Scripture of the Week
1 Peter 1:3-5 ~~ “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Something to Smile About
Terri asked her Sunday school class to draw pictures of their favorite Bible stories. She was puzzled by Kyle’s picture, which showed four people on an airplane, so she asked him which story it was meant to represent.
“The flight to Egypt,” was his reply. Pointing at each figure, teacher Terri said, “That must be Mary, this one Joseph, and that one is baby Jesus. But who is the fourth person?”
“Oh, “Kyle replied, “That is Pontius, the pilot!”
Think About It
Encourage One Another
Encouragement is a vital part of success in our lives. Without it we may attain a few things. But with it we can achieve far greater things.
One of the wonderful aspects of encouragement is that it is, or should be, in plentiful supply all of the time. After all, it doesn’t cost anything to encourage someone. And following the Golden Rule, we should all see the value of encouraging others as we would like for others to encourage us.
The writer of Hebrews in 10:24-25 left us with 4 primary actions to follow. Most remember the negative “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves”. But the other three are equally in force and quite positive in nature.
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works….exhorting one another.”
The word used there for exhorting is the same word rendered “encourage” in 1 Thessalonians 3:2 where Paul sent Timothy to “establish you and encourage you concerning the faith.” Parakaleo means basically to give consolation, encouragement or comfort.
Parents are great sources of encouragement as they open their children’s eyes to the possibilities of what they might achieve in life. Likewise, we should be great encouragers of one another, showing what great things can be accomplished in the faith with the talents and resources we have.
William Arthur Ward said, “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”
Many successful people can look back on key individuals and know that their specific encouragement helped them to have the courage and determination to work hard, desire improvement and, by applying themselves, reached their goals or just simply improved performance.
Author Archives: highlandlakeschurchofchrist
A NEW WAY OF THINKING
Thinking About a New Way of Thinking The past two months have drastically changed our thinking. If you don’t think so, go into a public place and start coughing and see the reactions (on second thought, don’t do that). There … Continue reading
WEEKLY NEWS, AUGUST 2, 2020
BEAUTIFUL FOOTNOTES Adventures in Missions Report Here is a report on what Kaylee Hankins, whom we are supporting in the Adventures in Missions program, has been doing while waiting to go to her mission field due to Coronavirus delays. Keep … Continue reading
THE GIFT OF A GREAT RELATIONSHIP
We just love getting gifts, don’t we? How wonderful it is having someone think of us and spend time and resources to get us something special. It lets us know that we are loved. And, of course, we should be … Continue reading
WEEKLY NEWS, JULY 26, 2020
BEAUTIFUL FOOTNOTES Sunset International Bible Institute Student Tyler Meredith Report In this article, Tyler Meredith, whom we help support at Sunset International Bible Institute, reports some on how the pandemic has affected him the last few months. Keep him in … Continue reading
DEALING WITH CHANGE
Adaptability, Attitude, and Always Abounding For some people, when they encounter changes to their environment or routines, it is unsettling, unnerving, and can be a very traumatic experience. For others, when they encounter change, it can be exciting, thrilling, and … Continue reading
WEEKLY NEWS, JULY 19, 2020
BEAUTIFUL FOOTNOTES Gospel Chariot – Second Quarter Update 2020 Throughout the months of this pandemic we all are striving to find ways to serve God and spread His gospel. It has been exciting to see our brethren in various places … Continue reading
THE FALL OF NATIONS
How do nations die and why? “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9; 3:15). Solomon’s wisdom from God, declares this truth: occurrences and actions … Continue reading
Out of the Mouths of Babes
A long time ago some children said, ―Let’s put on a play! They had done this quite often and so, after a lengthy debate, they decided to reenact Mary and Josef’s plight in Bethlehem, the time when there was no … Continue reading
WEEKLY NEWS, JULY 12, 2020
More about: “A Helpful Service” Two weeks ago, Andrew Cotton, a frequent visitor and professional nurse, offered his services to people who have health concerns and who need direction and recommendations as to what steps need to be taken. He … Continue reading
THE BAD SAMARITIAN
“Which one?” That’s what a typical Jew in Jesus’ time would have asked about this title. To many Jewish people, all Samaritans were bad. There was no such thing as a good Samaritan. The truth, of course, is that Samaritans … Continue reading
