Devotions

Encourager’s Devotional Series – June Bible Study

/ Lisa Womble / 1 Comment

This Bible study corresponds to the June devotion for the Encourager’s Devotional Series.

Information

Read Isaiah 62. What are some of the characteristics of the city before the Lord “saves” it or “establishes” it? Hint: In addition to other statements, look at what the city is called.

What will the characteristics be after the Lord establishes it?

What promises does the Lord make to the city?

Read Revelation 21. What will it be like for the Bride, the inhabitants of the Holy City?

When Paul speaks on the marriage relationship in Ephesians 5:22-33, he says in verse 32, “This is a profound _____________ – but I am talking about _____________ and the ____________”1

From verse 26, what does Christ use to cleanse us?

Read John 17:6-21. Use verses 14, 16, and 18 to fill in the blanks. The world ______________ us. We are not _______ the world, but we have been ___________ ________ the world.

Verses 20-21 explains one reason we are sent into the world. What is it?

According to James 1:27, we are also sent into the world to take care of other people. But while we are ministering to the world, we are warned to keep “from being ______________________ by the ________________.”

In 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, what does Paul say we must guard against if we want to be a “pure virgin” when we are presented to our “one husband, to Christ”?

Read 2 Peter 2:12-3:18. What kind of people are described as “blots and blemishes”?  Continue reading →

Encourager’s Devotional Series – May Bible Study Answer Guide

/ Lisa Womble / 1 Comment

Here are the answers to this month’s Bible study for the Encourager’s Devotional Series.

Information:

For information on Timothy and the relationship between Timothy and Paul, see the following passages. Make notes on Timothy’s background, Paul’s expectations of Timothy, things Paul did for Timothy, and signs that Timothy was growing in the faith as a result of Paul’s influence. You might also think about how Paul’s investment in Timothy’s life brought rewards to Paul’s life as well.

2 Timothy 1:2-14

  • Paul prayed for Timothy daily.
  • Timothy’s mother and grandmother were believers.
  • Paul reminded Timothy to use his gifts and remember his calling.
  • Paul reminded Timothy that living a holy life is important.
  • Paul reminded Timothy of sound teaching and encouraged him to live by it.

Acts 16:1-5

  • Timothy’s father was not a believer.
  • Paul took Timothy with him on his missionary journey. This gave Timothy opportunity to develop his ministry skills, and also brought much joy to Paul as he watched his son in the faith grow into maturity.

Philippians 2:19-23

  • Paul praised Timothy and gave him his endorsement as he went out to the churches.
  • Paul sent Timothy out to minister to others and served as his “job coach.”

In the book Groups: The Life-giving Power of Community, authors Ortburg, Pederson, and Poling list some of the “forms that encouragement takes.”[1] Read the texts related to their list and make any notes that come to mind as you read. Also, as you read, if anyone comes to mind as needing any particular form of encouragement, write their names down in the space provided in the “Application” section.

*To believe in someone, to see their giftedness and ability to contribute:

1 Timothy 4:12-15

  • Paul calmed any fears Timothy may have had about being so young while in ministry.
  • Paul set high standards for Timothy, with confidence that Timothy could meet them.
  • Paul again reminded Timothy to be diligent, to watch his lifestyle, to be devoted to God’s word, and to persevere.

Continue reading →

The Wedding Checklist – June Encourager’s Devotion

/ Lisa Womble / 3 Comments
My beautiful daughter-in-law, Haley

My beautiful daughter-in-law, Haley

Ah, June! The month the bride’s been waiting for. She’s made sure everything on her checklist has been taken care of and she is ready for the big day. Her desire is to be the most beautiful sight her bridegroom could possibly imagine. The thought of something being left undone, or of her glorious gown being anything less than spotless, is horrifying. She has worked diligently on the plans, and one adoring look of approval from her bridegroom will make it all worth it.

We Christians, too, have a wedding day to look forward to. We are called the Bride of Christ and we anticipate the day we are presented to our Bridegroom. Isaiah 62 and Revelation 21 both use a mixed metaphor for God’s people. In both, we are described as a city and a bride. The Isaiah passage indicates that some work needs to be done for the city/bride to be ready for presentation, while Revelation depicts the glory of the completed work.

So, how do we get from the one image (needing “a little work”) to the other (a completed work)? How do we make sure that we stand before our Lord “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing” on our wedding dress? How are we ever going to be completely “holy and without blemish”? According to Ephesians 5:22-33, we do this by submitting to Christ and allowing Him to work in us. We become one with Him, as a bride becomes one with her husband, and we allow Him to “nourish and cherish” us. We let Him complete the work of cleansing us and sanctifying us, or setting us apart, to be a people who reflect His glory.

I don’t know what your experiences have been with weddings, but I have found it is rare for the bridegroom to be very active in making the preparations. That duty falls mostly on the bride. It is quite a relief to know that in our marriage to Christ, the Bridegroom takes on most of the responsibility for getting us ready.

A key element in this preparation of the Bride is the Word of God (Ephesians 5:25,26; John 17:14-19). We must learn to live by it and not by the world’s standards. When we do the Bible study for the Encourager’s Devotional Series this month (next Wednesday), you will notice how often the importance of the Word is highlighted.

In the study, you will also see how often speech is an indicator of godliness, or lack of godliness. How important our speech is as we strive to become encouragers. Not only must we try to increase the output of encouraging words, but we must also be careful to stop ourselves from being involved in speech which tears down and discourages. All our acts of encouragement, all “religious” deeds are useless if we do not control our negative speech (James 1:26).

The Bride of Christ is a corporate image, much like the Body of Christ image in scripture, a body made up of many individual members. We will stand before our Bridegroom together, so our relationships are vital to our “appearance” as we present ourselves to Him. The “spots” mentioned in several of the texts we’ll study are actually individual people who help make up the Bride. Only a spotless Bride is acceptable on that great day. We must take seriously our individual responsibility in presenting a holy, unblemished Bride. And we can rejoice in the fact that our Bridegroom is a loving one, who not only asks us to prepare but promises to help make us ready!

For ways to encourage someone this month, let’s take a look at that bridal checklist: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Since the Bride of Christ is the focus here, I have revamped the list a bit to focus on people instead of things.

Someone Old – This could be the physically aged, or those older in the faith. The aging need encouragement as they begin to feel isolated and less useful. They want to know they have value and are still important to the family of God. Those who are “mainstays” in the church, who’ve been around a while and serve as anchors, should be encouraged to keep up the good work. Or maybe you just need to thank an old friend for always being there.  Continue reading →

Encourager’s Devotional Series – May Bible Study Answer Guide

/ Lisa Womble / 1 Comment

This Bible study is a companion to the May Encourager’s Devotion: In Search of Spiritual Mothers and Fathers. For additional studies in the Encourager’s Devotional Series, click here.

Information:

For information on Timothy and the relationship between Timothy and Paul, see the following passages. Make notes on Timothy’s background, Paul’s expectations of Timothy, things Paul did for Timothy, and signs that Timothy was growing in the faith as a result of Paul’s influence. You might also think about how Paul’s investment in Timothy’s life brought rewards to Paul’s life as well.

2 Timothy 1:2-14

  • Paul prayed for Timothy daily.
  • Timothy’s mother and grandmother were believers.
  • Paul reminded Timothy to use his gifts and remember his calling.
  • Paul reminded Timothy that living a holy life is important.
  • Paul reminded Timothy of sound teaching and encouraged him to live by it.

Acts 16:1-5

  • Timothy’s father was not a believer.
  • Paul took Timothy with him on his missionary journey. This gave Timothy opportunity to develop his ministry skills, and also brought much joy to Paul as he watched his son in the faith grow into maturity.

Philippians 2:19-23

  • Paul praised Timothy and gave him his endorsement as he went out to the churches.
  • Paul sent Timothy out to minister to others and served as his “job coach.”

In the book Groups: The Life-giving Power of Community, authors Ortburg, Pederson, and Poling list some of the “forms that encouragement takes.”[1] Read the texts related to their list and make any notes that come to mind as you read. Also, as you read, if anyone comes to mind as needing any particular form of encouragement, write their names down in the space provided in the “Application” section.

*To believe in someone, to see their giftedness and ability to contribute:

1 Timothy 4:12-15

  • Paul calmed any fears Timothy may have had about being so young while in ministry.
  • Paul set high standards for Timothy, with confidence that Timothy could meet them.
  • Paul again reminded Timothy to be diligent, to watch his lifestyle, to be devoted to God’s word, and to persevere.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

  • Paul encouraged Timothy to not be timid and to utilize the gifts God had given him.

*To exhort someone, to build their character by confronting them even when it may involve saying hard things:

2 Timothy 4:2

  • Paul told Timothy to encourage God’s people, but also to correct or rebuke them when needed.
  • Paul instructed Timothy to do this with great patience and careful instruction.

Continue reading →

Help The Rock Christian Radio Expand Its Reach

/ Lisa Womble / Leave a comment

In the post “Finding Peace in the Midst of Chaos”, I shared a story about how Christian radio helped my father when he was battling cancer. And in the March wrap-up post for The Encourager’s Devotional Series, one of the suggestions for ways to encourage others was to support Christian radio. I’ve just learned that The Rock (a St. Louis based, internet radio station) is trying to expand its reach by creating an app with many great features to help connect Christians and offer faith building materials. It’s an interesting project and the people behind it are great people, so I thought I’d support their cause here.

For more information, or to discover ways you can support this project, click here.

Encourager’s Devotional Series – May Bible Study

/ Lisa Womble / Leave a comment

This Bible study is a companion to the May Encourager’s Devotion: In Search of Spiritual Mothers and Fathers. For additional studies in the Encourager’s Devotional Series, click here. Answers to this study can be found here.

Information:

For information on Timothy and the relationship between Timothy and Paul, see the following passages. Make notes on Timothy’s background, Paul’s expectations of Timothy, things Paul did for Timothy, and signs that Timothy was growing in the faith as a result of Paul’s influence. You might also think about how Paul’s investment in Timothy’s life brought rewards to Paul’s life as well.

2 Timothy 1:2-14

Acts 16:1-5

Philippians 2:19-23

In the book Groups: The Life-giving Power of Community, authors Ortburg, Pederson, and Poling list some of the “forms that encouragement takes.”[1] Read the texts related to their list and make any notes that come to mind as you read. Also, if anyone comes to mind as needing any particular form of encouragement, write their names down in the space provided in the “Application” section.

*To believe in someone, to see their giftedness and ability to contribute:

1 Timothy 4:12-15

2 Timothy 1:6-7 

*To exhort someone, to build their character by confronting them even when it may involve saying hard things:  Continue reading →

In Search of Spiritual Mothers and Fathers – May Encourager’s Devotion

/ Lisa Womble / 3 Comments

 

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Paul to his “children in the faith”

To read my personal story behind this month’s devotion, see this previous post.

With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day quickly approaching, many are planning family events and special church services. As we saw in last month’s Encourager’s Devotion it is good to praise those who are doing well by telling them specifically how they have been good role models. So, it is fitting to recognize those who are great examples of parenting.

It is also important, however, to remember that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be difficult for many people. Those who have lost their parents, or the mother or father of their children, may experience a resurrgence of grief. People who do not come from healthy homes might also find it hard to celebrate these occassions. For some, the fact that they long to be parents but cannot brings sadness. For these reasons and more, I know several people who actually avoid going to church on such days.

The body of Christ, and especially those being intentional about building a ministry of encouragement, are called to be aware of such needs even in the midst of our festivities. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress …”

Last month, the devotional challenge was to think of someone you could shower with encouragement, really pour it on for the month. This time around, I urge you to consider taking your commitment a step further and pray about being an ongoing, spiritual parent to someone.

The Apostle Paul is an example of this commitment in Scripture. He had no children of his own, but he was a spiritual parent to Timothy. While Timothy had a strong Christian mother and grandmother (2 Tim. 1:5), his father was not a believer (Acts 16:1). Paul filled that void for him. In the opening of both letters to Timothy, Paul calls him his “son in the faith.” And in Philippians 2:19-22, Paul said Timothy served with him “as a son with his father.”

There are so many ways one might apply the idea of parenting in a ministry of encouragement. As you think of the role of spiritual parenting, consider what a child needs to learn and grow:

  • Some are just learning to walk. Do you know anyone that’s a “babe in Christ” and needs to know how to walk in the faith? Can you share the things that have helped you?
  • Children must be taught how to get along with others. Do you know anyone being tested in this area? Do you have any life lessons you can impart to them?
  • At all phases of life, our children are learning how to do new things. At various points they need job coaches, financial advisors, and teachers. What areas of expertise do you have that might be beneficial to a fellow believer?

In the book Groups: The Life-giving Power of Community, authors Ortburg, Pederson, and Poling list some of the “forms that encouragement takes.”[1]

  • To believe in someone, to see their giftedness and ability to contribute. (1 Tim. 4:12-15; 2 Tim. 1:6-7) 
  • To exhort someone, to build their character by confronting them even when it may involve saying hard things. (2 Tim. 4:2; 2 Thess. 3:11-13) 

Continue reading →

What’s the most encouraging thing someone has ever done for you?

/ Lisa Womble / Leave a comment

The Encourager’s Devotional Series is planned around a monthly theme with related posts every Wednesday according to this schedule:

Week 1 – main devotion

Week 2 – correlating Bible study

Week 3 – Bible study answer guide

Week 4 – monthly wrap-up with suggestions for application or any other additional material I’d like to bring in

So, what happens when we have a month with five Wednesdays? Well, I’m going to call that the “5th Wednesday Free-for-All.” This is where I’ll ask you to bring your best encouragement ideas to the table. I will probably have some directed themes in future free-for-alls, but this being our first one, I thought I’d just ask, “What’s the most encouraging thing someone has ever done for you?”

Earth Day – 6 Reasons Christians Should Care for the Earth

/ Lisa Womble / Leave a comment

I once read a piece by someone who was against Christians participating in Earth Day. I don’t remember the author, but his sentiments were something to the effect of “beware of the human tendency to worship the creation instead of the Creator.” While that’s not a wholly unwarranted caution (see Romans 1:20-25), I’d have to add the warning to beware of the human tendency to worship self and our own abilities. We still have a bit of Babel in us (Genesis 11). We cannot be content to build our skyscrapers and empires without taking heed to the way our “progress” harms our environment and actually causes us to work against the principles and goals God has established for us. Here are six reasons Christians should take responsibility for caring for the earth:

1 – We should care for the earth because God mandated that we do so.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” – Genesis 2:15 (all Scripture references from NIV)

From the beginning, God told mankind to care for His creation. In the first chapter of Genesis (1:26-28), this command includes the fish and the waters, the birds and the sky, the animals and the land.

We have a mandate to care for the earth. Why would we turn over our authority and commission to others?

2 – We should care for the earth because creation brings God glory and reveals God to man.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.“ – Psalm 19:1

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made …” – Romans 1:20

God uses nature to bear witness to Himself. Wouldn’t our care of nature help us be better witnesses to the world?

3 – We should care for the earth because it’s God’s teaching tool.

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” – Proverbs 6:6

This Proverb continues to instruct us to watch the ant to see how to gain a harvest. In contrast to the ant, man is called a sluggard and challenged to wake up and get to work. Otherwise, it says, “poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” We have to admit, part of our lack of concern for the environment has to do with apathy and laziness.

I used to say that I’d be happy to recycle if they would make it easier – I just didn’t want to mess with different bins for different types of trash. Thankfully, my municipality did eventually make it easier. I have to wonder if I would have ever started recycling if they hadn’t. We often prefer to turn a blind eye to the notion that our world does actually have limited resources and that we harm it by our wastefulness and desire for convenience. Participating in environmental causes could teach us a great deal about ourselves. I’m glad that the younger generation is being taught to be better stewards. Shouldn’t more Christians be taking on the responsibility to help teach these lessons?

4 – We should care for the earth because our sin is the cause of its suffering.

“Cursed is the ground because of you …” – Genesis 3:17

Creation suffered from the curse when man sinned. Plants that flourished now had to contend with thorns and weeds. Animals that lived together in peace became enemies. Romans 8:22-25 says that all creations groans with us as we await our full redemption from the cares of this world brought on by sin. This passage also says that the “creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” We are supposed to be helping to redeem creation as we await the final redemption. Are we, instead, making it groan even more?

5 – We should care for the earth because God cares for the earth.

After the flood (also brought on by man’s sin), God not only made a covenant with Noah, but also with the earth. When he put the rainbow in the sky as a sign of this covenant to never again destroy the earth by flood, God said:

“This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” – Genesis 9:12-13

If God would make a covenant with the earth, why should a Christian be hesitant to do so?

6 – We should care for the earth because we are called to be good stewards of all that God has given us.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10

We would all agree that we are to be good stewards of what God has given us. We have often heard messages about being good stewards of our money, our homes, our talents. Why do we balk at being good stewards of this earth? We should look at our stewardship of this earth as a service to others who share this planet with us, as well as a service to the Creator of all things.

If the heavens and the trees and the beauty of creation all testify to God’s goodness, shouldn’t we seek to keep it healthy and beautiful?

Suggested Resources:

Christians and the Environment – A One Session Bible Study

Creation Care – A Three Session Bible Study

Encourager’s Devotional Series – April Bible Study Answer Guide

/ Lisa Womble / 3 Comments

Since there were not as many short answer or fill-in questions in the Bible study for the April devotional, I am not copying the full text of the study in this month’s answer guide. Instead, I’ve added a few prompts for you to share how you are applying the study.  

Information

According to 1:6 and 2:14-16 what kind of tragedy were the Thessalonians experiencing?

Severe suffering, persecution from those who opposed the gospel

Grief for those who have died is addressed in 4:13-18. What does Paul say we can use to comfort/encourage one another under these circumstances?

Tell them we have the hope of resurrection and that we will be reunited with those who have passed away when Jesus returns. Also, remind them that heaven will be for eternity and we will be with the Lord forever.

According to 3:7-8, why were Paul and his co-workers encouraged?

They were encouraged because the Thessalonian Christians are demonstrating their faith and standing firm in the Lord.

How does this relate to Proverbs 11:25?

Paul and his co-workers were always encouraging the churches and in return the churches encouraged them.

Meditation

Notice that in 1 Thessalonians 3:2 Timothy was sent specifically to encourage the Thessalonians. We studied last month the fact that the Holy Spirit was sent to be our comforter/encourager. Read 2 Corinthians1:3-4. It says God is the God of all comfort (and yes, that is the same root word as encourager). It goes on to say that we should comfort others in the same way that we have been comforted. What experiences have you had in which God was your comforter and encourager?

How have you used your past experiences to encourage others who are now in the same situations you have been through?

Application

Read 1 Thessalonians 3:12. Think of some people who “work hard among you.” How might you “show respect” for those people?

We are only five months away from Minister Appreciation Month (October). To help others think and plan ahead, can you share things you have done or are planning to do for those who devote their lives to ministry?

Eugene Peterson renders the key verse for this ministry (Heb. 10:24) as: “Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging …” (The Message). I thought that described our goal very well. Can you think of any way(s) to be “inventive” or creative with your ministry of encouragement, to do something different than you’ve done so far? If so, make note so you don’t forget.

Since we are now four months into the Encourager’s Devotional Series, I would love to hear some of your stories about things you have done in response to the material. Did you take up the challenge to “be more inventive” in your approach to the ministry of encouragement? 

Dedication

Are you doing this study with a group? If so, have you planned any group projects? Please share in the comments so everyone can add your great ideas to their encouragement repertoire.