verseoftheday

So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me. Philippians 2:29-30 NIV People have different things to do in the church...and some are in relative safety doing the sending and supporting, and some are in the front line, sometimes putting their lives at risk, often their health, and almost certainly their financial security. And Paul recognises this and encourages the Philippians to look after Epaf. For us, we need to look after our pastors and friends who are in the forefront of the battle. Pay them. Look out for them Pray for them Honour them Welcome them home Here Paul is encouraging others to encourage others...building an encouraging community :) There may be times when we're at the front, and times when we're supporting, but we can all be encouragers... #belikePaul #encourageoneanother

... Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs... Philippians 2:25-26 NIV How does Paul describe Epaf? My brother My co-worker My fellow soldier Maybe Epaf even carried this letter back to the Philippians. And when they opened it and read it, they would've said "hey Epaf, listen to these cool things that Paul has said about you. Gr8 work out there." Our lesson? My lesson? Am I building people up to others? (Or pulling them down?) Am I happy to give someone else the credit? (Or claim it & make sure others know?) Choose to be an encourager, to build one another up :) #encourageoneanother #belikepaul #genuine #lovepeople

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land...The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you...  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:7-8 NIV Joshua is the one who is famous for telling the people to have courage, he's the one who is putting courage into the people...but that started with Moses. Moses encouraged Joshua. We can all be Moses to someone... who in your life could use some encouragement today? Sometimes we're good at encouraging people in their strengths & the task ahead & Moses does that. But he also reminds Joshua that God is in this, that God is with him, and that is his ultimate antidote to fear & source of courage. #with #beMoses #speaklife #encourageoneanother

I also discovered that the Levites had not been given their prescribed portions of food, so they and the singers who were to conduct the worship services had all returned to work their fields. Nehemiah 13:10 NLT The pastors and the worship leaders weren't getting paid...so they had to go back to work...and the community drifted away from God. Sometimes we think our church leaders and worhsip leaders are there to make us feel good, but they have a job to keep us on track, to keep us in tune with God, to recognise when we're drifting, making poor choices...and we need to keep supporting them. The singers who led worship were important then too...good things happen when we worship together as a community and these people are an important part of community life :) We need them to be brave, bold, free to share God's heart... #encourageoneanother

Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people. Nehemiah 5:19 NIV Sometimes leadership is a thankless task. Your mistakes are magnified, the unhappy voices are loud, and the good things, the wins, well they just seem to be accepted as business as usual... This last sentence from Ch5 feels a bit like that. After all the sacrifice and work I hope you've been watching God... Jesus knew what this was like...his team denied him, slept when he needed them most...but His Love was unquenchable, His Grace unstoppable... Ours not so much. Your pastor, church leader, coffee maker, cleaner, office person, worship team member...sound & lights...the people on mission, those manning the wall in the community... that person who is there for you, has shown leadership or love or an example to follow... who's that person I can thank & encourage today #sunday #worship #grateful #encourageoneanother

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:25 NIV John Calvin in 1530 wrote "...man's nature...is a perpetual factory of idols..." or as Tim Keller said when our heart takes the good things (love, career, business, things we own or want to own, even family) & make them the ultimate thing. The thing we think will give us significance, security, fulfillment if we could just attain them... It's so easily done...if only I had That - I'd be happy / content / safe / valuable... Paul says don't swap the living God for the things He's made or we've made. In Him we ARE significant, loved, & secure & it's Him we should choose to worship... #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #jesusatthecentre #loveGod #Romans #keepingitreal #encourageoneanother

...I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:11-12 NLT Paul had some goodness to share and he was as keen as a bean to get to Rome and share what God had on his heart. Paul was a writer, but he was hanging out to meet. To look people in the eye. To see how they really are. And he really wanted to hear how their faith journey was going. How are you? Good. How are you? Good. Paul was interested in what's really going on - how's your heart. Let's talk a little about how God is working with you and how he's working on me. Let's keep it real. Let's meet. And check in. Let's get beneath the surface...and let's us encourage one another... #Romans #keepingitreal #encourageoneanother

Give our regards to every follower of Jesus you meet. Our friends here say hello. All the Christians here, especially the believers who work in the palace of Caesar, want to be remembered to you... Philippians 4:21-22 MSG As Paul wraps up his letter with some final encouragement he includes  the astounding claim of Christians within Caesars house - Caesar who was "god" - and these people were sending their love and encouragement out...maybe there's people you know who live or work in Caesars house - places that are anti christian - who could do with our ongoing support and encouragement. Often those who live in adversity have the most outward looking faith... Who do I know who lives or works in the house of Caesar that I can encourage? #encourageoneanother