Paul was an encourager. He wrote letters to churches to help them grow spiritually. This week we will read I and II Corinthians. Corinth was a center of trade and a crossroads of cultures, and as a result the church had challenges in uniting for the common cause, to serve Christ and to love each other.

Toward the end of 1 Corinthians Paul instructs them to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” They were surrounded by evil influences from idolatry, false teachers and immoral Christians. Watch and stand fast. Be strong and brave. Great advi...