| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Lifelong learning” Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Let’s encourage and build each other up” This morning I want to take us back to the first devotional in this series where I described my own journey to becoming a lifelong learner. I went from being a troubled child who struggled with learning to someone with college degrees, a career as a naval officer, and then another as a pastor. But let me be clear, there’s no boasting in that story. Left to myself, I would have spent a lifetime struggling and believing myself to be dumb and inadequate. My life turned out differently entirely as a result of the influential people God kept putting in my path. The Lord was guiding me and directing me even when I didn’t know it and even when I wasn’t honoring Him with my life. He kept bringing people into my life who cared about me, encouraged me, and inspired me. They were people who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Whether we’re talking about the division officer on my first ship who encouraged me to earn my high school diploma, or my wife who talked me into taking my first college courses, or the professor who counseled me not to quit just because the courses were hard, or those who led me to Christ, or my mentors in ministry, or the co-worker who encouraged me to write my first book, or a dozen other key influential people along the way, any success I’ve had can be attributed to them and their positive influences. I thank God for the influential people He has blessed me with all throughout my life. Without them, my life would have turned out very differently. In 1 Thessalonians 5:1 Paul tells us to be intentional about encouraging one another and to build each other up. He writes that because this is something we all need. All of us need to be encouraged and built up by others. We need people in our lives who believe in us and who will spur us on to bigger and better things. I encourage you to ask God to bring such people into your life. No matter who you are or what stage of life you are in, we all need people to encourage us, build us up, and to help us to keep moving forward. Do you have such people in your life? And, are you such a person in someone else’s life? Let’s encourage and build each other up. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville) |
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