In this week's episode, Michelle and Somer talk about all the things -- from Christmas movies and music to unity and encouragement in and around the local church. Michelle takes us to Acts and dives into the meaning of Paul's instructions around "strengthening the churches." Then, Somer takes us to Hebrews to explain what "stirring up one another" really looks like and why it's so important.

Some of our most encouraging moments from today's episode:

• “If you really look at [Paul's] letters as a whole, love was the marker of spiritual maturity. That wasn’t where it started, that’s where you wanted it to progress to. So we strengthen the churches by loving. Loving God, and what He says and warning of the things that come to steal our affection from Him.” -Michelle Myers

 

• “We minimize what love can do for the Kingdom... Love is a beautiful thing that comes out of a life that is lived for Jesus.” -Somer Phoebus 

 

• "Strengthening the churches is literally understanding that [the church] is God's Plan A for community and pointing people there and pushing people there, not because its the easiest place to go, not because it's convenient, not because it's perfect, but because that is where God tells us to go.” - Michelle Myers

 

• “Until we function like a body, like an actual body with all of its parts and joints and ligaments in place, providing there function, a watching world is just going to look and see a building that looks the same as any other worldly gathering, expect maybe it has a cross... We need to see a change, and that change is going to start by us choosing to love one another and choosing to love by God's priorities and not what is easiest and most convenient to us.” - Michelle Myers

 

• “The motivation behind stirring each other up is that Jesus is returning, and without fully understanding that He is returning, we are going to struggle to be motivated in the right way to stir each other up... If we lose sight of eternity, we lose sight of motivation and inspiration to stir each other up.” -Somer Phoebus

 

• “There really is no better way to live our lives than to be stirring each other up to love and good works” -Somer Phoebus

Scriptures from today's episode:

• Acts 15:41
• 2 Peter 1:5
• Hebrews 10:24
• 2 Peter 3:1-2
• Revelation 1:13-19

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