and will bring us to the minds of those who know us, in His perfect timing and according to His will.

Who has God brought to your mind recently? Anyone you haven’t thought about in years? Take time to consider why you’re thinking of them, and ask God if He is prompting you to reach out to them.

A Prayer to Avoid Burnout in Ministry

A Prayer to Avoid Burnout in MinistryBy Pete Briscoe

"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” - Ezekiel 36:27

I’ve been in ministry for a number of years. I’ve seen people work themselves to the bone. They pour themselves out past empty and then turn themselves inside out. They do it all for Jesus. They do it all for love. Their intentions are purehearted, but their methodology is unbiblical.

If you want to avoid burnout, you’re going to have to let Jesus be Jesus – and that requires a great deal of surrender and dependence.

Mark 4:26-28 reads, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain...”

The Kingdom of God is like this:

God grows it.

God produces it.

God knows how it works.

The Kingdom of God is like this: You don’t have to kill yourself to make sure it lasts. You are able to abide in the Lord and scatter where He tells you to scatter, plant where He tells you to plant, and – this is amazing – rest at regular intervals in between.

If the indwelling is the Spirit resting in you, then dependence is you resting in Him.

Heavenly Lord, may the words of your gospel be always in our hearts. As I work in ministry, help me work with all of my might, but also help me know when I have to step aside, in order for you to step in and work in a mighty way. Help me have wisdom to know how to abide in you. Help me avoid burnout by letting you be you. Thank you so much for the work you’ve given me, may it bear much fruit for your Kingdom. Amen.