“So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” Romans 14:19 (NLT)
CHALLENGE
Pray today that God will give you the strength and wisdom to encourage someone who may be going through a difficult situation. Let us build each other up in the name of the Lord.
PREPARATION
- Praise God for who He is
- Confess your sinfulness and need for cleansing
- Allow His Spirit to draw you near
- Listen as He speaks to you
REQUESTS
- Pray that you would not grow weary
- Pray for opportunities to encourage someone.
- Pray for God’s hand of protection and guidance.
THANKSGIVING
- Thank God for hearing you.
- Trust that God is at work to accomplish His will.
OPTIONAL READINGS
- Psalm 133:1-3
QUOTATION
“If you’re going to care about the fall of the sparrow, you can’t pick and choose who’s going to be the sparrow. It’s everybody.” – Madeleine L’Engle
LIFE STORY
There are many things in our world today that are sure to discourage even the seemingly most positive person. For instance turn the radio or TV on for even half an hour and I am sure you will hear or see something that will discourage you. I believe that discouragement is Satan’s number one tool. Satan is using discouragement against Christians to make us doubt who we are to be in Christ and to weigh us down. It is important as Christians that we seek God each day and ask him to wash away the discouragement that builds up in our hearts. With our hearts washed of the discouragement we face each day I believe we as Christians can be free to encourage and build each other up.
I have had the pleasure of coaching a few different sports teams and in doing so I learned that encouragement goes a long way. I noticed that when you encourage even the most non-athletic team members it spreads like wild fire and everybody on the team is encouraging and building each other up! Let me tell you, they are like a whole new team, strong and confident.
I believe as Christians we can be strong and confident if we step out of our comfort zone and encourage one another in Christ Jesus. What are we waiting for? Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
Contributed by: Steve Bacvar