Where to Find Encouragement
“He encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.”
Acts 11:23a (NLT)
Everyone you meet is carrying a heavy burden. Some wear it on their sleeve, while others hide it in their hearts. Still, we all need encouragement. That’s why encouragers are such attractive people. It’s not that they are so carefree without burdens of their own; they’ve just learned the secret that to be encouraged is to be an encourager! Joseph was such an encourager. You may be better acquainted with him by his nickname, “Barnabas.” It means “Son of Encouragement.” He must have learned it from his dad. Our first insight into his life is found in Acts 4. Dr. Luke tells us that Joseph was from the tribe of Levi, a priestly tribe, and came from the island of Cyprus. He was nicknamed Barnabas by the apostles in Jerusalem. He was a giver! Of his own volition, he sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles to use for the welfare of the infant church that had just launched. What an encouragement those resources must have been to these early church leaders. As a church planter, I personally know the encouragement that financial assistance afforded our ministry and continues to do so. He gave from his resources freely because he had first given his life to Christ. Encouragers are so overwhelmed with gratitude for what Christ has done for them that they can’t help but encourage and support those around them.
The next time we meet Barnabas, he is sent by the infant church in Jerusalem to Antioch after reports from scattered Jews that many Gentiles were coming to faith in Christ and joining the fellowship of believers there in Antioch. This was a huge shift as many incorrectly thought only Jews could become Christians. Luke records what happened in Acts 11:23 (NLT), “When he (Barnabus) arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.”
The exponential growth of the New Testament Church had exploded in Antioch among the Gentiles, and so many were coming to the faith that Barnabas realized he needed help to disciple these young believers. He had heard of Saul’s conversion in Damascus, but that was years ago. While others remained skeptical of Saul, Barnabas reached out to him in Tarsus and became the bridge that connected Saul with the apostles in Jerusalem and the Church in Antioch. They would spend a year together teaching and training these Christ followers in the Way. In Galatians 2:9 (NIV), Saul recalls the encounter in his own words. “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.”
I like that expression, “(they) gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship ….” Saul, whose name would change to Paul, the Apostle, had Barnabas to thank for that connection. Later, Barnabas is found encouraging a young believer named John Mark, who would go on to write the Gospel of Mark. Think of it. This encourager singlehandedly can be credited for most of our New Testament! What if he had lived a self-centered life? What if he had not encouraged Paul or Mark? We may not have the letters of Paul or the Gospel of Mark as we have it today! Although he did not write any of the New Testament, his influence is certainly behind those who did. That’s the power of encouragement. In fact, it’s what the local church is to do today. The writer of Hebrews challenged the church with these words, “We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (GW)
Where do you go to find encouragement? The greatest place in the world to experience the encouragement you need to stay true to the Lord is in a local church and a Life Group. To encourage is to put courage in, to build up, and to strengthen one another. If you’re looking for a place to find encouragement to be all that God wants you to be, I challenge you to connect with a Life Group. Hundreds of new Life Groups are forming at Woodlands Church to encourage one another in a six-week study we’re calling “Staying With God.” Join us this weekend and discover how you can connect with one.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.