Today's Devotional

October 14, 2003

Subject:  Building The Church

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing. "

The King James Version of this passage says, "therefore, edify one another."  Edify comes from the word edifice which of course means building or structure.  So to edify, we are building someone up.  When was the last time you intentionally set out to do that to someone?  Sure we might find ourselves giving compliments for a new hair-do or in admiration of someone's new car, but the message here is to do something to "intentionally" build someone up.  This is the work of the body of Christ and that old question about "why do Christians have to go to church?" is answered right here.  That answer is because the body of Christ, the church, isn't just about meeting on Sundays or Wednesday nights.  It's about doing just what the verse above says.  It's about encouraging and strengthening one another.  

Today when you wake up, regardless of what day of the week it is, we should be about building the church, encouraging and motivating our fellow brothers and sisters for the cause of Christ.  That encouragement can take many forms, it may be a compliment or a simple smile and good morning, but that's what we should be about, edifying/building up His church.  It may be Tuesday or Wednesday of the week, but it's always time to build the church.

Carlen