Tag: encouragment

Categories
Exodus Devotions

What we all need

Carrying burdens

“What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’s father-in-law said to him.

“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.” (Exodus 18:17-18)

“You can’t do it alone.”

I found it interesting that Jethro told Moses that not long after the battle against the Amalekites.

Moses literally couldn’t keep his hands up as he was interceding for the Israelites before God, but Aaron and Hur supported him until victory was achieved. (Exodus 17:8-16)

And now Jethro was telling him again, “You can’t do God’s work alone.”

That’s something we all need to remember.

Our leaders may seem like “super-Christians,” but they can’t do their jobs alone.

They certainly need our prayers and encouragement. But they also need us to do our part in ministry as well.

God has given each of us gifts to minister to others. Ministry is not just the job of the leaders. It’s the job of every Christian. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

But beyond that, all of us need support in our Christian lives.

Our personal ministries to our families and those around us can get heavy. Life itself can get heavy.

So let’s not try to live our Christian lives on our own.

Let’s support and encourage each other so that our load will be lightened and we’ll be able to endure. (Exodus 18:22-23)

As Paul put it,

Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Categories
Acts Devotionals

Inspiring people’s faith

When (Barnabas) arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. (Acts 11:23-24)

I was just reflecting on those words today and thinking of a couple of people I know who do what Barnabas did: inspire people’s faith.

They’re always encouraging others to stay true to the Lord and to devote their hearts to God.

They believe in others when no one else does, as Barnabas did with Saul (Acts 9:26-27, 11:25-26)

And it just made me think, “I want to be like that. For however long I am here on earth, I want to inspire people’s faith. To make a difference in their lives so that they can then go out in turn and inspire others in their faith.

So right now, I’m praying, “Lord, who do you want me to touch? Whose faith can I inspire? And what can I do to help them grow in their faith in you?”

Who is God putting on your heart right now? Who is God asking you to be a Barnabas to?

Categories
2 Corinthians

The importance of our prayers

2 Corinthians

Do our prayers really make a difference? Or would God have just done what he was going to do anyway, even without our prayers?

I think Paul definitely had his opinion on the matter. He said concerning his trials,

He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.

On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.

Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)

The ESV makes it even stronger in verse 11.

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

In short, Paul felt the Corinthians’ prayers made such a big difference that he begged them for their prayers. He encouraged them: “Your prayers make a difference.”

Why does God desire so much that we pray? Why doesn’t he just do whatever he wants to do?

I think the main reason is he wants us to interact with him.

Not only that, he wants us to partner together with him in his work. What happens when we pray, and especially for others?

1. We start to see beyond ourselves to the needs of others.

When God sees us doing that, it delights his heart that we are becoming like him.

Do our prayers then make him more inclined to act? The Bible does seem to imply that.

James wrote, for example,

You do not have, because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)

Jesus himself said,

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (John 16:24)

2. We start to see what God wants us to do.

As we pray, God starts to whisper to our hearts and tell us how we can touch others.

I think of the disciples coming to Jesus at the end of a long day saying, “Send the crowds home so that they can eat. They’re must be hungry.”

Now I don’t think the disciples were primarily thinking of the crowds. They were probably thinking of themselves and wanting to finally rest after a long day of serving.

But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16)

They then went out and found a boy who had a small lunch of five loaves and two fish, brought it to Jesus, and he performed one of his greatest miracles.

In the same way, as we see the needs of others around us and we pray for them, Jesus starts to show us how we can partner with him to do his work.

3. We start to see more of God’s goodness as he answers those prayers.

That in turn gives us even more encouragement to pray in the future.

4. Not only will we see God’s goodness and be encouraged, but others will too.

Paul said,

Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 2:11b)

So let us never doubt the importance of prayer in our lives.

And let us make it a special point to partner with God by praying for others.

Who is God calling you to pray for today?