Are you the one that encourages others? Can you name those people in your life who encouraged you? Was it a teacher, pastor, 4-H Club agent, coach, youth leader, grandparent, parent, or an uncle or aunt? You certainly know who it was? Did you thank whoever it was?

That leads to the question of the day:

Are you the one that encourages others? Have you intentionally tried to be that person who is an encourager? Would you pray, during the course of this week, asking God to lay on your heart— that one you need to encourage? Would you seek out that one this week and encourage that person? Would you make a phone call, send a card, visit someone, take time to pray with the person whom God has laid on your heart? We need to listen to the individual that we are trying to encourage.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. What is Paul saying to the believers of Corinth? KJV- “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.”

The word “blessed” is actually “praise”. Praise be to God. I wonder how much we really praise God. David said, in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” That ought to get rid of the complaining saint. God is the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort.

Thought: God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. In our world people turn to a host of things for comfort. There is a problem with this kind of thinking. (Things do not comfort.) Aren’t you glad that you know that source of all comfort? John Jewett said this, “God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.”

Note 2 Corinthians 1:4 (KJV)- “Who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

Yes— He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. It is a wonderful thing that we have a God who can comfort us in all our troubles. It is in that time of trouble that we need comfort. It is in those times of loneliness and in the desperate hours of our life that we need comfort.

Are you a comforter? That depends on your relationship with your fellow man. It is easy to turn a deaf ear to the guy that is hurting physically, mentally, or emotionally. I have often heard it said— what is the difference in a recession and a depression? If my neighbor is out of work— that is a recession. If I am out of work, that is a depression.

What about your neighbor? What about that fellow classmate in Sunday school, a fellow believer you sit with on Sunday? Do I listen? Do I respond? Do I care? Am I a comforter?

Note 2 Corinthians 1:5 (KJV)- “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” It could be said this way, “For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ.” Has He showered you lately? Could it be that He is not going to rain showers on you until you start comforting others?

Pray about it— God has already named who you need to comfort.

Are you the one that encourages others?

In the early 1980’s, I was the agriculture teacher at Caledonia High School. One of my duties was to be the local FFA advisor. I took students from Caledonia to the National Future Farmers of America Convention which was held each year in Kansas City, Missouri. There were 22,000 students from all over the USA that attended this affair. All of the 22,000 students were dressed in the blue and gold FFA jackets, white shirts, black pants, and a black tie. Along with the crowd of students were thousands of agriculture teachers, as well as, national sponsors. Many guests attended including the Vice President of the U.S., TV personalities, and many corporate representatives representing the industry of agriculture. During one of the conventions, Dr. Norman Vincent Peal spoke on the power of positive thinking. When I heard that He was to speak, I had this thought: (What could an 85 year-old man tell a bunch of 16 year-olds?) When he spoke I saw 22,000 kids give more standing ovations than I had ever seen for many nationally known speakers.

While you and I may not agree with all of Dr. Peal’s thoughts— there is much that the Bible has to say about where yours and my thoughts should be. How are we to think? After all we are going through a time of shut-down, lock-down, and lock-up. For those of us above 65, we are told to stay in the house. What are we to do? What are we to think?

Read Philippians 4:8. Notice the words, “Think on these things.” We might say, what things?

Things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and things that are of good report.

Think on these things.

Philippians 4:13- Think on this scripture. What is Paul saying? Is He telling us to believe in ourselves? Is he saying to us, you are to believe that Christ empowers us to do whatever we set our mind to? No.

I can do all things through Christ— whatever Christ has for you to do, He will supply the power. Whatever gift He gives you, He will give you the power to exercise that gift.

Psalm 19:14. Have you prayed Psalm 19:14?

Who was David’s strength? Christ

Who was His redeemer? Christ

Who is your strength? ___________

Who is your redeemer? ___________

Read Proverbs 4:20-27. Read these verses again 5X. Meditate on these verses. Think on these verses. Ask God to direct your thoughts.

Pray.

Just a note to say— I love you.

From my heart I say this:

In my childhood, many people, including my parents had chickens running loose in the yard. This included mother hens, baby chicks, fryers to eat, and a rooster that crowed frequently. I have watched so many times that when a thunderstorm arose— the mother hen, in her own language, would gather her baby chicks under her wings until the storm passed.

As each week passes by, I wonder how many more until we can safely open our doors for worship. From my heart, I miss seeing each of you. I miss the hand shakes and hugs. I miss the words of encouragement. I miss the worship services that maybe I’ve taken for granted. My heart is broken that you and I cannot respond to an emergency at the hospital. I miss drinking coffee with the men and those times of fellowship. Oh, the list goes on of the things I miss.

I feel hopeless in a lot of ways, but I am reminded that God is our refuge and strength and is a very present help in times of trouble. I encourage you to practice your faith, be sensitive to others’ needs, check on others— especially the sick and shut-ins, and place yourself under the sheltering wings of the Almighty.

For our Wednesday Thoughts, I direct your attention to 1 Kings 18:36-39.

Why it Rained When Elijah Prayed

Introduction: Elijah Prayed

I. In the Name of the Lord (John 16:23)

II. In Faith “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

III. In Sincerity- Meditate on 2 Chronicles 7:14

IV. In Righteousness (1 John 3:22)

V. In Humility (Luke 18:13-14)

VI. In Forgiveness (Mark 11:25)

VII. With Perseverance (Luke 11:8-9)

A note from a member to the Church Congregation:

Dear Church Family,

We appreciated your thoughts and prayers for Pam. Pam loved her church and church family. We take comfort knowing Pam was saved. God bless you.

Chuck Easley and Family

I. Picture the Scene of this text:

II. What does fear do for you and I?

“I commend my Spirit”

Luke 23:46

The word “commend” means to place with someone, to entrust, or to commit. Jesus was not helplessly watching His life slip away, but He consciously placed it in the care of, entrusted it to to, and committed it to the tender caring hands of His Father. Matthew Henry says, ” Our souls were forfeited, and He must go to redeem the forfeiture.” The price must be paid into the hands of God. The party offended by sin, to Him He had undertaken to make full satisfaction. It is just as if you owed someone a debt. When you went to satisfy that debt, it would only be proper and fitting to place the money into the hands of the one to whom it was owed. So, Jesus while paying the price for our redemption, placed the purchased price, His life, into the hands of His Father. “I commend my spirit.”