Letting Go and Pressing Forward

As 2019 draws to a close and a new year looms on the horizon, how do you feel about the year that has just gone by? Do you look back on it with regret? Do you see things you wish you could go back and change? Were there times of trial? Days of testing? Moments of joy? Hours of celebration?

As the curtains are drawn on the stage of a passing year, I find myself reflecting on what I was able to accomplish. Did I reach my goals? Did I even set goals? Were they unrealistic, or was I just too complacent and let them slide? Did life get so busy that the opportunities God sent my way, just passed me by and I didn’t give them a second thought?

I’m sure we can all reflect on the good and the bad of the past year. But it is up to us whether we choose to stay in 2019, or jump wholeheartedly into 2020, eager to do more for God, more for our families, our friends, our ministries.

It’s so easy to drag ourselves down with feelings of worthlessness on a job NOT well done. But God tells us in His Word that we can forget the past and move onto the future, with hope and assurance that He will accomplish something great in our lives, if we allow Him to.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In this passage in Philippians, we are encouraged by the apostle Paul to reach forward. To forget the things that went before.  

We can be loosed from the past by God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness. Yes, we can look back and learn from our past mistakes, but we can also press on, focusing on improving each step and reaching toward our goals.

Paul likens our life to a race. We have to keep our focus on the road ahead, not on the path behind. If we are continually looking back, we will trip and fall. A runner is intent on the prize before him, not on the hazards that lay behind.

So, how does this all play out in our day to day lives? As women, we wear many hats, each and every day. And sometimes it becomes quite a juggling act. If the year just gone by, has you depressed because of your lack of accomplishment, then let it go. If there are things that need to be dealt with, then deal with them and then leave them there. In 2019. In the past. Don’t dwell on your mistakes, just resolve to try harder this coming year. Set more achievable goals. Hand your list over to God and let Him show you what you should be focussing on. Open your hand and let Him hold the pen.

On a personal note, I usually write up a list of things I’d like to achieve each year and this year, well, honestly, I feel like my list didn’t get the nice little ‘check’ boxes filled in beside each goal. Now, I could dwell on my shortfalls, or I could tear that list up, and prayerfully, sit down and let God help me write a new one, with the knowledge that He knows what’s best and what’s achievable in this new year. He is the only one that knows what this new year will hold, so it only makes sense for Him to write the list!

I could also decide to do away with trying to reach any goals, but then a verse in Proverbs comes to mind.

Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:

but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

We need goals. We need dreams.

That word vision does mean dream, but it also means revelation, which in turn means ‘divine guidance’. So, we need a vision and we need guidance. From God.

So, in writing our new year goals, we need guidance from the Lord as to what He would have us accomplish. Goals are not bad things and yes, we will fail. But God sees our hearts and He knows our desires and He is willing to give them to us if they are according to His will. The important thing is that we press forward. Don’t be continually looking behind and moping over past failures. Jump into 2020 with both feet! Eager to see what God has in store. Excited about what God can and will do through you.

Be enthusiastic! Look ahead. Keep your eyes looking forward, on that one step in front of you, and let God take care of whatever lies ahead. Be content to trust Him. Submit to His will and His plans for your life.

We have God’s promises to cling to and His Word is always true.

Isaiah 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Leave 2019 in the past and embrace 2020 without fear of failure.

God will go before you and you can trust Him. Keep your eyes on Him and He will guide your steps.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Christmas 2019

Re post

Yes, another year has almost come to an end and I find myself reflecting. What have I done with the time God gave me? What have I done with another year of opportunity? Did I waste it in pleasing self or did I use every moment in reaching out to a lost and dying world with the glorious message of salvation?

Sobering thoughts. When I stop and think about the 8760 hours I had to serve Him, how many of those hours were actually spent in service to Him.

At this time of year, more than any other time, we have the opportunity to share with others the real meaning of the season. As the world's focus is on buying gifts and eating, drinking and being merry, our focus should be on reaching out and telling others about the miracle of Jesus birth.

This time of year becomes so busy that we can't see Christ for Christmas. It's easy to get caught up in the swirl of activity and the buying buying buying. We hear the carols playing in every store, over loud speakers down the main street, hip hopped versions blared loudly as we do our grocery shopping. But does the world know the true meaning of “Away in a Manger” or “Joy to the World”?  And if they don't, is it our fault?

Is it our fault we pass people in the street and give them the customary, “Merry Christmas” instead of sharing with them the beautiful story of Jesus Christ coming to this earth to be born in a stable, humble and lowly, so that He could die for our sins?

Yes, too often I am guilty of just trying to ignore this whole time of year and wait impatiently for it all to be over. The hustle, the bustle, the frustrations of the busyness and the short attitudes that go along with it. Too often, I pass people in the shop, busy choosing that perfect gift for a loved one, filling their trolley with Christmas wrap, tinsel, lights, bon bons, without even a thought of saying something that might help to bring them to consider their eternal destiny.

Not everyone celebrates Christmas in the same way. And yes, some are quick to judge when others do things differently. But, whether you give gifts or you don't, the story of Christ's birth is still the same. The fact that God chose to send His only Son down to earth, to be born of a virgin, so that we might have eternal life, is still amazing! And the story hasn't changed.

We dash around madly, making sure the dining room is decked in splendour, while somewhere in the foggy recesses of our minds, we vaguely remember a dusty, dirty, smelly stable, where our Saviour was laid in a manger and the angels rejoiced.

Luke 2:13-14

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the

heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest,

 and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Sometimes, in our efforts to witness at this time of year, we are guilty of only telling part of the story. Yes, the season is about Christ's birth, but it also brings us to the more sobering thought of His death. As the song so aptly puts it,

“Born to die upon Calv'ry, Jesus suffered my sin to forgive.
Born to die upon Calv'ry, He was wounded that I might live”

Jesus wasn't just born and that was the end of it. That's not the end of the story. He was sent down to earth to die on the cross for our sins. He was born to die. The reason for His humble birth was so that He could save us from eternal damnation.

This past year has been a year of opportunity for me. The Lord has brought so many opportunities into my life to serve Him and yet I have failed many times to grab hold of them with both hands, and ask for God's strength to enable me to use these times wisely and help to make an eternal difference in someone's life. We know that it is God that does the work and He doesn't need our help, but He chooses to use us, as imperfect people, to spread the Word and be a light in a dark world.

This time of year, can be very dark, metaphorically speaking. A world blinded by consumerism and materialism and everything it can offer.  All the more reason to shine our light and shine it brightly!

We can hold our Christmas services and enjoy our festive luncheons, but if we are not out there, being a witness to the lost, telling the whole story, and testifying of God's goodness in our lives on a daily basis, we might as well stay home.

The story of a babe in a manger is easy on the ears and easy to tell, but to tell of a Saviour, suffering and bleeding on an old wooden cross for our sins, in our place, is a whole lot harder.

The shadow of the cross hung over the manger on the day of Christ's birth. It was there, that shadow, right from the very beginning. God knew what He was doing, and He was willing to give His only Son to die for us.

THIS is the real story. THIS is the story the world needs to hear. Not only the story of His miraculous birth, but the story of His sacrificial death, His burial and His resurrection.

PRAISE GOD! We serve a risen Saviour!

God's Word 

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

This passage of scripture is very special to me. Every time I read this verse, I am reminded of my darkest trial. I remember the times spent lying on the cold hard concrete floor of our storeroom, in darkness, crying out to God and repeating the promises of God, with tears streaming down my face, begging God for help and seeking comfort from His Word.

I couldn’t understand why I was having to go through such a sore trial. I felt as if God had turned a deaf ear to my plight. Why wasn’t He listening to me? Where was He when I needed Him most? I prayed His promises, I clung to them, I cried them aloud and yet relief seemed out of my reach.

But each time I read this verse in Isaiah, I felt His presence once again. “I will be with thee”. Through waters, through rivers, through fire.

Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of long ago, it wasn’t about the fire that surrounded them, it was about who was in the fire WITH them.

God was with me in those dark times. He was right there beside me, His arms around me, holding me, comforting me. And yet, at times, I couldn’t feel it. I was so focused on my circumstances, my hurt, my pain, that I was blind to His presence. The darkness threatened to overwhelm me. I couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Was it because God had deserted me? Was it because I had been forgotten? NO!

It was because my eyes were closed! I couldn’t see Him because I was blinded by my own doubts and fears. His promises still held true no matter how I felt about them. If I doubt the promises of God, it doesn’t make a difference to whether they’re true or not. It changes nothing! God’s Word is true, and His promises are sure.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

In those dark and gloomy days, it was God’s Word that lifted my spirits, that gave me hope, that set my feet back on the rock.

Psalm 119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights,

 I should then have perished in mine affliction.

As the Psalmist writes, if I didn’t have God’s Word, I would have perished. Without God’s glorious promises and words of comfort, I might still be lying in darkness. Without the Word of God lifting me and sustaining me, I may have lay down in despair, letting my burdens overwhelm me and crush me. But God’s Word lifted me up.

Psalm 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established  my goings.

You may be feeling the weight of burden and stress pressing in on you, threatening to crush you. But if your times of trials bring you to your knees, then you’re in the perfect position to pray! Sometimes God forces us to our knees to get us to pray more seriously. More sincerely. More devotedly. More consistently.

I searched the scriptures daily, looking for comfort from God’s Word, and I was never left disappointed. There was always something there to feed my soul.

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous,

 and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The Word of God is full of blessed promises for those who love Him. People will let us down. Continually. But God never will! This became very real to me last year, more than any other time in my life. And this baring of my soul is not for my glory but for God’s glory! He is the one who brought me through. Yes, He used His people to strengthen and encourage me, to pull me up, to walk alongside me, but it was all Him!

Isaiah 40:29-31 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

God didn’t just give me crutches to lean on, stumbling along my way, tripping over my own feet. No! He gave me wings to fly! Not just walk. Not just run. But fly! Like an eagle! Soaring above my circumstances, confident in God’s hand, holding me up, lifting me above the dark clouds, above the storm.  He renewed my strength. He gave power.

I began to compile a list of verses that I could go to at any time. I wrote them up on cards, I pinned them up in my room, in my office, in the storeroom. I kept them handy on the Bible app on my phone. I committed some verses to memory and quoted them in the wakeful times during the night.

My reason for telling you this, is that I want to encourage you to make time to dive into God’s Word and find the treasure trove of promises there. There are too many to list. The verses that spoke to me the most during my time of trial may not be the same ones that speak to you.

That’s what is so wonderful about God’s Word. It’s personal. And it’s applicable to anyone in any season of life and in any trial. There is something for everybody. No one need go without.

And don’t just wait for a trial to hit before you find these verses. Search now! Have them ready to go for your time of need. Commit them to memory now!

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

God’s word will revive us. It will breathe life into our tired lungs. It will soothe our souls and bring strength to our weary bodies and minds.

When you are going through a sore trial, when you feel down and discouraged, dig deep into the Word of God and search for those promises to help you. Don’t be satisfied until you find the treasure you seek. Don’t give up! Beg God for something from His Word. And don’t rise from your knees until you find it! Lay hold of it. Read it. Pray it. Beg God for it!

Then, and only then, will you find the peace that passeth understanding. God’s peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

As the Psalmist says, you will be able to lay down in peace and sleep. Despite the turmoil going on around you, God will bring peace.

Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

And when you come through the other side, don’t forget to praise God! Daily. Or, as this verse says, 7 times a day!

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

God will sustain you. He will lift you up. He will bring peace. Don’t despair. And as one of my favourite sayings goes, “Don’t doubt in the dark what you KNOW in the light”

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Bible Study Post Three

True Christian fellowship

In our last lesson, we looked at 2 areas to work on in order to strengthen our walk with God. Prayer and quiet time. These are very important aspects of our Christian walk. We need to be talking to God and we need to be listening as he talks to us.

But there’s another aspect of our Christian walk that I wanted to look at. And that’s fellowship. Now, this word gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles as we have ‘fellowship’ lunches and ‘fellowship’ greetings in the morning service. I think sometimes we use the word a bit too flippantly without really grasping the true meaning of the word.

The word fellowship, in the Greek, is the word ‘koinonia’ which by definition is communion, joint participation, sharing, having something in common.

The root of this word is Koinos. There are 2 main ideas with this word:

a. “To share together and take part together” in the sense of partnership or participation, and

 b. “to share with”, in the sense of giving to others.

True fellowship involves getting together for spiritual purposes, for sharing needs, for prayer, for discussing and sharing the Word, for encouraging, for comforting and for edifying one another.

These are all important aspects of Christian fellowship and areas that are often lacking in the church today, but even this does not fully comprehend the full meaning of ‘fellowship’ in the New Testament.

In Acts 2:42, we read of the new believers fellowshipping.

Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Notice that it says they continued stedfastly in fellowship. Stedfastly means to persevere, to be constantly diligent, to adhere closely to. So, they devoted themselves not only to the apostles teaching but also to fellowship. And in breaking of bread (so there’s the Baptist lunches!) But they also devoted themselves to prayer. There were some serious prayer meetings going on with these new converts. Fellowship was a priority to these early Christians.

So, let’s look at what fellowship means in our everyday language.

According to the Websters dictionary, fellowship means:

1.    Being a part of a group, a body of people

(so, there is our church. A body of people. A group)

2.    It means having or sharing with others certain things in common such as interest, goals, feelings, beliefs, activities, labour, privileges and responsibilities, experiences and concerns.

3.    It can also mean a partnership that involves working together and caring for one another as a company of people, like a company of soldiers or members of a family.

And I think this is where the rubber hits the road. As Christians and fellow believers, we are in a partnership working together towards a common goal. That of reaching the lost with the gospel. We are to be a family. Looking out for one another, caring for one another, exhorting, serving, loving one another.

As we see in the 2^nd definition of fellowship, we are drawn together because of common interests or experiences or activities. There will be people in your circle of Christian friends who you are drawn to because of your commonalities. They like the things you like. They have experienced similar things in life as you. But then there are others that you have nothing in common with. You’re different as chalk and cheese. Or so you think!

Fellowship is firstly a relationship.

In the New Testament, the first thing they had in common was a relationship with Christ. And in a church, that is the one major thing we have in common. Despite all our differences, we have in common our salvation. We are a family because of being a child of God.

Ephesians 4:2-6 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Koinonia or fellowship, was an important word to the apostles and their new converts. It was never used in a secular sense. It always had a spiritual significance. The idea of earthly fellowship, as we seem to know it, founded only upon common interests was foreign to the apostles.

Fellowship is firstly a sharing together because of our relationship with God. Fellowship is first and foremost a relationship, rather than an activity. Any activity that follows should come out that relationship.

I think sometimes we get it backwards. We are drawn to someone because of common interests and we ‘fellowship’ with them and then one day we realise that we have a relationship with Christ in common that really should have been at the forefront. The relationship with Christ should have been the glue, not just the common interests.

Now there is nothing wrong with getting together with friends and sharing together, but when we meet together in the name of fellowship and there is no mention of God’s goodness, then we really shouldn’t call it fellowship. Yes, we are Christians so we are a part of God’s family, but if we not sharing what God has done in our lives and using our time to build each other up in our Christian walk, then we are just having a friendly get together, not a time of fellowship.

1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Our fellowship is with the Father and with each other.

In Philippians 1, we read a letter from Paul and Timothy to the believers at Philippi.

Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Here we see mentioned the words ‘fellowship in the gospel’. In this case the fellowship is distinctly connected with the gospel and Paul and Timothy are thanking the Philippians for their fellowship in the gospel. But what does that really mean? Fellowship in the gospel?

How are we as Christians to enjoy this kind of fellowship?

Firstly, we can’t have fellowship in the gospel unless we have Christ in common. We also have to be on the same page when it comes to our goal of seeing others come to Christ and preaching the gospel.

To have true fellowship, we are to be comrades, working together. Fellowship requires participation. It requires our time our energy and our resources. Each person bringing to the table what God has enabled them to do.

We are to pray together, to suffer together, to share together. Everyone carrying the load together by doing their specific jobs in order to get the gospel message of Jesus Christ out to the lost world.

In my studying, I found an article highlighting the different ways that the fellowship of the gospel expresses itself.

Fellowship in the gospel expresses itself in thanksgiving. Paul tells the Philippians that he is thankful for them.  All of them. Despite his rebuke to a couple of women in the church that were out of sorts, he was still thankful for them.

Philippians 4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

It’s hard sometimes to be thankful for certain people in the church or other Christians we know casually. There’s a lot of prickly people out there and a large percentage of them are Christians! But being thankful for other brothers and sisters in the Lord helps save us from wrong attitudes like jealousy, resentment, irritation. It’s hard to thank God for someone, sincerely, and be resentful in the same breath. Love the unlovely. God does!

Fellowship in the gospel also expresses itself in faith. Paul had confidence in these Christians. He had confidence in what God was doing and would do in their lives. We need to have faith in what God can do. We know that as humans, we fail, but we can have the confidence in God. And we can have faith in others and their ability to accomplish what the Lord has for them to do.

Fellowship in the gospel expresses itself in love. 

Philippians 1:7-8 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Notice here in these verses that Paul said that he had these Christians in his heart. Not just in his head or on his lips, but in his heart. Sometimes we lack this simple expression of the fellowship of the gospel. Love. We are often critical of one another and judgemental and harsh. But God commands us to love.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

How often do we truly love the brethren? And as Christ loved? The Bible clearly states that by our love shall all men know that we are Christ’s disciples. So, when we have love and we show this in our fellowship, we are obeying God’s commands. And this means loving the unlovely. Those Christian sisters and brothers who we find it a struggle to be around. The world is looking on and watching how we treat each other.

One of the most well-known passages of scripture on love is found in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Fellowship in the gospel expresses itself in ministry. What is the ministry to which we are all called? To advance the gospel. 

Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

When we live our Christian life according to the Bible, we advance the gospel through our testimony. When people around us see our reactions to circumstances that come into our lives, they are either drawn to or drawn away from God. Paul was tested and tried and yet his reactions glorified God and advanced the gospel.

But it’s not only our lives and how we live, it’s also our lips and what we say.

Notice the words “speak” and “preach” in these verses.

Philippians 1:14-18 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

When we testify to others of God’s saving grace, we advance the gospel. By what we say, we can be a testimony and a shining light in a dark world.

And how is it possible to show the fellowship of the gospel? Through the help we are given by the Holy Spirit. To work together for God’s glory, we need the Lord’s help. We are sinful creatures and we don’t love others as we should, but in order for us to truly fellowship with each other, we need the Holy Spirit working in our lives.

I love that fellowship has no age barrier. Age doesn’t matter in the body of Christ. We are able to fellowship with believers of any age and any season of life. Fellowship can also be enjoyed with people of different cultures. It’s amazing how you can sit through a service in a language you can’t understand, yet still feel a sweet spirit and have fellowship with the believers. It’s Christ we have in common. Our relationship with Christ is what joins us together.

I mentioned that fellowship is firstly a relationship. A relationship with Christ. Fellowship is also a partnership. The Greek word also means to share together in the sense of a partnership. We are automatically co-partners in God’s work here on earth.

” Relationship describes what we are: a community of people bound together by our common life and the blessings that we share together through our relationship with Christ.”

“Partnership describes how we are related to each other in that relationship: we are partners in a calling in which we are to work together in a common purpose to obtain common objectives for the glory of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ”

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:1-4 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

The partnership these Christians had, saw them continuing daily of one accord, which translated, means unanimously or of one mind. They had one mind, one spirit. Wouldn’t that be great if people could say that of our churches? Oh, that we could be of one accord and of one mind.

We have to develop the art of communication. We need to be able to share our burdens and also our aspirations with other believers and we need to learn to listen to what others are saying so we can minister to each other. We need to be able to communicate on a spiritual level.

Sure, it’s great to have common interests but we really need to communicate about spiritual things and reach a deeper level of fellowship built on our relationship with Christ.

In order for us to have true Christian fellowship, we need to be first devoted to God’s word and to his will and then we need to be devoted to caring for one another.  We need to be willing to share with each other what we have learned and what Christ means to us.

Fellowship is firstly vertical. Our relationship with Christ. And then it is horizontal. Our relationship with others. Let us strive towards developing a deeper level of fellowship that goes beyond earthly commonalities and reaches upwards towards Christ then outwards to our brethren.

Are You An Encourager?

I recently listened to a sermon on 2 different types of people. Balcony people and Basement people. The main idea being, are you an encourager or a discourager? It was very convicting as I took a good hard look at my own life and searched my heart to see where I fit into the two groups.

Sadly, I could see that in the past, I have often been a basement person. Discouraging, dragging others down with a melancholy, joyless and miserable attitude.

A Balcony person, on the other hand, always wants to lift others up, to encourage, to cheer on, to motivate, to inspire. They help, they serve, they give, they’re compassionate and quick to forgive. And best of all, they strive to bring glory to God and draw attention to all the Lord has done. They possess a cheerful attitude and a grateful spirit.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

I discovered, that for the most part, maybe I am neither of the two. I sit somewhere in the middle. In the congregation. Not up on the balcony, but not down in the basement either. I don’t discourage, but I don’t exactly encourage either. Hmm. Lukewarm? Not cold, not hot. And we know what the Lord thinks about lukewarmness!

It’s not that my attitude is lukewarm toward the things of God, but when I speak to someone and walk away, what are they left with? What do they feel? Do they feel encouraged?

We all have those particular ‘friends’ that you dread asking how they are, because they’ll be sure to tell you! And you walk away feeling quite discouraged. You don’t feel uplifted and drawn towards God and His goodness, you feel frustrated and suddenly unhappy with your lot in life, as if by them telling you about their miserable life, it only drew attention to all the annoying things in your own life.

I came across this verse in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 1:28

Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

Notice here that is says, ‘the brethren have discouraged our heart’. As in the brothers. Christians. Discouraging others!

And this is not the only place in scripture where we see people discouraging others.

Numbers 32:6-9

 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.

The Hebrew word for discourage is literally, to liquefy or to melt, as it is translated here in this verse in Joshua. The people of Jericho were discouraged because they had heard of God’s greatness and what He had done for the Israelites. Their hearts melted and their courage was gone.

Joshua 2:11

 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.  

This melting of hearts is not the kind you feel when you look at a beautiful little baby or when your sweet little toddler gives you those ‘Bambi’ eyes. This is a melting of a different sort. A fainting of heart. The Greek meaning is disheartened, spiritless, dismayed.

Are we guilty of discouraging others so that their hearts melt within them, and they lack the courage to go on? They become fearful and worried and lose sight of God’s greatness.

Or could you possibly be one of those rare, joyful, uplifting people that are always reaching down to some poor miserable soul and encouraging them with the promises of God and helping them lift their eyes to the Lord? Constantly being a reminder of God’s goodness. Reassuring them that God is faithful and boosting their low spirits by recounting stories of God’s blessings in your own life.  

Oh, how I strive to be one of these people. I look around me and see these balcony people. But sadly, they are few and far between. They are my encouragers, my cheering squad. They urge me onto bigger and better things. They lift me up by their conversation.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that we all need to walk around with an ear to ear grin all day long, looking slightly abnormal.  (although maybe we should as it would give us an opportunity to tell others where our joy comes from?)

We know that there are times of sadness and times of gladness

Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Balcony people do not necessarily look all that different, but when they open their mouths, they encourage. They are not a discourager of hearts. We need people like this to come alongside us when we’re struggling. To cheer us on and push us towards steadfastly following what God would have us do, even if it seems pointless and fruitless.

When we’re discouraged in ministry and our work for the Lord, when we look around and we don’t see any fruit, and we feel like we’re not accomplishing anything, it’s then that the balcony people are there to lift our arms and strengthen our resolve.

Don’t be a basement person that gets down in the mud with the whining friend and begins to moan along with the miserable one, agreeing with the discouraging thoughts and words of the struggler. If you’re going to get down in the mud, then keep your anchor up on the rock, Jesus Christ, and take a firm hold of that friend, and lift them up towards the light and the solid ground.

Encourage them with verses of scripture. There are too many to choose from, but it does a soul good to be reminded of them.

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Psalm 86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

I think Psalm 150 has to be one of my favourite Psalms. It is just so full of praise. So, take a moment to read over this Psalm and thank God for His goodness to you. And then, when you next spend time with a friend, despite what their attitude my be at that time, become a balcony person. Lift them up. Draw them closer to the Lord by your conversation.

Don’t live in the basement, climb up to the balcony and rise above your circumstances and be an example to those around you and sing forth God’s praises all day long!

Psalm 150:1-6 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Is There Grass on Your Path?

“In one region of Africa, the first converts to Christianity were very diligent about praying. In fact, the believers each had their own special place outside the village where they went to pray in solitude. The villagers reached these “prayer rooms” by using their own private footpaths through the brush. When grass began to grow over one of these trails, it was evident that the person to whom it belonged was not praying very much. Because these new Christians were concerned for each other’s spiritual welfare, a unique custom sprang up. Whenever anyone noticed an overgrown “Prayer path,” he or she would go to the person and lovingly warn, “Friend, there’s grass on your path!”

- (RWD Our Daily Bread, November 18, 1996).

I love this story about ‘prayer paths’. I wonder, is there grass on your path? Is your prayer life in such a state that your path has become overgrown with weeds. Weeds of busyness. Weeds of laziness. Weeds of discontent. Weeds of indifference. 

Our lives can become so busy that we neglect to spend much needed time in prayer. Focused prayer. Not just short little ‘help me’ prayers, but ‘get on your knees and beg God to work' prayers. 

We need to make it a priority to find that special place. That ‘prayer room’ where we can get alone and get serious with God. What a blessing it is to know that we have an audience with the Creator of the universe, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords! Praise God! 

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalm 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and

delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:

 and he shall hear my voice.

God is always near and He always listens. He is there, waiting in our ‘prayer rooms’, calling us to come and meet with Him and learn from Him. And yet, we push Him aside by being too busy to stop and pray. Our path becomes overgrown, little by little, until one day, we find that we can no longer see the path and  we’ve almost forgotten how to pray. What a sorry state of affairs to see our prayer path obscured.

One of my favourite old songs asks the question, “how long has it been?”

How long has it been since you took that path to your place of solitude and spent time alone with God? 

Is there grass on your path?

How Long Has It Been? 

How long has it been since you talked with the Lord
And told him your heart's hidden secrets
How long since you prayed how long since you stayed
On your knees till the light shone through
How long has it been since your mind felt at ease
How long since your heart knew no burden
Can you call him your friend how long has it been since you knew that he cared for you

How long has it been since you knelt by your bed and prayed to the Lord up in heaven
How long since you knew that he'd answer you
And would keep you the long night through
How long has it been since you woke with the dawn and felt that the days’ worth the living
Can you call him your friend how long has it been since you knew that he cared for you