Living on Mission – B|Encouragers

Living on Mission – B|Encouragers

“When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.” (Acts 11:23-24)

We live in a very negative society. We hear a lot of bad news, but it’s not all that different from the world Paul and Barnabas lived in. (we do hear it a lot quicker than they did) There were sick people. There were natural disasters. There was serious persecution. Poverty. Hunger. Slavery.

So how come Barnabas was such an encourager? How did he see the good? He wasn’t walking around with rose-colored glasses. He wasn’t just a naturally perky personality. He was in direct contact with the source of all good things. He saw what the Holy Spirit saw. He saw what could be. Yay, Barnabas! He found they key to joy, faith, and encouragement. He was full of the Holy Spirit.

We can tell by what Paul said to the Thessalonians that there was a culture of encouragement. “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Oh how we need this today! We are the Good News people! Let’s fill up daily and strengthen and encourage one another.

Let’s practice Living on Mission and B|Encouragers by staying full of the Holy Spirit and letting love, joy, and encouragement spill out to everyone around!

Pastor Angela