That you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
Romans 1:12
When my wife was pregnant with our first child she was very nervous about the delivery, as most women are. So to calm her nerves she got her girlfriends to write her letters of encouragement to help her get through the delivery. These letters were filled with funny stories and scripture verses that took her mind off of the pain. She was very grateful that her friends had taken the time to help her get through a tough time in her life. It is always nice to be encouraged by someone, but it is just as rewarding to encourage others. Jesus said that we will be rewarded for good deeds and that through our good deeds we allow God’s Spirit to work through us.
Being encouraged is contagious. When you are encouraged it makes you want to encourage someone else. Can you remember a time when you were reading scripture or listening to a sermon and were encouraged? Didn’t it make you want to turn to the person besides you and tell them what you have had learned. There is a passage in the Old Testament that says, as iron sharpens iron, brother sharpens brother (or sisters for that matter). What this means is that we grow with one another. Your encouragement is my growth, and my encouragement is your growth. God intended for His church to communicate with one another and live life together, through the bad times and the good. If we live our lives the way that Jesus lived His, we will encourage people without even knowing it. We need to reflect the love of God daily in our lives. You never know when someone will need encouragement.
Prayer Focus: Jesus is the ultimate encourager. Pray that God will encourage you today. Pray that God will fill you with the spirit of encouragement. Encourage your kids today. Encourage your spouse. Write that letter that you have been meaning to write. Remember how it feels to be encouraged. Pray that God will give you the desire to do the same to others. The next time you are at Northview let someone know that you appreciate them. Pray that Northview will be an encouragement to Hamilton County. Pray that God will encourage you through His Word.
Posted by Northview Prayer Team 
