When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. Acts 15:31
I know that it is tough for you in your suffering. Know that you are not alone in this and that the saints pray for you at all hours of the day.
Encouragement, such a difficult thing to quantify and yet we know when our courage tank is a bit low. Imagine awaiting a letter from the home church in Jerusalem and expecting a literary whipping, but, lo and behold, the letter comes with words that refresh your soul and ease the pain of your struggles. And so the people of the church in Antioch in Syria felt the encouragement from their fellow saints.
Encouragement is one of our most important jobs in the church as communicators. Minister from the pulpit, sing on the stage, or write in a less visible place, each of us who have taken up the mantle of communication in the church must send encouragement. You may have grown up in a church where there was no doubt that you were a sinner, but the saint part of salvation did not get quite the same airtime. I am glad to call you brother and sister in Christ! I have struggled with the same sense of guilt and shame from those days. Beware though! For on the other hand we have ministries today that call no one sinner. Better to understand that all of us are born sinners and all have the opportunity to become born-again saints. When repentance is made, and the salvation by faith in our Lord Jesus has come, for the love of our Lord, stop calling yourself sinner! Welcome to the kingdom, saint, be baptized in the Spirit of our Lord Jesus!
Love and grace to you in the Lord Jesus!
Bucky
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