Join us this weekend as we learn from the story of Barnabas. He’s not the main character, yet time and again he lifted others into their calling. His real name was Joseph, but the apostles nicknamed him Barnabas—“son of encouragement.” Why? Because he led with generosity and reflected the heart of our Father, the God of all encouragement (2 Corinthians 1:3).

We live in a world where everyone wants to matter and be noticed. But Jesus redefines greatness, not by popularity, position, possessions or power, but by serving. We all have been given various gifts to serve. It must remembered that gifts are just that, gifts. We are not the authors of them, they have been designed by God for each of us as He sees fit for the purpose of serving others.

In Exodus 18, Moses learned, through Jethro’s counsel, that shared leadership strengthens both leaders and communities. By listening to advice, praying, teaching, sharing responsibility, and empowering others, we see a model where no one is overloaded and no one is overlooked.

The world feels shaky today, because it is. Trends shift overnight, conflicting headlines broadcast the chaos our world is in, and uncertainty seems to surround us on every side. But here’s the good news, God is certain, unchanging and He will empower us to stand strong. God tell us not to fear, not be dismayed, that He will give us strength and uphold us with His right hand.

Everyone talks about love, but Scripture tells us something deeper: God is love (1 John 4:8). Real love begins with Him, flows into our hearts, and shows up in the way we treat others. The question Jesus still asks each of us is, ‘Do you love Me?’

The enemy attacks us primarily through deception and condemnation, but abiding in Christ gives us victory over both. Even when lies, shame, or fear try to pull us away, we can walk in victory knowing that “greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

From the start, God’s message has been clear: love one another. Not with words alone, but with a love that acts—selfless, sacrificial, and steadfast. This agape love is the very nature of God, shown perfectly in Jesus giving His life for us. To abide in love is to abide in God, and for His love to abide in us, it must overflow to others.

As we abide with God, we recognize who we are; His chosen children. When that sinks in, it changes everything. 1 John 3 reminds us to slow down and remember: you’re not just liked by God, you’re loved and officially adopted into His family. That’s our real identity, so John challenges us to live like it.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

As we navigate the last hour and the pressures of a culture filled with counterfeit truth, our hope remains secure: Christ is coming again. Until then, we abide—anchored in Scripture, led by the Spirit, and walking in confident faith. May we continue in Him daily, unshaken by deception, and ready to stand before Him with boldness, knowing we have remained faithful to the truth.