from verse 15.
Read from verse 15 down as far as verse 18.
David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life.
David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh.
And Jonathan Saul's son rose and went to David at Horesh
and strengthened his hand in God.
And he said to him,
Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you.
You shall be king over Israel and I shall be next to you.
Saul my father also knows this.
And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord.
David remained at Horesh and Jonathan went home.
That wonderful relationship between David and Jonathan
is mentioned a number of times in the chapters
where we find information about them and about that relationship.
If you didn't know what happened after the death of Goliath,
after David had killed Goliath,
you might be tempted to think that surely David was given a great promotion by Saul.
Surely he would have had him as his right-hand man.
Surely there would be nobody else in the nation that Saul would prefer ahead of David.
Of course, you know that that's not what happened.
We might think that the prospects for David were bright
after he actually led this campaign against the Philistines,
killing their champion Goliath in battle.
Unfortunately, David was hounded by Saul and came to be persecuted by Saul for many years.
Indeed, all the way through to Saul's own death,
David was actually hounded by Saul from place to place.
He didn't have an easier life of it after he had shown his prowess in killing Goliath.
It was actually the other way about.
But you know from, not only from this, but from many of the Psalms,
that for David, trial was really something which shaped his life positively.
Not that in every situation of triumph, David was as he should have been,
but by and large, trial, suffering, difficulty, persecution for David,
they were instances, they were events, they were circumstances in which he sought the Lord,
in which he knew that his own strength would not be sufficient for him.
They shaped David's life greatly.
But while he lived, Jonathan was very much a part of David's development.
And what you read here, and in the other passages,
we'll mention a few verses related to this tonight,
you'll find that many times David came to experience
how Jonathan strengthened him and encouraged him as he went about his business.
Like you find it here, for example,
he went out to where David was at Horesh,
and he strengthened his hand in God.
That's a wonderful expression that carries through into our own lives as Christians,
into our own relationships with each other,
into what we need to be as individuals,
but also as a congregation or as a group of people in Christ,
strengthening his hand in God.
Saul's persecution of David was something that actually arose
out of envy or jealousy, to use another word.
Back to chapter 18, we were at, you find there in verses 8 and 9 especially,
you find a description there of how things came about.
As they were coming home, David returned from striking down the Philistine.
Women came out of the city singing and dancing,
and we sang through, we read through what they sang there as songs of joy,
celebrating the victory of David.
But the words they used were interesting.
They said, Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David is ten thousands.
In other words, they were singing about, as they saw it,
how David had outdone Saul by ten to one.
And really, that's when Saul was determined from that time forth.
Saul was very angry.
This saying displeased him.
And you can see from the way it's worded there,
they have ascribed to David ten thousands.
To me, they have ascribed thousands.
You can tell that there's jealousy eating away at his heart.
You can tell that's envy that's really moving him
in his view of David as it now is.
And then when you go forward again to verse 12,
Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him,
but had departed from Saul.
In other words, Saul actually knew that David had things which he did not,
that he had abilities which he did not,
but above all, that he had the Lord in his life in a way that Saul did not.
It all remains a mystery in terms of his faith,
his relationship to God.
Different opinions of that have been presented to us over the years.
Different commentators say he was never really a good man.
Others say he was, but he went astray.
In respect of that, it's obviously the case that Saul was motivated by jealousy
and envy against David.
And jealousy and envy is something that caused him,
instead of focusing on his leadership of the nation.
He focused instead on getting rid of David.
David had to be killed.
He had to get rid of David.
Otherwise, he was going to take over the kingdom
because of his popularity with all the people.
And of course, envy,
as that's developed in the Bible,
is such a powerful, powerful, destructive force.
Whether it's envy or jealousy,
whatever word we use,
both in the Old and in the New Testament,
you find that envy is a powerful, destructive force in anybody's life.
Jesus, for example, spoke of envy as something.
In Mark chapter 7, verse 22,
he mentioned things which didn't defile a person.
To eat with unwashed hands,
he said that's not what defiles a person.
Defilement comes from within,
from within the heart.
And he mentioned a number of things that come out from the heart.
Murders, adulteries,
envy was amongst them.
These things come from within a person,
from within the heart.
These are the things, he said,
which defile a person.
1 Corinthians 13,
wonderful chapter about love,
and we're going to focus on the love
between David and Jonathan tonight for a wee while.
But that great chapter on love
has amongst all the descriptions it gives of love,
that love does not envy.
Love does not have a jealousy
against those that are loved.
In fact, it's a contradiction to say,
I love you, but I'm actually very jealous of you.
Because love does not envy.
And then when you find 1 Peter, for example,
just to take one other example,
1 Peter chapter 2,
which follows on, of course,
from what he had said previously
about salvation and so on.
As you come to chapter 2 of 1 Peter,
well, you'll find Peter saying,
therefore, putting aside or putting off
enmity amongst other things,
all malice and all deceit
and hypocrisy and envy and slander
like newborn infants long
for the pure spiritual milk.
In other words, he's saying,
envy is part of the bad clothing,
part of the dirty clothing
that you put off metaphorically,
of course, spiritually.
And instead of that,
you put on those things
which are the opposites to envy and jealousy,
love being preeminent
preeminent amongst the other qualities
of a Christian life.
So envy lies behind Saul's attitude to David.
And it's in that context
that it's important for us
to actually see Jonathan's relationship to David.
Jonathan, of course,
is the heir to the throne.
He is Saul's son.
And Saul is looking at
handing the kingdom over to Jonathan
whenever that time will come,
whether it's through Saul's death or otherwise,
but that's what he has in view.
But this is a wonderful emphasis
in the relationship between David and Jonathan,
that despite the fact that he's the king's son,
he has David as a very special person in his heart.
He loves David as his own soul.
Their soul was knit together,
chapter 18 puts it,
and that really means
being tied so closely together
in the bonds of love.
And it's often the case, isn't it,
that you find in Scripture,
you find those who are perhaps like David
or like Paul or like Peter
on the front line of the church's activity
on the preaching of the gospel
or whatever mission it may be about,
you very often and indeed
almost always find that those
who are prominent in that way
have behind them
some sometimes unnamed saints of God,
but certainly those saints
that stay in the background pretty much.
And all the way through Paul's letters,
for example,
you'll find him talking about people
who were very much his supporters,
but didn't write any epistles,
weren't really in the forefront,
if you like,
of the church's mission or activity,
at least not in a prominent sense,
where he mentions likes of Aquila,
Priscilla, Clement, Tychicus, and others.
That's how it always is in the church.
Just because we're not prominent,
just because we're not given a place
that's obvious to many people,
doesn't mean that we're not serving the Lord
in a very, very important way
to actually support his cause
whatever way he gives us to do that.
So Jonathan's relationship with David
was rooted in these bonds of love.
What kind of love was it?
Well, if we take a few verses
from these chapters,
we can see four things about that love
that tells us what kind of love it was,
what kind of quality of love,
especially,
was between David and Jonathan.
It was, first of all,
a godly love.
Back to chapter 18,
and the first verse there says,
as soon as he had finished speaking to Saul,
the soul of Jonathan
was knit to the soul of David,
and Jonathan loved him
as his own soul.
It was a very genuine,
a very godly love.
And that's important,
especially in the days
in which we live.
Because as you very well know,
a friendship of this kind
between two men
might be looked at very suspiciously.
And in fact,
you'll find some people
of the view
that this was actually
a same-sex attraction.
I know that sounds distasteful to us,
but some actually take
that view of this relationship,
of these descriptions
that you find
of the love,
the relationship
between David and Jonathan.
But this was
a godly love.
There's nothing distasteful
about it.
There's nothing about it
that should raise
any suspicions
that it was in some way
or other sinful
or unwholesome.
If you go to 2 Samuel
and chapter 1,
you can see there
Paul's,
Saul's,
sorry,
it's Jonathan's
reference to it,
David's reference
rather to Jonathan
in 2 Samuel chapter 1
and verse 26.
This is David's lament
following the death
of Saul
and Jonathan
in battle.
And this is how
he actually finishes
that lament
where he says that
verse 26,
I am distressed
for you,
my brother Jonathan.
Very pleasant
have you been to me.
Your love to me
was extraordinary,
surpassing the love
of women.
And as I said,
that does not describe
something unwholesome,
something sinful,
something that would
in modern parlance
be regarded,
as we said,
as some sort of
unhealthy attraction.
Your love for me
surpasses the love
of women
because there was
such a special
bond between them.
Not even the love
between a man
and a woman
could actually come near
to the quality
of the love
between David
and Jonathan
for its faithfulness,
for its sheer brilliance
in terms of being
genuine
and godly
and unselfish.
And what that really
says in that
version
in 2 Samuel
chapter 1,
surpassing the love
of women,
what David is really
getting at
is the
unselfish love
of Jonathan
for him.
Jonathan
was the heir
to the throne.
He had everything
going for him.
He was the son
of Saul.
He would be the next
to take over the throne
ordinarily
and yet
selflessly
and in his love
for David
he was prepared
even to put that aside.
It surpasses
he says
the love of women
in its unselfishness
as he says.
It doesn't mean that
the love of women
is a selfish love
of course
not saying that either
but he's actually saying
this is something
really quite unique
and quite special
and we must never
distort that
into something
that seems
unseemly
or distasteful.
It is
holy
and pure
and God
honoring
in every way
in which it's spoken
about
when you take
the words
as they are
at face value
and to read
something else
into them
is not only
just to dishonor
the love
that existed
between them
but it's
to dishonor
God
and dishonor
the word
of God
that describes
the quality
of this
godly love
between them.
We read
that it was
knit
they were knit
together
in chapter 18
their souls
were knit
together
bound
together
in such a way
just as you bind
threads or something
together
so the two souls
of these two men
were bound
together
in love.
It was a godly love.
Secondly
it was a giving love
generous love
a giving love
and really
that of course
is of the essence
of love
isn't it?
you can't
really
think of love
other than
it is a giving
thing
it's a love
which gives out
it's a thing
which actually
doesn't act
selfishly
such as you find
that's where you find
these descriptions
in 1 Corinthians
13
does not seek
its own
love
gives
and love
is prepared
to give
abundantly
and in the case
of David
and Jonathan
that was the case
as well
if you go back
again to chapter
18
and look at
verse 4
here is Jonathan
saying
he stripped himself
of the robe
that was on him
and he gave it
to David
and his armour
even his sword
and his bow
and his belt
and that's
symbolic
that shows you
the mind of Jonathan
that shows you
the quality
of his love
for David
because what David
what he told David
was that
as he made a covenant
with him there
and then you go on
to chapter 23
and verses 17
to 18
you'll find
Jonathan
there
absolutely convinced
that
David is going
to be the next
king
of Israel
and he went out
and strengthened
his hand
in the Lord
he said to him
do not fear
for the hand
of Saul
my father
shall not find you
you shall be
king over Israel
and I shall
be next to you
here's the heir
to the throne
giving not just
his cloak
and his robe
to David
symbolically
as if to say
well I know
that you're going
to be king
so this really
properly belongs
to you
he's actually
saying here
I know
that you will
be the next
king of Israel
and that I
will be next
to you
well it didn't
turn out that
way sadly
but that's what
Jonathan
was committed
to
you shall be
king
and I
shall be
next to you
Saul my
father also
knows this
Jonathan knew
the workings
of his father's
mind
he knew
the jealousy
the evil
intent
of his father's
heart
and he was
taking that
into account
as well
as he went
here to
strengthen
the hand
of David
one of the
ways he
strengthens
the hand
of David
is to
assure him
I know
how things
are going
to be
I know
what the
Lord's
will
is
and therefore
I'm committed
to that
and I'm
committed to
you in
that
he wants
the best
for David
and that of
course is a
great challenge
to ourselves
in our
relationships
with each
other
the relationships
that we have
in our human
lives whether
it's in our
homes and
our marriages
or in
congregational
terms of
love between
each other
as Christians
in Christ
the challenges
that we
give ourselves
to each
other
that we
make such
time for
each other
as shows
that our
regard for
others comes
even ahead
if you like
of the regard
for ourselves
for our
own well-being
and for our
own comfort
and of course
that's very
difficult
that's very
challenging
but then you
go to the
best example
of all
of that
is Jesus
himself
the apex
of a
giving love
of a
generous love
of a love
that puts
others ahead
of himself
is in
Jesus
himself
what do
you read
in John
15 there
where Jesus
is speaking
of himself
he said
greater love
has no man
than this
that a man
lay down
his life
for his
friends
and you
are my
friends
you do
whatever I
command you
as you see
Jesus
hanging on
the cross
you can just
see these
words of
John 15
almost as if
they were
written above
the cross
greater love
has no man
than this
that a man
lay down
his life
for his
friends
the greatest
of all
gifts is the
giving of
himself
he gave
himself to
the death
he died
why did he
give himself
to the death
he died
well not just
so that you
and I
wouldn't have
to die
that death
but because
his love
is of such
a caliber
and such
a quality
as shows
in its
essence
that it's
generous
to that
extent
that it's
giving to
that extent
that he
gives
himself
and so
it was
for Jonathan's
love for
David as
well and
the love
between
them
reciprocated
on David's
part no
doubt but
the emphasis
here is on
Jonathan
especially
in chapter
23 here
strengthening
his hand
in the
Lord by
telling him
this is how
I see it
this is how
I know
things will
be and
should be
and therefore
what a
strength what
an encouragement
that was
undoubtedly
to David
so it's
it's a
godly
love
it's a
love which
honors God
love which
is pure
a love which
regards God
himself very
carefully
it's a love
which is a
giving love
even to the
extent of
giving himself
giving up
the career
that he had
ordinarily
and would be
his in the
ordinary
course of
things
that was
Jonathan
saying no
I know
that that's
not how
it's going
to be
so I'm
giving over
the throne
to you
this is
going to
be yours
rightly
yours
this is
God's
will
a godly
love and
a giving
love but
thirdly
we find
that this
love is
a guarding
love as
well
it's a
love which
looks after
things in a
proper way
and again
it's something
that is shown
in the way
that Jonathan
defended
David
guarded
David's
reputation
and was
concerned that
David would
not be
misrepresented
that he
would not
actually be
spoken of
even by
his father
in a way
that wasn't
true to
David's
character
because again
you can go
back to
chapter 19
this time
verses 4
and 5
and when
you look at
these verses
again this is
Saul and
Jonathan
speaking together
David isn't
present at
that time
but it does
remind us
there in
verse 1
chapter 19
Jonathan
David's
son
delighted
much
in
David
and
Jonathan
told
David
Saul
my
father
seeks
to
kill
you
therefore
be on
your guard
in the
morning
stay in
a secret
place
and hide
yourself
and I
will go
out and
stand beside
my father
in the field
where you
are and I
will speak
to my
father
about you
and if I
learn anything
I will
tell you
and Jonathan
spoke well
of David
to Saul
and said
to him
let not
the king
sin against
the seven
David
because he
has not
sinned
against
you
and because
his deeds
have brought
good to
you
for he
took his
life in
his hand
and he
struck down
the Philistine
and the
Lord worked
a great
salvation
for all
Israel
you saw
it
and rejoiced
why then
will you
sin
against
innocent
blood
by killing
David
without
cause
and Saul
listened
to the
voice of
Jonathan
and Saul
swore
as the
Lord
lives
he shall
not be
put to
death
and Jonathan
called
David
and Jonathan
reported to
him
all these
things
well unfortunately
Saul was
not very
steadfast
in mind
he could
just flip
flip just
like that
which is
exactly
what happened
because when
you go
onwards in
chapter
in chapter
23 again
verses 17
to 18
you'll find
that that's
exactly what
happened
do not
fear the
hand
of
Saul
my
father
shall
not
find
you
he says
and you
shall
be
king
over
Israel
and even
though
David
wasn't
present
Saul
Jonathan
was
determined
to support
him
to speak
well of
him before
his father
even knowing
that his
father
at that
point
had actually
committed
to killing
David
and there
is love
and there
is love
as it is
said for
us as well
it's not
about our
own
reputation
it's not
about whether
people will
or won't
speak well
of us
it's not
about making
friends just
for the sake
of it
and thereby
very often
not really
being faithful
to the
truth
and not
as Jonathan
is determined
whatever his
father will
think of it
whatever his
father will
do about it
he is going
to defend
David
he's going
to defend
his reputation
he's going
to show
that his
love for
David is
not going
to be
deflected
by even
any thoughts
his father
might have
of putting
David to
death
or even
putting
Jonathan
to death
which of
course he
did at
one time
try to
do by
throwing his
spear at
Jonathan
as well
and so
that's
of course
for us
as well
such an
important
factor
and it's
important
especially
in terms
of our
relationship
with the
Lord
because just
as Jonathan
came to
defend David
in the
presence
of his
father
a hostile
father
so you
and I
have to
defend
the Lord
not that
he needs
us to
defend him
strictly
speaking
but you
do speak
up for
him
you do
speak up
for his
cause
you do
speak up
for the
values of
the gospel
for the
principles
of the
gospel
against the
hostility of
the world
in which we
live
that's out
to kill
the gospel
that's out
to put
to death
anything
representing
Jesus
or resembling
Jesus
what do
you do
you don't
just go
and hide
yourself
you don't
go and say
well I'll
just leave
that to
someone else
I'll just
go into
the background
let this
pass
no you
say my
Lord's
reputation
is tied
up with
this
whatever
movement
it is
that's
against
the gospel
whatever
movement
it is
that requires
support
against
atheism
or against
whatever
kind of
ideology
is trying
to destroy
the Bible
and the
character
of a
Christian
life
you and
I say
well that
involves
me
and it
involves
me
in whatever
way is
open to
me
legitimately
and lawfully
to do
so
to actually
come
to show
that my
commitment
is to
the Lord
to his
truth
to the
quality
of life
that he
requires
of me
and of
God's
people
and so
if it
means that
God's
people are
under threat
then I
have to
come
to their
defense
I have
to come
to their
support
or whatever
way we
do that
you can
do that
different ways
you know
yourselves
it's not
just a matter
such as it
was in the
days of
Samuel or
days of
the apostles
you do
that by
engaging
with those
who are
in authority
you do
that by
representing
the cause
of Christ
whether it's
by writing
letters or
contacting
your MSP
whatever else
it might be
you get in
touch with
those in
authority
you say
this is
not on
this is
not
this is
not
conducive
to a
proper
truthful
righteous
society
but it's
the Lord's
reputation
primarily
that's at
stake
and when
you find
the Lord's
name and
the Lord's
reputation
trampled
upon you
can't sit
easy or
stand back
and just
let that
happen
just as it
was for
Jonathan
he wasn't
prepared
even though
Saul the
king was
his father
he wasn't
prepared to
stand there
silently
and say
well I
better not
get too
involved with
this otherwise
I'll lose
my life
if I speak
up for
David Snow
in the
presence of
my father
who's out
to kill
him
what's that
going to
do to
me
so he
said no
well whatever
it's going
to do to
me
David is
the friend
that I
love deeply
and I
love him
in the
Lord
and I
love him
as the
Lord's
choice
of the
next
king
and I
can't
stand by
and not
speak up
for him
and not
put in a
word in
his favour
whatever it's
going to
mean for
myself
that's really
what you
get coming
across there
in the way
that Jonathan
supported and
stood for
David and
came here in
chapter 23
to go out
to him
to strengthen
him and
strengthen his
hand in
the Lord
so love
that love
that Christian
love is a
godly love
it's a
giving love
it's a
guarding
love
but just
to try and
keep the
G at the
beginning of
the words
the fourth
point is
it's a
galvanizing
love
by galvanizing
I mean the
way we often
use the word
galvanized
you galvanize
something
or someone
galvanizes
you
spurs you
into action
that's what I
mean by a
galvanizing
love
it's a love
which especially
encourages
it's a
special aspect
of love
that it's
an encouraging
thing you
could take
from this
passage in
23
in 1st
Samuel 23
that it's
it's love's
strengthening
quality that's
really brought
before us
when you find
this man
Jonathan and
his love
for David
and he went
out to him
and strengthened
his hand
in God
love
strengthens
sharing love
strengthens
relationship
strengthens
individuals
nothing
strengthens
a marriage
like
genuine
committed
love
nothing
strengthens
relationships
in a
congregation
like
genuine
committed
godly
giving
guarding
love
a love
which
galvanizes
you into
encouragement
into action
this is really
as we say
what you find
in chapter
23 here
but when you
go to
23 verses
16 and
17
that's exactly
what you find
here in the
text before us
he went
in person
to David
we're very
familiar of
course
in our day
and it's
it's a great
advantage that
we have
we we're very
familiar with
texting
with emails
with different
ways of
communication
and that's a
superb facility
that god in his
kindness has made
available to us
and it's so
much easier
and sometimes
it's really the
best thing to
do for for
for speed's sake
certainly to use
that just so you
get your message
to the person
as quickly as
possible
we thank god for
all of these
facilities
because they've
changed our lives
for the good in
so many ways
having said that
there is no
substitute for
personal in
person
relationships
there is no
substitute for
simply coming
alongside a
person even
if you're just
sitting down and
sharing their
experience sharing
with them and
their support and
their sorrow or
in their happiness
whatever it might
be but the fact
that it is a
person-to-person
exchange
physically is
something that
cannot actually be
replaced by any
electronic means
and this is
really david and
and so and
jonathan here if
you like a
really an
example of what
it is to come
he made a special
effort you see
jonathan he he
went out to him
he was in the
wilderness he was
under danger from
saul but he rose
and went to
david at horesh
and strengthened
his hand in
god so often
you find people
that have been
praying that day
somebody would
come and visit
them feeling
the loneliness
difficulties the
challenge of
living on their
own or not being
able to leave
the house and
just longing that
someone would come
in and talk with
them and the
lord put it into
the heart of
somebody that day
to to go and
visit that person
whether it's
minister or what
doesn't have to
be but another
christian or
whatever and
very often you
go into that
home and the
first thing the
person will say
to you well i
was really praying
that somebody would
come and visit me
see that's the
lord stirring up
the hearts of
his people so
that the love
between them this
galvanizing love
moves you to
take action and
very often when
you take action
sometimes not
necessarily knowing
exactly what's
going to be
involved but then
you get the great
benefit of all of
this coming
together and
a sharing in
love of things
which really are
mutually encouraging
to each person
and that is a
part of individual
and congregational
life especially
isn't it you
remember the
new testament
itself you find
the likes of
ephesians for
example
ephesians 6
verse 22
i'll mention a
few verses in
closing ephesians
6 and verse 22
and where you
find uh paul
saying i have
sent him talking
here about
tychicus the
beloved brother
and faithful
minister in the
lord he will
tell you
everything
i have sent
him to you
for this very
purpose that
you may know
how we are
and that he
may encourage
your hearts
see david
paul in this
instance
and like
jonathan with
david he
wasn't prepared
just to send
him a letter
or to send
him a message
by uh
by way of
an impersonal
message it
was just
sending this
man tychicus
when paul
himself couldn't
do it
he sent this
man in his
place as his
representative
and you find
the same in
colossians 2
verse 2 the
same emphasis
he's sending
tychicus so
that he will
encourage your
hearts
first thessalonians
um again an
instance with
you remember the
passage paul
dealing with the
resurrection
and with uh
participation in
the coming of
the lord on the
part of god's
people whether
they have died
or whether they've
been raised
similar to
first corinthians
15 this is
what he says
in from
verses 13
to to 17
he gives out
this wonderful
teaching about
and then he
concludes this
therefore you
know so like
that is to
first corinthians
15 ending
therefore therefore
encourage one
another with
these words
encourage one
another with
these words
in the same
letter you
find at
chapter 5
and verse
11 therefore
encourage one
another and
build one
another up
just as you
are doing
that really
gives you an
insight into
the the
meaning of
encouragement
because to
encourage is
to embolden or
to give
strength to
people when
you encourage
someone what
you're actually
doing is
seeking to
give them
strength to
help them to
to strengthen
up and
especially in
difficult
circumstances we
need strengthening
up primarily from
god of course
but in the
relationships
christians have
to each
other it's
so important
that we're like
what paul is
saying here to
the thessalonians
that we are
encouraging one
another and
building one
another up
because it
comes to the
same thing
if we're
encouraging each
other this is
what's happening
we're building
each other up
if we're building
each other up
then it's really
an encouragement
that we're
engaged in a
ministry of
encouragement
it's not a
short-term
emotional fix
if you like
just for
somebody in a
certain situation
and then that's
an end of it
no encouragement
is something
that's shared
continuously between
the lord's people
they encourage
each other in
the lord or in
the words of
first samuel
they strengthen
each other's
hands in the
lord and we
need that we
all need that
we all need
that ongoing
activity of
encouraging each
other in a
love that's a
godly love and
a giving love
and a guarding
love and a
galvanizing love
so that for the
lord we may be
known as
encouragers
building one
another up in
love may he
bless these
thoughts to us
let's pray
we give thanks
lord our god
for the way in
which your word
teaches us so
much in regard to
our relationships
one to another
as well as our
relationships and
responsibility to
you as our god
and we thank you
tonight lord for
that encouragement
that we all have
through your spirit
especially or your
spirit is the great
comforter your
spirit is the one
who comes alongside
of us and lives in
us and to bring us
encouragement and
strengthening from
day to day we
thank you lord
under the direction
of your spirit
that we are called
upon and seek to
be encouragers of
each other as well
to encourage one
another in all
aspects of our
christian life to
face the challenges
to share in the
joys to be as we
should be lord as
a people who are
set on building one
another up in love
and we pray that
you would enable us
to do that that
you would enable us
increasingly to be
as the apostle
called on the
philippians to
abound in love
more and more
hear us now we
pray and hear our
prayers for jesus
sake amen
good
you