Scriptures: Acts 15:30-31 30So the men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. (NIV)
Nugget: In the scriptures preceding those mentioned above, the elders & apostles decided to send a letter to the brethren who were Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, & Cilicia. They sent the letter by way of their own men along with Paul & Barnabas. The letter was written & sent in order to encourage Gentile believers in these cities.
When those in Antioch received the letter, they were glad & rejoiced over its encouraging message. This letter & the encouragement it provided reminds me of the many times someone sent me an encouraging message “out-of-the-blue”, of the times when I received the perfect quote or scripture right on time, & even of the times I received a phone call when it was needed most.
God definitely knows when & who to send these messages through; just like the elders & apostles chose their own men, Paul, & Barnabas to deliver their message, God choses the right people as well.
Allow God to use you to encourage others as well as allow yourself to be open to receive the ones He’s sent to encourage you.
Quote: “Encouragement from any source is like a drop of rain upon a parched desert. Thanks to all the many others who rained on me when I needed it, and even when I foolishly thought I didn’t. (acknowledgements in The P.U.R.E.)” –Claire Gillian
© Lisi P, 2014
