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One of the first things Jesus said to his apostles in his final teachings to them before he went to the cross was this, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). One of the first things we should be known for among non-believers is our deep love for one another. How can we love others if we first aren’t loving one another well? I know it’s difficult for us because too often we only want to show care to those that don’t rub us the wrong way. The reality is that loving one another is not a suggestion but a commandment. The preceding verse (John 13:34) Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” Our love for one another is a witness to the Gospel message. Embracing brotherly/sisterly love towards one another glorifies God. It shows the world that regardless of your past, Christ makes you new and you are welcomed into his family. We are unified when we love one another and embrace our different gifts for the Lord. It magnifies Christ and the work he has done. So let us let go of our petty squabbles, political differences, and unjustified grudges so we might love one another, and people will see we are Christ’s disciples.
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When you think about it humans are rather fragile things. We get sick, we break down, we’re not overly strong like other creatures, and we barely make it to a century on this planet before dying. Yet God uses us weak little vessels for the powerful message of the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” It’s a sobering and encouraging thing at the same time. We’re not so fragile and useless that he can’t use us, but we’re not so powerful in what we do that we strip away his glory. God gets the glory in the simplicity of the gospel message being preached by us little humans. Continue to be that little jar of clay that holds such treasure to change the world because God created you for such a purpose as this.
Sometimes we get so wrapped up into wanting to give our best for the Lord, that we miss out on the work that he puts right in front of us. Instead of scheming on how many you can reach, focus on the ones God has placed in front of you. To glorify God and walk in his character means to take care of the individual, the marginalized, the widow, the ones no one thinks about. We get so focused on our Wednesday Bible study and how great it’s going to be, that we forget the cashier in front of us who needs to hear the healing message of the Gospel. Luke 6:32-33 says, “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” As Christians we are not called to reciprocate what is given to us, but to show God’s mercy to those around us despite their background or feelings towards us. Jesus loved the unlovable, touched the untouchable, forgave the unforgivable, and welcomed the undesirable. Why did he do this? Because of his mercy. This is the mercy he poured on us, so let us also love the least of these that our Savior puts in our path.
They say in our world the only constant is change. Yet scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Having lived on two continents I’ve seen too often that when the world shifts its values, they want Christianity to shift alongside them. How do we stand firm in God’s truth when those around us say that what we speak is not truth anymore? Standing firm means we speak truth in grace and love. It means we don’t compromise the gospel message to cater to the ever-constant changing of our culture. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” That armor has truth, righteousness, hope, peace, the gospel, God’s word. That is what we put on to hold fast in the storm. At the same time, we are not alone. God’s word teaches us that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” We can hold fast by standing firm in the truth, spurring one another on, and doing it in a way that is filled with grace and love.
Have you ever been asked, “do you have a Barnabas in your life?”? What people are getting at is do you have someone or a community that is a steady source of encouragement to you? We don’t realize how much life hits us hard and how far even a little encouragement can take us. It’s needed and it’s biblical. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” We don’t always know what season someone is in, but we can find a way to listen to a bit of their story and say an encouraging word. It’s not just saying something to gloss over their pain, sometimes listening is encouragement enough. Sharing our stories with one another lets us see that we all share similar hardships, and we’re not alone in our journey. Let’s strive to be the Barnabas for one another. Remember, he wasn’t born with that name but was given it by the apostles because of how he lifted up and encouraged those around him.
We’ve talked about seasons before and how Ecclesiastes reminds us there’s a season for everything: a time to mourn, weep, laugh, work, rest, etc. But what happens when those seasons overlap and collide? How do we rest when we are in a season of grieving? How do you say goodbyes and mourn with some and yet welcome and rejoice with others? As Americans we often can’t even take downtime because we feel like we need to keep busy to feel worthy and productive. We will break down and collapse if we try to navigate all these multiple layers of seasons on our own. The key to it all is where we place our focus. Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” The waves of change are broken upon the steadfastness of our unfaltering King. He gives us the strength to grieve while we take rest. He gives us the peace to mourn our goodbyes with some while rejoicing in the welcoming of others. We weather our seasons because our Lord gives us what we need for each season, himself!
The other day I saw a t-shirt that said, “Love people like Jesus died for them”. It hit true because too often we Christians love others well only when it’s convenient for us. True love doesn’t stem from our own strength but from the power of Christ. The love we pour out to others through Jesus Christ isn’t the easy way of loving others that already love you but loving those who do not reciprocate. Matthew 5:46 says, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” We can love all people well by the power of the Holy Spirit and through the example of Jesus Christ. 1 John 4:16 & 19 reminds us, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him…. We love because he first loved us.” We’ve seen this play out through our own children. We love and show our love deeply to our children but also to anyone who steps through our home. Our children have seen and felt that love, and now they pour love and welcome on others despite cultural/social backgrounds or how those people might view their parents. So, let’s love people like Jesus died for them with a love like that of a child.
Everyone goes through an end. Sometimes it’s the end of a season, work project, school year, huge planning event, raising a kid, or a ministry commitment. Too often we get to the end feeling worn out and tired and maybe a little bruised and broken. We just want to relax, find rest, or look forward to what’s next instead of staying the course and finishing the current season strong. Ecclesiastes 7:8 reminds us, “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” We must remember to finish well the race set before us. It’s not enough that we start strong, but that we endure and finish the current chapter well. We must remember that the work that we do is a way to glorify Christ and honor him so we may be the salt and light the world needs whether that’s at the start, middle, or end of a season. Colossians 3:17 encourages us in this way, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” It’s easy to say, “I’ve done enough to get the job done, so time to move on.” But let’s encourage one another to not do enough to get done but to do it with all our might even unto the end!
We get the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19-20 which says,” Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Does this mean that every Christian should drop what they’re doing and fly off to the far corner of the world and start spreading the good news? The reality is the imperative in this command is to make disciples, the go is implied as part of what making disciples entails. Some of us go to foreign countries, some go to office spaces, some go to the local coffee shop. To fulfill the great commission isn’t to just throw out the seeds of salvation but to make disciples. Evangelism is part of the process but not the whole. Christ built his church for the work of making disciples. Discipleship isn’t just always one on one, but in triads, small groups, and even big groups. It’s not about just teaching, but modeling, correcting, and loving others towards obedience in Christ. God has gifted us in different ways to do this, and it often requires us stepping outside our comfort zone. The great news is we are the body of Christ and not alone in making disciples. What I love about sharing my testimony, handing out a tract, or preaching the gospel from the pulpit isn’t that my work is done but now the work has just begun. Why do I say that? Because He is with us always, even to the end of the age!
Our American culture teaches us that hard work will get us the results we want. At a young age I learned the opposite. As a young boy I built with all diligence a wooden race car with my father for the pinewood derby with hopes of getting 1st place. It raced, and I did not get 1st, 2nd, nor 3rd. My hard work did not give me the results I wanted. God’s word teaches us that hard work is used for a different purpose. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Successful hard work doesn’t mean you always get the results you want: CEO of a company, a multi-million-dollar business, 50 churches planted in 5 years. Successful and diligent hard work is that whatever your hand finds to do you do it with all your might to the glory of God. Whether you work with 3 or 3,000 people your work matters. Do you teach? Teach well. Do you clean? Clean well. Do you raise children? Raise them well. Our diligence in the work he gives us is a way for his light to shine in our lives so that more might come to Christ and more might be discipled.
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Hello!Welcome to monthly encouragements we send as part of our updates to those that support the work we do. Archives
March 2025
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