Need encouragement? Be courageous

Good Morning~ Several of you wrote to tell me that the story of Jehoshaphat's faith, and how God rewarded it, was really encouraging for you--as YOU are 'in the battle'. Someone also commented quite astutely that it didn't really have anything to do with where we are in the book of Acts---well today, it will, as we finish Acts 14. You will remember in the verses just before these, Paul had been brutally stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead. Miraculously, he was able to travel the very next day with Barnabas to Derbe. "Father, show us how you value encouragement from this Scripture":

When they had preached the gospel to that city [Derbe] and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples. Acts 14.21-28 ESV - this translation is getting great reviews from many teachers and preachers because it is easy to read, and also quite accurate; you can check it out further if you wish: http://www.esv.org/

This is most incredible--Paul and Barnabas are retracing the steps of their first missionary journey, but. . . . . . going back to Lystra where Paul was savagely wounded? Back to Iconium where there had been a plot to stone them both? Back to Pisidian Antioch where Jews and Gentiles both had thrown them out? What were they thinking?? They were on a mission. . . a mission from God. . . to encourage the disciples of Jesus. . . to help strengthen them in their faith, to help them see that trials are part and parcel of being a follower of Christ. Though their mission was noble and right, it took incredible courage. {courage - the ability to do something that frightens one; • strength in the face of pain or grief } - Today, we link encouragement⤷ with⤷ courage, friends. So highly did Paul value encouragement--the building up of the new believers in these towns--that he risked his life to go back to teach them. It took incredible courage for him to follow his conviction of the importance of getting back to the young Christians in the Galatian cities mentioned. (Staying true to our convictions demands courage from us, have you noticed?)

This isn't the only time we see the two values of courage and encouragement linked. . . look back with me at Deuteronomy 31.6 - Moses is talking to the people--kinda' giving his retirement speech, as he passes the leadership baton to Joshua. The people are worried about crossing over into Canaan, (it is a pretty cool passage to read actually 31.1-8) and he says, Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, [the people of the land to which they were going] for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Moses encourages the people by exhorting them to be courageous. . . but here is the thing--He didn't tell them to be courageous 'just because'----- >Segue--when I was a child, and voiced that I was scared to play the piano in front of a large group of people or nervous about something else, my dad would say, 'Come on, get 'hold of yourself; you're a "Todd" (my maiden name) for ___sake!' I was told I should be courageous because I was a 'Todd'--oh brother. Moses tells the Israelites to be courageous...why? Because the Lord your God goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. This is really important for you to get--we can and should be courageous------like Judah under the leadership of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chron, 20----because our strength does not depend on us; our strength comes from the Lord. (As Joyce Meyers would say, "man, I'm preachin' good tonight. . . amen?" 'jus cracks me up, it does) We can and should be courageous in life, not out of a false sense of courage, but one that comes from knowing that God is our Commander, and as such, we can let Him lead the charge. If we are under attack, He will take the fiery darts of the evil one, and it will be as though they are sparklers 'beenking' off God's bronze armor, and fizzling to the ground.

Yes, it took courage for Paul and Barnabas to go back and do what they did in these towns--teaching and discipling the Christians, and helping them establish leadership in their churches. And then when they got back to (Syrian) Antioch, they reported what God had done through them on their mission trip to these other towns. They gave an 'accounting' to the church who had sent them out; you know, accountability is one of the purest forms of encouragement--it sharpens us, helps us to set goals and meet them. Just think how encouraged the Antioch church folk were as they heard Paul and Barnabas' testimony. In closing--let me encourage you to be a person of courage--especially when it comes to your convictions; it will definitely encourage others! Christine (DiGiacomo)