Each of us needs a word of encouragement, and then I say, encourage others at every opportunity. Some people can live for a week on a word of thanks and encouragement. Do not believe me? Try it and see.
I explain this in Acts chapter 20, in the New Testament where Paul is getting ready to leave Ephesus. Watch closely as he is with these disciples of Jesus Christ. Calls around him. He wants to encourage and strengthenfor what they had experienced and lived through - the uprising - the riots in Ephesus educated and literate. They loved Paul and Paul loved her.
In the last two years had been through a lot together. This is done - is not it?
If we are thrown together in Christ Jesus, go through a lot together.
They had come to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and know the Baptist, the Holy Spirit. Many had been healed of illnesses and diseases. People haddelivered from demons. For two years Paul had taught them the word of God every day.
These elders - these students - has been so blessed - as required by the preaching and teaching of Paul enriched - but it is time for him to go ahead.
Note his ministry, as it moves. Putting them in courage - - building in the faith - and teaches them how to build faith, though always with the faithful, exhorting them and will be encouraged.
ButThere are Jews who are planning and plotting to kill the servant of the living God, and we saw how God has protected - to preserve it - the door.
Paul has been done to change the planned route, and in verse 4 we read of the friends who accompanied him - traveling colleagues in Christ has begun to bore him.
In verse 6, is in Troas, and we look to the church at Troas, where, if they worship. The first day of the week we cametogether to break bread.
When you are gathered in the community of prayer and praise and worship and hear the Word of God, shared the bread and wine.
What we read here is probably about what we call Saturday night. They start Saturday night for worship and sing praises to God, and the preacher is Paul. I've said this before in another context - how you intend to spend a Saturday night, as you train for Sunday.
AsPaul was leaving the next day, and that he was never to happen again in this way, he just preached and preached and preached - right on "until midnight.
This is just before the end of the third missionary journey. He has been through a lot. Humanly speaking, he must have worn and tired, yet so ready to preach and teach and minister - until there was a word from God to speak. Hungry sheep sat and listened and took everything they could and were well fed and nourished. ImagineShe stared at him in the light of oil lamps.
These students want to grow in grace, and Paul realized that they needed because the Word was God wanted to learn - and - learning from the Word of God is the satisfaction and peace and grace.
You tell me. Be very honest. How hungry you are for the word of God?
One of the biggest lessons I have learned a number of years was simply this - "not to preach sermons - to teach the wordGod ".
Sandy Shaw
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