Called to be a pair of Cheet-0hs!

Garth Heckman The David Alliance [email protected]    The Divine Paraklētos We see the ultimate example of this concept in the Holy Spirit Himself. Jesus promised His disciples a (Paraklētos), often translated as the "Helper," "Advocate," or "Comforter" (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit does not merely send good vibes; He is called alongside us, dwelling within us to provide constant strength, wisdom, and comfort.   Scriptural Example: Barnabas Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36). How did Barnabas earn this title? He encouraged the unproven: When Saul (later Paul) converted and everyone was terrified of him, Barnabas called alongside him, vouched for him, and brought him into the community (Acts 9:27). Barnabas's endorsement was pivotal, enabling Saul to move freely among the believers and preach in Jerusalem's name (Acts 9:28). This event marked the beginning of a deep partnership between the two men, WHAT DO WE LEARN: ENCOURAGEMENT MUST BE BRAVE. Unflinching - stand face to face with the devils lies!      He encouraged the young and struggling: When the church needed leadership in Antioch, he encouraged the disciples there (Acts 11:23).   Alongside - Working at the YMCA in Dallas. Every Tuesday night they had weight watchers. The woman leading the group would always have a slide of herself 200 pounds heavier on the screen. One night I was at the side of the room grabbing chairs and I saw the most remarkable thing I had seen in a long time. Everyone had to get on a scale and weigh themselves. There was a woman there who was new, very very overweight. She had not stepped on a scale for years… the leader of the group had to come along side her, calm her down, walk her to the scale… help her on the scale and then calmly told the woman to look at the number… Look she said. Look at it hard… look again… now remember that number because you will never see that number again! Everyone clapped and yelled… the woman now crying tears of joy! And over the months you could see her losing the weight.