Guilty! (based on hearsay?)

On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. Acts 21:18-21

The Church’s first major theological crisis was about Jewish/Gentile matters. This was dealt with in Acts 15 when the first Church Council convened to settle the matter. But the matter was not settled, at least not once-and-for-all, never-to-be-a-problem again! Here it comes again with a slightly new spin.

Originally, the question was whether Gentiles converting to Christianity needed to first become Jewish—requiring the circumcision of males. The final in answer Acts 15 was “No.” Gentiles do not need to become Jewish to be Christian, and they need not be circumcised.

But now, sometime later after God used Paul to lead many Gentiles to Christ and plant numerous Christian churches throughout Asia Minor and Greece, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were happy to hear of Gentile conversions to Christ, but…

The new spin on the Jewish/Gentile matter was an accusation that Paul was teaching Jews to forsake Jewish customs. Let’s consider this issue.

First, Paul was not teaching that. Second, the accusation that Paul was teaching that was based on hearsay. While it is not wrong to ask about the validity of hearsay, it is foolish to pass judgment based on hearsay. Even in a court of law, what a witness “heard” about a matter is not germane. Only what a witness has personally heard and/or seen is supposed to be admissible.

Let us all learn that what we heard about a matter may not be true. Better to ask the person—without accusation—to clarify the validity of what is being said by third parties.

More on the Jewish/Gentile matter next time…

Mi casa es tu casa

Also some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and brought with them a certain Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge. And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. Acts 21:16-17

Paul and company departed from Caesarea to go to Jerusalem. Though just over an hour’s drive today (we’ve motored this route a couple of times), in Paul’s day, the sixty-five miles would be a serious uphill walk, only a little faster, but quite a bit easier if they had animals to ride.

When they arrived, they stayed in the home of a man named Mnason. He was from the island of Cypress, but had a home in Jerusalem. He was probably a man of means to have a home large enough to lodge the group. Luke doesn’t tell us a great deal, except that Mnason was “an early disciple.” He may even have been one of the those converted on the first Christian Pentecost when through Peter’s sermon, God saved 3,000 at once!

One thing we do know about Mnason: he was hospitable. Paul and his entourage needed a place to stay, and Mnason’s doors were open. Christians need to be hospitable. Church officers must be hospitable.

Hospitality in our day is often more about entertaining than true hospitality. Entertaining is often more about wanting to impress with our beautiful homes and our gourmet meals. True hospitality is about making others feel welcome and at home.

This is important to understand for people who fear they can’t be hospitable because of their smaller homes and budgets. Not True! Sometimes when our home is crammed with people, we’ve served something as simple as a big pot of pasta and sauce. Everyone seems to have a good time!

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a large and/or nice home. Serving people great food is always a nice gesture. The issue is our hearts. Do we do what we do to impress, or simply to make others at ease in our homes?

And there is also the matter of hospitality at church. God is gracious to bring guests to our church on many Sundays. I believe our church is very hospitable—doing our best to make people feel welcome and at ease in an unfamiliar place. Good job! Keep up the good work!

Wisdom regarding counsel

Now when we heard these things [about Paul being arrested if he went to Jerusalem], both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:12-15

Still thinking about the difference between “counsel from the godly,” and “godly counsel”…

First, be extra careful (even suspicious) about counsel that comes from the ungodly. Granted, counsel concerning plumbing repair and gallbladder surgery need not come from a godly Christian. In these kinds of matters, just get the best counsel you can from the most qualified you know!

Second, when it comes to things that are of a spiritual nature—even counsel from the godly can be wrong. All who heard Agabus correctly predict that Paul would suffer persecution if he went to Jerusalem “pleaded with Paul not to go.” Though they were presumably godly people who loved Paul, their counsel was wrong.

Third, many things that may not seem to be spiritual have serious spiritual ramifications. Many things are more spiritual than we might first realize. Example: What school to enroll your children in is more spiritual than it is educational, since all education comes with a worldview, be it good or bad. The “best school” educationally may well be the worst school for a person’s spiritual well-being. This is but one example—there are myriads of choices that are more “spiritual” than most are aware of.

Fourth, godly people who love us can easily allow their affections for us to cloud their judgment regarding God’s will. We tend to want those we love to live free from pain and trouble. But don’t we all know that often it is in the midst of difficulties that we experience the most spiritual growth.

The bottom line is two-fold: (a) Let us be wise to reject counsel from the ungodly about matters that have any measure of spiritual importance. (b) Let us test all counsel—even from the godly, because though they may be sincere and want “the best” for us, the Lord’s will may well be very different.

Well-intentioned counsel is not always God's will!

Now when we heard these things [about Paul being arrested if he went to Jerusalem], both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:12-15

Paul was warned that if he went to Jerusalem he would be arrested. The people with Paul “pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem” (v.12). But Paul was not to be dissuaded. He was convinced he was to go to Jerusalem—so he went, looming arrest or not! Paul no doubt appreciated the people’s concern, but he was resolute, and knowledge of suffering was not going to change his mind (v.13).

A lesson to take from this (and this is on a lesson in our discipleship curriculum regarding discerning answers to prayer) is that there is a difference between “godly counsel,” and “counsel from the godly.” The godly said “Don’t go!” But God’s counsel was, “Go, knowing the cost ahead of time!”

We must cultivate an ear to hear and know God’s voice, which sometimes people who love us will affirm, and sometimes they will not.

Heading straight for persecution

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-12

Agabus was a first century prophet, gifted by God to see into the future. What Agabus saw concerning Paul’s travels—and Paul’s eventual arrest in Jerusalem—was correct! It really was going to happen and it really did happen.

What would you or I have done had we known that if we went to a certain place we would be arrested? We would probably avoid that place and avoid being arrested. In fact, the people with Paul thought that is exactly what he should have done (v.12).

What did Paul do? He headed for Jerusalem. Wasn’t that what Jesus did when He made His last trip to Jerusalem, knowing the cross was ahead? "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify…” (Matthew 20:18-19)

So why did Paul do that, and what should we make of the prophecy?

Paul apparently took the prophecy as a warning of what to expect, not a warning of how to avoid arrest. So he went. It is not wrong to avoid persecution if we can while continuing to obey God’s will. But what if it was God’s will for Paul to go to Jerusalem and to be arrested? As always, we must be discerning regarding God’s will, even if we know that obedience will result in suffering. After all, God did not promise believers freedom from persecution. Rather, He promised that persecution is often part of following Him (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:12).

But what if everyone around us is urging us to avoid persecution and trials? Next time…

God prescribed all we need

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:41-42

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47

A little more about the necessity of the Ordinary Means of Grace (OMG), and why we need to be diligent to major on these instead of the myriad of other activities and events that the Church tends to become about.

Imagine two churches across the street from each other. One has separate programs for men and women, for every age group, and a host of special interests. The other church invests itself only in the OMG—preaching, worship, prayer, caring for one another, evangelism & missions, etc.

Which would you imagine is bigger? Why? Which would you be most drawn to? Why?

Why is it that most church-goers choose and remain in a church for reasons other than attention to the OMG? One of the most common reasons is “my friends go there.”

Would the people who attended the church with all the programs stay if the programs were no longer offered? Or would they look for another place that offers those things? What does that say about the importance of the OMG really are to some people?

The main point of this line of reasoning is that at Grace Bible Church, we do not offer all sorts of extras because we can’t. It is because we do not want to. We are committed to being a church of the OMG.

Everything we need—and is prescribed in the New Testament—is available in a streamlined manner. We do not need more things to do. +We need to attend services every Sunday morning and Thursday evening as often as is possible. +We need to attend prayer meetings, unless we are not able to. +We need to be in discipleship groups for deeper guided Bible study, and in Home Fellowships for fellowship and to care for one another. +We need to be engaged in local evangelism and world missions as much as we are able.

If we needed more, the Lord would have prescribed more in His Word.

The extra-biblical becomes obligatory

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:41-42

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47

Once again... We all (me too!) need to be reminded about the Ordinary Means of Grace (OMG).

Why? Because we have a tendency to add all kinds of STUFF to church life that, while not sinful, per se, it is not prescribed by God's Word and therefore not NEEDED. And experience teaches us that these unnecessary extras soon become compulsory! This is dangerous because these unbiblical and unnecessary “add ons” become not only obligatory, but they often become more important to the church than the OMG that God has ordained.

Let me ask you a simple question to help us think about what the Bible does tell us about.

Where does the Bible prescribe ministries for all sorts of separate special groups in the Church based on gender, age, or special interests? While having such ministries may not be bad, they are not prescribed in the Bible. In fact, Acts 2:46 specifically says the entire body was together “in one accord.” No mention of separate ministries for men’s and women’s ministries, or of segregated age group ministries. And don’t fail to notice that these ministries are most frequently not even necessarily about the Lord, the Word, or growing spiritually. They are more often than not about events, with maybe a devotional thrown in to sanctify it.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with getting together with people for fun. But when did that become the mission of the church?

The Ordinary Means of Grace

And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-12

This kind of revelation given to Agabus is not the norm. Did it happen as recorded? Yes. Was it of the Lord? Yes. But it is not normative any more than it is typical that people receive physical healing from touching the handkerchiefs of the apostles (Acts 19:11-12).

That something recorded in the book of Acts is not normative does not mean that God can’t do it again. It just means that:

God did special miracles through the Apostles in the early days of the Church as a way of validating the message they preached in those early formative days. And…

These kinds of phenomena appear to have ceased after that initial generation.

Rather than seeking miracles, and especially rather than seeking extra-biblical revelation, we need to depend on the Ordinary Means of Grace (OMG). They are ordinary, not meaning unimportant, but rather that these are the typical, standard, and usual ways God leads, grows, and matures His people.

In fact, we need to be doubly careful not to add other methods and practices to the OMG lest we begin to think these extra-biblical methods are the norm—to the neglect of actual OMG.

What are the OMG? The Word. Worship. Prayer. The Sacraments. Church discipline. Evangelism. And Fellowship (that is centered on the other OMG). Let us know what God has called the Church to do. Do those things. And not gunk up the Church with a bunch of other stuff!

Philip and his daughters who prophesied

On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. Acts 21:8-9

Philip was first introduced in Acts 6:5. He was also the evangelist who led the Ethiopian eunuch to faith in Christ in Acts 8, where we read that his home was in Caesarea.

Philip had four virgin daughters—virgin referring to the fact that they were unmarried. What does it mean that they prophesied? I particularly like commentator John Gill’s succinct explanation of their gift of prophesy:

[They did] not explain and interpret Scripture, or preach in public assemblies; for these were not allowed women, neither in the Jewish synagogues, nor in Christian assemblies; but they were endowed with a gift of foretelling future events, as was promised such should have in Gospel times (Joel 2:28).

Not that theirs was not an office, like that of an elder or a prophet (Ephesians 4:11). Rather their gift was seeing and foretelling future events. Remember Agabus in Acts 11:27–30? Note also that this kind of prophetic gift appears to have been given in the first century, but has ceased since. Let us beware of any who would claim to have such a gift today! There are many who think that because a thought entered their minds, it must have been put there by the Lord, and is therefore “prophetic.”

Finding disciples wherever we go

And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days. They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem. When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed. When we had taken our leave of one another, we boarded the ship, and they returned home. And when we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, greeted the brethren, and stayed with them one day. Acts 21:4-7

Being a Christian means we have more family than we know! Almost everywhere we may go, there will be Christians there. I say almost, because sadly, there are still many places around the world where Christians are scarce and or persecuted, and therefore hard to find. But in much of the world, and for sure in our country, there are churches everywhere. Two things to consider:

How wonderful that even if we are strangers, and even if we have nothing else in common with Christians we do not know, we share the most important thing: our common faith in Christ! And because of this, even if other church services are very different from what we are used to, fellowship can still take place. (Frances and I have been in other countries in which we did not understand a word that was said—but we knew we were with family in Christ!)

When you are out of town on vacation or business, find and attend a church. Do your best to find a biblical church, of course! And have discernment regarding doctrine. But again, even if the worship style is unfamiliar, enjoy the fellowship. Remember God has His people just about everywhere, and it is good for us to find other disciples wherever we go.

Understanding choices

Now it came to pass, that when we had departed from them and set sail, running a straight course we came to Cos, the following day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. And finding a ship sailing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. When we had sighted Cyprus, we passed it on the left, sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo. Acts 21:1-3

After his brief visit with the Ephesian elders (which took us a long time to meditate through) Paul and co. were on their way to Israel. Here is a simple thought on knowing where we are going, but not always knowing how we are going to get there. Paul knew he was headed to Israel, but getting there was not an exact straight line. There were differing routes and undetermined stops along the way.

Isn’t that a lot like life? Ultimately, as children of God we know our final destination is in the Lord’s presence in Heaven, but there are many options along the way. Some are good and easy. Others are not so good nor are they easy. This means we have decisions to make. Let us remember always to seek the Lord and His wisdom in making these decisions.

Ironically the wisest choices usually make the journey better, but not always. Sometimes a path will seem smoother but not as spiritually beneficial. The Lord’s will for us often involves difficulties that cause spiritual growth.

Maybe the bottom line is that we constantly seek the Lord and depend on Him to enable us to be cheerful and flexible. Maybe I’m the only one who needs to be reminded of this. But I doubt it.

Recap: Paul's words to the Ephesian elders

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
Acts 20:28-30

We have finally finished wading through Acts 20—Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders in particular. Before starting Acts 21, I thought it wise for us to be reminded of the most poignant aspect of what he told them. “Take heed to yourselves.”

Why? Because as in every church, in every place, and in every time, straying from the truth is an ever present danger! Sometimes it is outright heresy. But usually it is much more subtle, and therefore harder to spot and reject. More often that turning away to outright heresy, churches “drift away.” Rather than sticking with Christ and the gospel (and practicing the “ordinary means of grace”), churches place emphasis on many lesser things:

• “Talks” intended to “inspire” and make people feel good (instead of biblical and doctrinal sermons intended to grow us up in the faith).

• Entertainment. Fun, fun, fun so that people will like us, instead of fearing and worshiping God.

• Programs that meet every conceivable need—except for spiritual growth in sanctification.

• Politics. Trusting in politicians and political parties instead of addressing the root cause of our problems: sin and the need for repentance and spiritual awakening.

• Moralism and legalism, as though being good and doing good are any substitute for Christ and the gospel—followed by loving, grateful obedience.

In the closing chapters of Hosea, God warned Israel of impending judgment for having turned away from Him to false gods. It is chilling to read because God’s words so clearly apply to God’s people in every place and in every time—including ours. Let us, therefore, “take heed to ourselves”!

Loved ones not in Heaven

And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. Acts 20:36-38

Last time we considered the fact that we will be reunited with saved loved ones in Heaven, which will be a delight! But what about the fact that there will likely be people we loved in this life who die unsaved and who, therefore, will not be in Heaven? Will that diminish the joy of Heaven?

First, the infinitely supreme joy of Heaven will be seeing the Lord. Seeing our saved loved ones will also be a delight, but nothing or no one can add anything to the bliss of seeing the Lord. Is the number infinity any bigger by adding 1 to it? No. He alone will be everything.

Likewise, that some of those we loved in this life will not be in Heaven will not take anything away from the joy we will have in Him. How can this be?

Some theorize (I believe completely incorrectly) that we will have no memory of those who are not there. Here are two reasons I reject that notion. (1) “We will know as we are known” in Heaven (1 Corinthians 13:12). Heaven is a place where we know more, not less. (2) This error also steals glory from God, because it would mean that He Himself is not enough to give us perfect delight, unless He erases our memories of others.

What is the biblical answer? Let me warn you that this answer, though correct, causes some folks a measure of distress. Here we go…

When we get to Heaven we will know, at last, that God is right about everything. We say we believe that now, but in Heaven we will understand it to the degree that God’s just condemnation of the lost was the right thing. And we will praise Him forever for doing all things right!

Bottom line: pray for and share Christ with all fervency with unsaved loved ones. But rest assured, when you are in Heaven, because Heaven is infinitely good, it will be no better or no worse because of who other than God is there!

Loved ones in Heaven

And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. Acts 20:36-38

Paul told the elders of the Ephesian church that he wouldn’t see them again (v.25). They were, therefore, sorrowful at the thought of not seeing him again in this life. When visiting with a brother or sister in the Lord for whom death is imminent, as we part, we feel that same sadness knowing we will not see that person again in this life. But as we are sure of that person’s faith in Christ, we can receive comfort even in sorrow knowing that we will see him or her in Heaven.

As joyous as that thought is, let us be reminded that while we will be reunited with saved loved ones in Heaven, and though that will be fabulous, the main attraction in Heaven is God. We will finally at last see HIM! (1 Corinthians 13:12, Psalm 17:15, Revelation 22:4, 1 John 3:2). That is what makes Heaven Heaven!

The joy of seeing Him will outstrip every other delight, BUT… it will be a bonus delight to see saved loved ones! Since Jesus said we are not married in Heaven, Frannie and I will no longer be married, but we look forward to seeing the Lord—together in Heaven.

We will not, however, be reunited with those who are not born again in this life. That is all the more reason to pray for, and seek to point unsaved family and friends to the Lord. It will matter for eternity!

While looking forward to seeing those who have gone to Heaven ahead of us, what about those who are not there when we get there? Will that diminish our joy in Heaven? Next time…

A house of prayer

And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Acts 20:36

Okay, I know. It has been said a million times. But it is still true. We need to pray more!

A local church is made up of several component parts. Preaching. The sacraments. Fellowship. Evangelism and missions. And, oh yeah, prayer.

Please forgive me if what follows sounds like a commercial. Maybe it is.

Though the local church is to be a place of all of the aforementioned, the only one Jesus singled out when defining the Church is that it is to be “a house of prayer” (Mark 11:17).

We try to be intentional about that in our services on Sundays and Thursdays. Not only do we open every service in prayer, asking God to bless and direct our worship services, one of the men leads us in prayer every Sunday morning and every Thursday evening.

I addition, we have 30 minutes set aside for prayer every Sunday morning (9:45-10:15). Many thanks to those who participate in this (and other) times of prayer. We understand that for some, attending that time of prayer is impossible. But for the greater number for whom that time of prayer is possible—but who do not come—please reconsider our need for prayer. Sadly, there are frequently ore people in the lobby during this time of prayer than are in the prayer circles. Even if everyone came only one Sunday each month, we would triple the number participating in prayer.

On the fourth Sunday of each month we have a prayer lunch. We eat for 30 minutes and then pray for about 45 minutes. Sadly, participation in this prayer meeting is very weak. We started supplying lunch in hopes that more people would stay for prayer. It didn’t help. So instead of creating work for those who are already very busy on Sunday mornings, we are reverting back to asking everyone to bring their own lunch. But more importantly, we need prayer. Please consider spending 45 minutes in prayer on one Lord’s day each month!

Praying on the spot. May the Lord grant us sensitivity when we are enjoying fellowship before and after church to pray for one another on the spot as praises and needs arise.

Forgive me for pleading, but we need prayer enough that I’ll plead.

One more on encouragement

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35

We have been considering ways to encourage each other, especially in light of Jesus words (quoted by Paul) “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And that applies especially to giving encouragement. So far the posts have been about encouraging each other at church. Today, here are a few ideas about encouraging each other when we are not at church.

Encouragement cards. We have been supplying index cards in the seat backs at church for use as encouragement since the church began in 1985. This is such a simple way to encourage each other. You write the note with the recipient’s name on it and we’ll address it, stamp it, and mail it. To whom might you send a card? How about people in the prayer section of the bulletin? People who are missing. Or to people who serve in the church. What might you write? Praying for you. I missed you. Thank you. Tell the person(s) how they have blessed you. And whether you hear back or not, you’ll know that someone will have gotten a word of encouragement in their mail box that week! (Consider making this a regular ministry every Sunday you are at church!)

Emails. Probably all our email in boxes are flooded with loads of spam, useless emails, and forwarded jokes we do not find amusing. How cool to receive a brief encouragement email from someone in the body! Keep these emails short and sweet. Just encourage the person. Don’t ask questions the person will feel obligated to respond to, since like you, they’re busy! What a breath of fresh air in our email inboxes to simply be encouraged!

Phone calls. Calls take a bit more time and effort. And since people are busy, if you call, keep it short and sweet: “I just wanted to call to say you were on my mind and I prayed for you today.” To keep from making the call longer than necessary, don’t ask questions—just encourage! And if your call goes to voicemail, leave an encouraging voice message and tell the person they need not call back.

Remember, it is a blessing to receive words of encouragement, but it is more blessed to give than to receive!

More ways to encourage others

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35

Last time we considered simple yet effective ways to encourage others in the body of Christ. Here are a few more (and notice that so far these have only been about when we are together at church).

Look for guests & try to remember their names. We can talk to our friends at any time, but we may have only one shot at speaking to guests. I am grateful that our church family is generally very good at this! When introducing ourselves to our guests, besides giving them our first names, though this is hard for many of us, try to remember their names. The simplest way to do this is to use their names several times in that first encounter. It is amazing how much people are encouraged when someone remembers their names!

Look for people who are alone. In addition to greeting guests, look for people (individuals, couples, and even families) who are alone, and greet them. Two of our dear ladies recently approached a guest sitting by herself, and besides greeting her, they invited the guest to sit with them. The guest moved and a connection was made. That is encouraging!

Sit toward the front and near one another. It might surprise you to know that people in church are encouraged when they see people sitting up front and near one another. It sends an encouraging message that people are excited to be there. That kind of encouraging excitement is contagious. Conversely, when everyone sits toward the rear and we are all separated from each other, the impression is that we are a disinterested, stand-offish people. I know that there are practical reasons that sitting near the back is desirable (like having small children with you), but unless there is a practical reason, encourage others by moving forward.

Sing—robustly. When more people are singing—and are singing robustly—others are encouraged to sing. When fewer are singing, or cannot be heard, others are less likely to sing. Our singing encourages other people!

Pray for each other—on the spot. When talking with people at church, listen for prayer “set-ups.” If someone shares a need, say, “Let me pray for you right now!” and then pray there on the spot. If someone shares a bit of good news, say, “Let’s thank the Lord right now!” and then give thanks in prayer on the spot. You cannot convince me that is not encouraging!

Invite people to join you (at prayer meetings, Thursday evenings, & Home Fellowships). Whether people accept your invitations or not, people are encouraged when someone invites them to something. Being included is encouraging. And besides, the whole church is encouraged when there are more people at prayer meetings, Thursday evening worship, and Home Fellowships!

Remember, it is more blessed to give encouragement even than receiving encouragement!

Next time, encouraging with cards, emails, and calls.

How to be more blessed...

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35

Last time we considered why it is more blessed to encourage others than to receive encouragement from others. This time, let’s consider some very simple ways to encourage the body of Christ.

Show up. Most don’t realize it, but every time you show up to church, the fact that you (and others) are there is an encouragement to the rest of the body. Think of times when you may have come to church and the sanctuary was rather empty. Did that encourage you? Of course not. But when the place is full and buzzing with others who have come to worship, we are encouraged. Even if you did nothing more than coming to church by being there, you encouraged the rest of us.

Arrive on time. I pray this doesn’t sound petty, but when the service begins and only a fraction of the church family is there, it isn’t exactly encouraging (especially to those who are leading the service). There is a blessing attached to showing up on time and thereby encouraging others.

Smile. Some of us have faces that aren’t naturally very smiley. Let us encourage others by being intentional about smiling at each other. It is such a small thing, but it can make such a difference to someone who needs encouragement!

Use your words. We hear parents utter these words to whiny, unhappy children. In addition to smiling, can let us learn to speak encouraging words when we speak to one another. And when asked “How are you doing?” instead of instantly bemoaning your troubles, begin by praising God for sustaining you. (It is certainly not wrong to share our burdens and to pray for each other, but think and speak encouragement first if you can!) Remember Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another…”

We’ll consider a few more next time…

It is more blessed to give...

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35

When we hear that “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” we might generally think of giving money. While that is generally true, the context is not limited to money. More specifically, it is in relation to supporting the weak. In other words, it is more blessed to give encouragement than it is to receive encouragement.

Our lives as believers in Jesus are better when we are giving encouragement than when we are receiving words of encouragement. That is not to say the reason to encourage others is to make life better for ourselves, but it is still true that it is better to give than to receive.

We are not called to encourage others because we have received encouragement from others. This means that we are better off encouraging others even when we are receiving no encouragement ourselves. If we are ever tempted to think of how much we give and yet receive so little in return, we are missing the point.

Our greatest example, as always, is Jesus. Think of the encouragement we have received from Him. Our sins are forgiven (totally and eternally!). Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (from which they can never be erased!). We have been adopted into the family of God (and are joint heirs with Jesus!). We have the promise of Heaven in our future (where we will see His glorious face and never experience sin again—ever!). Do these truths encourage you?

It is because of the encouragement we receive from Christ (never having encouraged Him in any way), that we are motivated and empowered to encourage one another—even if we are never encouraged by anyone else!

Next time: a few ways we can encourage others…

I have coveted no one's silver or gold

I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. Acts 20:33-34

One of the things I hate most is the subject of vocational ministers and money. To bring up the subject can seem like fishing for money. To neglect the subject is to ignore a topic that the Bible is unafraid to address. Since I have been a bit autobiographical going through a passage in which Paul was rather autobiographical, I’ll take a chance and do the same on this matter.

Those who know me know that I am not in the ministry for financial gain. When the church began in 1985, I worked full time, as did Paul, as a “tentmaker.” As the church grew and had the financial ability, I began receiving a small amount of remuneration. Little by little over a couple of years, I was able to stop my secular employment to serve full time as a pastor.

Many of you know where I live, in an older neighborhood of smaller homes. I bought one new car in my life, a 1976 Honda Civic. I have never made over $50,400 in any year of my life. I have always said there are two ways to be rich: have a lot of money, or have a low overhead. We have always been more than content to have a low overhead—due in large part to the fact that besides paying off our mortgage over twenty years ago, we haven’t purchased anything on credit in ‘I do not know how long.’

The elders and deacons have wanted to raise my salary on numerous occasions, but we have deferred such raises toward possible future retirement.

Like Paul, I can say with clear conscience, “I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.”

Let us bear two more things in mind:

First, scripture does teach that churches compensate their pastors Read this short article.

Second, if and when Grace Bible Church needs to replace me, it will be impossible to secure a full-time pastor (especially in pricey Moorpark) for compensation anywhere near the meager amount I have been most content with.