A PRAYER FOR OUR CLERGY

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”  (Philippians 1:3-5 NIV)

For Clergy Appreciation Month may this prayer bring comfort and encouragement to all those who serve in ministry.

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts, lifting up our local church pastors, chaplains, and retired clergy. We thank You for their dedication, their tireless service, and their unwavering commitment to caring for Your flock.

For our local church pastors, we ask for Your continued guidance and strength. Bless them with wisdom as they lead their congregations, and fill them with Your Spirit so they may preach Your Word with boldness and clarity. Grant them the endurance to face the challenges of ministry and the joy of seeing lives transformed by Your grace.

For our chaplains, who serve in hospitals, military, prisons, and other institutions, we pray for Your protection and peace. May they be a source of comfort and hope to those in need, and may their presence be a reflection of Your love and compassion demonstrated through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Give them the words to speak in difficult situations and the strength to carry out their duties with grace and mercy.

For our retired clergy, we offer our deepest gratitude for their years of faithful service. May they find rest and fulfillment in their retirement, knowing that their labor in Your vineyard has not been in vain. Bless them with good health, joy, and the continued assurance of Your presence in their lives.

Lord, we ask that You surround all these faithful servants with Your love and encouragement. May their hearts be uplifted by the appreciation and support of their communities. Strengthen them in their calling, and may they always feel valued and cherished for the work they do in Your name.

We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#5964

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT)

Do you need encouragement right now? My best advice to you is to go encourage someone else. Are you caught up in your own needs? Go fill the needs of others. You’ll reap what you sow, and the love you give will return to you.

But some people have actually told me, “I don’t know anyone who needs encouragement.” Would you like to know the best place to find them? In your church.

Fred Smith, a businessman, asked a church usher about his responsibilities. The man said, “Nothing more than being there, shaking hands, finding my place in the aisle, taking the offering, and showing up for an occasional ushers meeting.” Smith thought this didn’t sound very biblical, but he observed in the conversation that this man had a passion about the ministry of hospitality. So many people come to church filled with cares and anxiety, the usher had noticed, and they need a warm handshake, a listening ear, perhaps a hug. The man found his place to serve God quietly but profoundly.

This weekend, make it a project to go to church simply as an encourager. Ask God to direct your steps to someone who needs a dose of love. 

-- David Jeremiah in “Keep the Faith: How to Stand Strong in a World Turned Upside Down”

#5925

MUTUALLY ENCOURAGED BY MEETING TOGETHER

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25)

Here are two ways to pray as you head to church, regardless of how indifferent or even fearful you might feel about going.

First, pray that at least one thing would be a significant encouragement to you. Be open to being encouraged. Look for encouragement. It might be a lyric from one of the hymns or songs you sing. It might be someone’s prayer, or a line from a sermon. It might be something someone says to you before the service begins or after it ends. Ask God for this. He means to encourage you.

Second, pray that you would be a significant encouragement to at least one other person. It might be what you say to them. It might simply be seeing you there, faithfully attending even when you don’t fully feel like it. Stick around long enough to have one meaningful conversation. I’m shy; I don’t like moving into a crowded coffee space after church not knowing whom to talk to. But I love lingering in the pew talking to whoever’s around me.

God has designed us to be mutually encouraged by meeting together regularly as His people. To seek it is to go exactly with the grain of what God wants to do for us. These are prayers God means to answer. Trust Him as you walk into church again. 

-- Sam Allberry

#5895

JUST JOKING

“Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”  (Proverbs 26:18-19 NIV)

A man had the habit of making fun of people as a joke. He would often lapse into extremely poor taste, and he offended regularly. When people would react in anger, he would accuse them of not having a sense of humor, and he would say, “Hey, I’m only kidding. You know how much I think of you.” Then he would turn around and insult them all over again. He thought that he was being immensely humorous and clever, and many people laughed at his jokes, just so long as they weren’t the target of them.

There is no such thing as a harmless joke at the expense of another being’s feelings or dignity. Christ calls us to respect and love one another, and we have no right to do anything that might prove hurtful. Our words should build each other up, not provide a stumbling block. Ephesians 4:29 states, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

A lot of cruelty has been masked as jokes throughout the centuries, but one day God will judge what was funny, and what was evil. It is the duty of every person of God to weigh the impact of their words and to speak in ways which are a blessing rather than a curse. The Lord rejoices when our words are sweet and gentle, but His wrath is kindled by words which burn and cause anguish. 

-- Adapted from “Daily Wisdom from the Bible: Encouragement for Every Day” by Dan and Nancy Dick

#5675

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Luke 11:9-10 NLT)

Growth in the spiritual life requires a group. In fellowship with other like-minded folk, earnestly seeking to know and understand the will of God, comes practice of the presence of God. Their counsel, their experience, their questionings, their faith are nourishment we need, the encouragement to keep on, the joy that delights in knowing that we do not stand alone in our search.

-- Freer and Hall in “Two or Three Together”

#5672

HOW TO FINISH WELL – Part 5 of 6

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:11-19 NIV)

How do we finish well?... Those who finish well have a Christ-centered life,… a focused life… a disciplined life,… a teachable spirit,…

A fifth characteristic of those who finish well is that they have a well-networked life… You can’t run this race alone. Success in the journey depends upon a network of key relationships. Those who finish well have had not just one but numerous mentors. There are people who pray for you. There is personal and group accountability. There is shepherding by pastors and encouragement by spiritual friends -- co-travelers on the path to help you get there.

-- Adapted from Donald W. Sweeting and George Sweeting in “How to Finish the Christian Life: Following Jesus in the Second Half”

#5622

ENDURANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPE

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 15:4-6 NIV)

Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown. Hope makes you see God’s guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness. 

-- Henri J. M. Nouwen

#5562

YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU – Part 3 of 3

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ… Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”  (Galatians 6:2,10 NIV)

On any given Sunday, there are numerous people in my congregation who are hurting and who long for assurance that God knows and cares about what they’re going through. It has been my joy to enter church on Sunday with a prayer to God that I am available for the Sprit to lead me to the one who needs encouragement that day. How exciting this has made Sundays for me! I never know what God might ask me to do as I not only worship Him but serve Him among His people….

Too many Christians have developed a self-centered attitude toward their church. They look upon church as something that exists to meet their needs and to deliver entertaining services each week. However, Jesus said we must deny ourselves (see Matthew 16:24). Our desire should not be that we are always ministered to but that we follow Jesus wherever He leads us. Rather than focusing on what our church is doing for us, we ought to be asking what God is seeking to do in our church through us. 

-- Excerpted from “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God” by Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King

#5529

THE WORDS WE CHOOSE

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”  (Ephesians 4:29)

The word is one of the most precious moral choices we individuals make, and if you really want to know what a man or woman believes, thinks, and how that person has made moral choices, you want to look at the words they choose. 

-- Bill Moyers

#5134

WHAT SHOULD I SAY?

“Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.”  (Proverbs 11:17)

Words are so important.   A word can excite or depress.  A word can make us glad or sad or mad.  Words can inspire and lift our spirits or defeat and deflate our souls.  Words can motivate and encourage, or they can crush and kill.  Words can convince us to stand tall for what is right, or they can destroy hope and blast reputations.  Words can offer a beautiful prayer and preach a powerful sermon, or they can incite a riot or tell a dirty joke.

The words we choose -- and the way we use them -- communicate more about us and our faith than we can possibly imagine.  Profane words, bigoted words, hateful words, cruel words do not promote the cause of Christ or represent the spirit of Christ.  They never have and never will.  We dupe ourselves by calling our dirty talk mature, adult, realistic.  Come on, now!  What could be more immature, childish, and unrealistic?  If you want to be a good witness for Jesus Christ today, clean up your act and clean up your speech.  Speak the words of faith, hope, and love in a tone of compassion, kindness, and respect. 

--  James W. Moore in “When You're a Christian, the Whole World is from Missouri”  

#4971

THE AGENT OF TRANSFORMATION

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12: 2 NLT)

A Christian should encourage others in the same way a good coach encourages his/her players. The coach helps them visualize what they can BE rather than just what they ARE. Christians can be the agents of encouragement, knowing that God is the agent of transformation.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson

#4915 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT COURSE

I have seen people make terrible decisions when they were drained, tired, discouraged, or afraid that they would never have made otherwise. Never try to choose the right course of action in the wrong frame of mind.

Wisdom may well have you wait to make a big decision until you’re rested. An anxious mind and an exhausted body will lead to a terrible decision nine times out of ten. Paul says, “The peace of God, which transcends all [human] understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). If I’m going to make a good decision, I need that peace, that encouragement of knowing I’m with God. 

-- John Ortberg in “All the Places to Go… How Will You Know?”

#4881

ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

In “Witnesses of a Third Way: A Fresh Look at Evangelism”, Robert Neff's chapter includes this story about visiting a church service: "It was one of those mornings when the tenor didn't get out of bed on the right side… As I listened to his faltering voice, I looked around.  People were pulling out hymnals to locate the hymn being sung by the soloist.  By the second verse, the congregation had joined the soloist in the hymn.  And by the third verse, the tenor was beginning to find the range.  And by the fourth verse, it was beautiful.  And on the fifth verse, the congregation was absolutely silent, and the tenor sang the most beautiful solo of his life.  That is life in the body of Christ, enabling one another to sing the tune Christ has given us." 

--  John H. Unger

#4865

A LIVING HOPE AND CONFIDENT ASSURANCE

“Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  [born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time. In this you rejoice greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested and purified by fire, may be found to result in [your] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not even see Him now, you believe and trust in Him and you greatly rejoice and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy, receiving as the result [the outcome, the consummation] of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”  (1 Peter 1:3-9 Amplified Version)

Do you need encouragement? Peter’s words offer joy and hope in times of trouble, and he bases his confidence on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. We live with the wonderful expectation of eternal life. Our hope is not only for the future, eternal life begins when we trust Christ and join God’s family. No matter what pain or trial we face in this life, we know that it is not our final experience. Eventually we will live with Christ forever.

-- From the Life Application Study Bible


#4825

TENDER AND COMPASSIONATE

“The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.”  (Psalm 103:13-14 NLT)

Several years ago a man I know was going through the painful process of trying to break an addiction. One day he asked me if I would joy down a list of encouraging Scriptures that he could carry with him at all times. Happy to do it, I chose ten of my favorites, typed them up, and handed the list to him at church. A few weeks later, I asked him if he still had the list and was using it. He said he was, and that the Scripture he found most encouraging was number six on the list, none other than Psalm 103:13-14.

He said he’d grown up with the notion that Jesus was a strict disciplinarian who was watching his every move, just waiting for him to slip up. He said the guilt and fear that image created in him was paralyzing. Then he read David’s words from Psalm 103, and it was as if the sun broke through the clouds. The words “tender” and “compassionate” were words he’d never associated with God. Suddenly, he had a whole new appreciation for Jesus, a deeper love for Him than ever before, and a stronger desire than ever to try to please Him.

-- Mark Atteberry in “Free Refill: Coming Back for More of Jesus”


#4751

IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS

In looking for ideas for Christmas gifts I found these suggestions from Oren Arnold: For your enemy, forgiveness. For an opponent, tolerance. For a friend, your heart. For a customer, service. For every child, a good example. For yourself, respect.

That got me thinking about some other gift suggestions as well: For your neighbor, charity. For a coworker or classmate, encouragement. For your pastor, support. For the lonely, companionship. For the grieving, a remembrance. For all everywhere, the love of God in Christ Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” (John 3:16a)

Maybe this prompts you to think about Christmas gifts in a different way. We’d love to hear from you about your ideas for Christmas giving this year.

-- David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry


#4739

GIANT STEPS IN SMALL GROUPS

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  (Hebrews 10:23-25 RSV)

When people are in small groups where someone knows them -- where they can ask the threatening, embarrassing, naïve questions, and share where they are -- then they can take giant steps in their faith. That just doesn't happen in a church service of 200 or 500 people.

-- Howard Hendricks

#4668

TRULY ENCOURAGING

“What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?... In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us.”  (Romans 8:31,37 CEV)

Good leaders know how to get the best out of people by continually encouraging them to take steps of faith in their service to God in the church and elsewhere…

What does it mean to be truly encouraging? The answer may seem obvious, but many leaders don’t get it. They have great expectations for their followers, but they offer little positive support. An encouraging leader helps people to believe in themselves, and instills in them a sense of confidence -- for confidence literally means to have faith (fidelis) with (con) another person. When we encourage people, we not only have faith in them, but at deeper levels we instill in them a faith that God is with them. And when God is with us, who can be against us? Our faith in people engenders the confidence that can lead them to achievements of which they didn’t think themselves capable.

-- N. Graham Standish in “Becoming a Blessed Church: Forming a Church of Spiritual Purpose, Presence, and Power”


#4667

AWAKENING OUR HEARTS TO GOD’S LOVE

“Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”  (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV)

God invites us to wake up to the reality of His presence in our lives each and every day. He may get our attentions through all kinds of unexpected ways. He may speak through a passage of the Bible you’re reading. He may answer a prayer you’ve been waiting on for weeks, months, or years. He may share a much-needed word of encouragement with you through a friend. God is incredibly creative when it comes to awakening our hearts to His love. 

-- Margaret Feinberg in “A Grand New Day”


#4525

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the LORD and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11-13 NIV)

You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who could really use it. It may be someone who is lonely or discouraged. It may be your spouse, your pastor, the nurse who cared for you, the clerk at the store, your Bible study leader, the waitstaff at the restaurant, or your child’s teacher. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.

-- Adapted from Dale Carnegie


#4229