Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading titled, Helping Each Other, was written by Ann Cetus. When playing basketball with her girlfriends, Amber realized her community could benefit from an all-female league. So, she started a nonprofit organization to foster teamwork and impact the next generation. The leaders of Ladies Who Hoop strive to build confidence and character in the women and girls and encourage them to become meaningful contributors to their local communities. One of the original players, who now mentors other girls, said, There is so much camaraderie among us.
This is something I'd been missing. We support each other in so many different ways. I love seeing the girls succeed and grow. God intends His people to team up to help each other as well. The Apostle Paul urged the Thessalonians to encourage one another and build each other up.
God has put us into the family of His people for support in our lives. We need each other to keep walking the path of life in Christ. Sometimes that may mean listening to someone who's struggling, providing for a practical need, or speaking a few words of encouragement. We can celebrate successes, offer a prayer for strength and a difficulty, or challenge each other to grow in faith. And in everything, we can always strive to do what is good for each other. What camaraderie we can enjoy as we team up with other believers in Jesus to keep trusting God together.
Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 11 through 25. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all. Hold on to what is good.
Reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us.
Let's pray. Heavenly Father, you didn't save us from our sin so that we could do life on our own. You call us to community, each one of us using our gifts in unique ways to strengthen the entire body of believers.
A team doesn't win with great players. They win because they work together as one. So help us to work well together for the team of Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Rachelle Traube, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-08-13 17:43:33 / 2023-08-13 17:45:26 / 2