The Daily Nugget

Hi All

How wonderful is it when we try to do things and think I'm not so good at that, then just at the point when we are thinking about giving up someone comes along and encourages us by perhaps helping us or making us realise that we are doing fine and that we will get there in the end. The thing is this is not “coincidence”,it is God who sends people to us just at the moment we need a boost and that is why the word “coincidence” should not be in the Christian vocabulary but replaced with “God Incidence” Today we read about perhaps the greatest encourager in the bible…Barnabas, the more we read of him the more we realise what a big impact his encouragement was to people and the difference he made. We too can make a difference by encouraging, so although we may think I didn't do much, remember that even the smallest things we say or do can make a big difference,even just smiling at someone or saying hello can make their day.There are several biblical passages that illustrate how small things make a big difference, such as Luke 16:10 which states, "Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much," and Zechariah 4:10 which asks, "For who has despised the day of small things?". 

Be Blessed and Encouraged

Be An Encourager

22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.   23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;   24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.

(Acts 11 22- 25)

Sheer encouragement.” That was the phrase J. R. R. Tolkien used to describe the personal support of his friend and colleague C. S. Lewis gave him as he wrote the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien’s work on the series had been painstaking and exacting, and he’d personally typed out the lengthy manuscripts more than twice. When he sent them to Lewis, Lewis responded, “All the long years you have spent on it are justified.”Perhaps Scripture’s best-known encourager was Joseph from Cyprus, better known as Barnabas (meaning “son of encouragement”), the name the apostles gave him (Acts 4:36). It was Barnabas who advocated for Paul to the apostles (9:27). Later, when non-Jewish believers began to place their faith in Jesus, Luke tells us Barnabas “was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” (11:23). Luke describes him as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith,” adding that because of him, “a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (v. 24).The worth of encouraging words can’t be measured. As we offer words of faith and love to others,God who gives “eternal encouragement” (2 Thessalonians 2:16)may move through what we share to transform someone’s life forever. May He help us to offer “sheer encouragement” to someone today!