Community Devotions

Encouragement

1 Thessalonians 3:7-8, "⁷ Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. ⁸ For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 

Observation

We are to be encouraged thru all trials and tribulations because He lives and because of His Presence and because of His love. We can have the confidence, reassurance, and firm foundation in our lives thru our faith in Jesus. Thus we can really live and move forward.

Application

Life can be overwhelming thru the daily challenges of the world at work, community and family. So how do we get the pick me up to keep our heads up and moving forward rather than being consumed in despair? As Timothy encouraged his brothers and sisters in Christ, we should be an encourager to others as well as be encouraged by others. We are to be the salt and light to the world so that others can have the hope in Christ. Yesterday, I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to mentor a young engineer who came to my office in tears due to work challenges. As I was praying for this engineer, the Lord reminded me of His presence to always seek Him in all things and be open and available to serve Him and not be consumed by my selfish desires. The engineer left my office with a renewed heart and I understood the joy not only by serving Him but that in order to really live, I need to pour my cup out to others so that in turn I can gain capacity to refill my cup by others encouraging me. We all need each other to be filled and really live like Christ.

Prayer

Lord, I praise you for your unconditional love and grace in my life. Thank you for providing me the ability to intercede and reach out to the younger generation. I thank you for my brothers this morning and privilege of doing life together to be encouraged by sharing devos and opening my heart to let your presence be powerful in my life. Amen!

Boldy Speaking Out

Exodus 18:19-23

19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and  instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

Observation

Mose’s father-in-law, Jethro, spoke at the appropriate time to Moses to offer advice that would lighten his load and allow Moses to teach and lead the Israelites effectively. Jethro ‘spoke out’ in a timely manner to mentor Moses, knowing from experience, that Moses couldn’t teach effectively and was headed toward burnout without the help of other seasoned leaders to assist him. This was a teachable moment for Moses and showed his maturity as a leader to accept advice from an elder with humility, respect and trust.

Application

Everyone needs a mentor and to be a mentor at the same time to the younger generation. The Old Testament has many examples about passing the baton of faith and God’s decrees from one generation to the next, effectively. It takes a partnership between the older and younger generation to reach out and reach our family, community and world with God’s grace & love. Both generations are important and significant in God’s eyes and have a lot to contribute, Joel 2:28, since your old men shall dream dreams, and young men shall see visions to spread the gospel to all the world. Speaking out also requires boldness and courage and to guard our words so that it ‘builds up’ with God’s grace.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, let me have the eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouth to speak out in a timely manner to mentor those that you want me to share and speak life with. Help me to connect and develop close relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ and also non-believers so that they may see Jesus’s love and grace thru me. Let me use my time effectively and not squander it for your glory and increase my intercessory prayer for others. Amen.