The Building One Another Podcast

A year ago, I was sitting on a chair in the front of a trout fishing boat casting my line about, fruitlessly. I realized my good friend Dale in the back of the boat, was just relaxing in his chair, looking around. I said, "Dale, why aren't you fishing?" He replied, "The scenery is incredible, beautiful, with the surrounding hills, trees of the forest, the blooming flowers along the rippling river....

Jesus remarked that a house divided against itself will not stand. In Ezekiel 22, God says he searched for a person to "stand in the gap" on behalf of the land, and at that time, he found no one. Yet, with Jesus, we find one who did stand in the gap for us, "For Jesus himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. Ephesians 2:14   In...

The apostle Paul asks us to think clearly about ourselves, and not to think over-highly of ourselves. We all know it's also possible to think too poorly of ourselves.. Thinking clearly about others may shape how we  build up one another. Look for ways to encourage others that neither falsely puffs them up if they are down on themselves, nor haughtily pulls them down if they are full of themselves....

A great deal has been said about the connections between our hearts and homes. Some of the homes in our lives have been difficult for all sorts of reasons, yet it is what a home may be that gives warmth to the very idea of "home" – places of welcome, warmth, encouragement, of forgiveness, laughter and love. Joseph and Mary left their place in Nazareth for a temporary place in Bethlehem, yet since...

A friend of Job said something quite remarkable to him, "Your words put people on their feet." Job 4:4 That marvelous word leads us to the Job 4 Test: Do your words knock people off their feet or put people on their feet? Do your words belittle or build up? To belittle, a word coined by Thomas Jefferson, means to "make little" in the eyes of others, to put down, to scorn. To build up is to encoura...

There is something unique about every voice, your voice and the voices of every single person on planet earth. When someone you know and appreciate speaks to you, just the sound of their voice can encourage your heart! The voice of Jesus speaks to you in countless ways encouraging your heart to sing! So, use your voice to encourage people. We defer so easily to texting, emailing messaging, posting...

Are you aware of God's specific works in your own life and in the world around you? Paul and those traveling with him did. "When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. " Acts 15:4* They had eyes to see what God was doing – in great detail – often in the midst of very stressful circumstances; and t...

Listen and learn where our hosts have been and what they have been doing for the past couple of months. They are working on a new vehicle for learning and using the transferable concepts that BuildingOneAnother is all about!

What do you think of the phrase, "Out of sight, out of mind?" When you consider your family and friends scattered around the world and the busyness of your own life where you are, how "out of mind" are the out of sight people in your life? Back in 1970, Dianna Ross's Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) was a smash hit. Nearly ten years later, AT&T launched a very effective campaign, "Reach Out a...

Encouraging others often involves just two steps we take in the moment. See a person to encourage through people eyes – the eyes of Jesus – and do it! To have people eyes is to be a player. To "see" a person you may encourage and remain a bystander means you are people blind and didn't really see! Can you imagine Jesus seeing the woman at the well and ignoring her? Zacchaues up in the tree and Jes...

Jesus heals a man lying by the Pool of Bethesda who turns out to be a whiney, spineless person. Upon receiving an outright miracle, he shows no gratitude. In return for his mercy, Jesus gets nothing but trouble. Why did Jesus heal this one? Bethesda is a beautiful name in the Bible that combines two words, the first being beth meaning house, such as in Beth-lehem – house of bread. The second is he...

In the middle of Moses' final words of blessing to Israel we discover this famous gem: "The eternal God is your dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms." Deuteronomy 33:27 Chris Tomlin sings, "How lovely is your dwelling place oh Lord, Almighty."  As wonderful as that describes our forever home, the next phrase describes the reason for our hope! "Underneath are the everlasting arms!...

Robert H. Schuller made the fascinating observation that anybody can count the number of seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed! In other words, you have no idea how God will use you to influence the lives of others. Yet, you DO know our loving Lord will do far beyond what you ask or think! Who was it that first spoke to Billy Graham about Jesus Christ? Who first...

A double yoke allowed two oxen to share a load. A similar harness allows horses to pull together. When Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you, for my burden is light," we know that the loving power of God lifts our yoke! The apostle Paul spoke of a friend as a "true yokefellow," he asked to help two women to reconcile. Philippians 4:3 Just as Jesus the ultimate Yokefellow shares our burdens, we, too,...

An epiphany is a new and sudden insight! In today's podcast, we discuss a remarkable story told  by a person whose dramatic epiphany about Jesus was amazing and life-changing. In this New Year, ask our Lord to give you fresh epiphanies his presence, love and power in your life! To put it simply, let Jesus in!

Consider the Christmas music in our homes, the Christmas story in our churches, the Christmas gatherings of family and friends, and our Christmas shopping (and Hallmark movies). All of those activities, which capture our attention and bring joy in themselves, are also simply the wrapping! The true gift is the presence of the person of Jesus, a babe in a manger no longer, now our risen Lord! Allow...

Have you ever heard of the Grace Cycle ? This is wonderfully captured by the Apostle Paul when he wrote: " You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us. " II Corinthians 9:11 There are three stages to this grace cycle. Stage One:  Grace to us – "You will be enriched in every way."         Stage Two – Grace through us – "for your gre...

Rejoice in the Lord, always! Sometimes we focus on the "always," and to be sure, as my friend, Bob Shull says, "All means all," so always means always. We sometimes mistakenly think this verse means to be joyful for every circumstance. To be sure, there are intensely joyful moments in life that we love to experience, yet as the drama masks of comedy and tragedy tell us, there are painful moments a...

Modeling is one of the most potent means of building others. Modeling sets the example. Provides a pattern. Shows the way. Gives others a picture of what they can become. Whom do we model? Jesus! Paul said, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" and " What you have learnedand received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. I Corinthians 11:1 and Phi...

The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians to speak of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus. Clearly, Paul's heart's desire was to grow in the knowing of Jesus. We begin our friendship with Jesus as we trust him and become his followers, yet that is only the beginning of our knowing. Are you growing in your knowing of Jesus? Do you know more about Jesus and do you know Jesus more in direct friends...

Paul marvelously describes his friend Epaphroditus as, "my brother, my fellow worker, my fellow soldier! What a marvelous combination! Just think of the people in your life you would call friends and fellow workers and fellow soldier! We call those people "journey partners" in your life. Journey partners share friendship in life, love, laughter and lament. Journey Partners share endeavor and adver...

Paul's words about Timothy's care for the Philippians reveal that he is "genuinely concerned for your welfare." Philippians 2:20 The sense of this is, "Timothy is anxious for you," he worries about you because he actually cares for you, misses you, wants the best for you!" We have often talked about the gift of "people eyes," the eyes of Jesus for people. Timothy's caring heart is the reflection o...

Is a major aim of your life to help people find joy in Jesus? There are many ups and downs in the lives we lead, yet always we know the immediate presence of the Lord who loves us and his promise of joy!  "These things I (Jesus) have spoken to you, that my joy may be in your and that your joy may be made full." John 15:11 "Jesus… who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross." Hebrews...

One of the fascinating things about the Apostle Paul is how clearly he demonstrates his interest in people! For example, he holds the Philippians in his heart as he remembers them, prays for them with joy as he yearns for them. Immediately we see a patterns to help us hold people in our own hearts: Remember them – be aware of them. Pray for them – with joy and expectation. Yearn for them – love th...

Reflecting on the wonder of the phrase "love covers," as in love covers a multitude of sins and irritations and aggravations, I am reminded of the term EGR. EGR, for Extra Grace Required, was coined by pastor Dale Galloway to give us a way to think about the challenging people in our lives. Joyce Landorf's book "Irregular People" addresses the same kinds of people situations. As you work through a...