Ok…Ok….It might not be that serious, but I am all about the messages that were preached at each campus as a part of the Heroes series. The message at each campus was about Barnabas whom God used to train and encourage Paul to realize his full potential and therefore achieve all that he did for the body of Christ. This message truly connects with my heart because like Saul (Paul) before Christ, I had a name (reputation) that I was not very proud of and wanted so much to change. It was not until I received Christ and then became surrounded by people of God (Barnabas’) who could see potential in me and tell me who I was called to be, that the name (reputation) began to change. I was so happy when God connected me to Pastor Jerry and Chris who saw past the rough edges and saw a heart who wanted to serve Christ. It was so awesome to be challenged and to be allowed to make mistakes as I grew.

Hearing the message this weekend reminded me of the awesome job my husband and I had as youth pastors and seeing so many “Sauls” who just needed a little encouragement, guidance, and love to begin to steer them in the direction of their destiny.  I see so many of those kids now serving in ministry and starting families of their own. It also stirs me to realize that it does not stop with just youth and children, but we need to be constantly looking for the next Saul that God wants to link to our lives. Now ask yourself how many times have you seen someone with true potential but just needed a little polish? Do you offer the wisdom and love that God has given you through a Barnabas in your life or do you criticize them instead? Or how many times have you seen a group of young people and thought something negative about their behavior instead of gaining their trust through relationship and then access to their lives for direction? This weekend my husband said in his message that people are the only interest bearing account in heaven, and only what you have done for people will bring eternal reward. I can not think of a better investment than encouraging and helping someone to become all he was designed to be through love and support. So what about you?  Who will you encourage today? The body of Christ in some arenas has become such a bless me club that we forget about the joy of serving and blessing others. So many people in the body are so concerned about position that they forget to work themselves out of a job by training someone else! I pray that I can be a Barnabas in the lives of many others and that you will too.
1. Pray for God to point out the people in your life that you need to encourage and love.

2. Ask the Lord for wisdom with each person that you encourage so that they truly receive what God has in mind for them through your obedience.

3. Ask God for a Barnabas in your own life …we never arrive…so just keep growing!

Posted under Devotion