Be Encouraged… He HAS LOVED you with an everlasting love-{Jer 31:3}
Be Encouraged… You can do ALL things Through Christ who infuses you with strength -{Phil 4:13}
Be Encouraged… As Your DAY so shall your STRENGTH be -{Deut 33:25}
Be Encouraged… NOTHING can separate you from the love of God in Christ-{Rom 8:31-39}
The word “Encouragement” depending on the context means “to urge forward,”persuade”-{Read Acts 18:27}; “encouraging with counsel, advice”{Read 1 Thess 2:11};”encourage” in 1 Thess 5:14, “… signifying to stimulate to the discharge of the ordinary duties of life.”-Vine’s} And it is also used to speak of “Comfort” { Read 1 Cor 14:3}… “a calling to one’s aid “-{Heb 6:18}
Three of His means He uses to ENCOURAGE are…
- – Himself – Be Encouraged by Him who is THE ENCOURAGER- “… “…THE God who gives perseverance and encouragement ” -{Rom 15:5}.
- – His Word – “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” -{Rom 15:4} and…
- – His People – “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”-{Hebrews 13:3}
WHO NEEDS to be Encouraged? The disheartened do, “…encourage the disheartened, “- {Read 1 Thess 5:14}. Those who are encouraging others, need also to be, to continue on.
WHEN is it appropriate to encourage? Hebrews 3:13 says “as long as it is called ‘TODAY’…!” Everyday we make choices, we encounter others, and with each new day we can say “TODAY” I can do His revealed will and seek to ENCOURAGE others!
BE ENCOURAGING…. Find someone and come alongside them and share your life, love and His Word with them. Perhaps share the above verses…
Too often we undervalue encouragement or we confuse it with “flattery,” which it is not. But if God says that as long as it is called “TODAY” we are mutually responsible to encourage each other then we must take Him seriously! We all need encouragement and we all can give it. Don’t wait until someone encourages you before you encourage back. Continually be pro active. Be obedient and initiate and look for ways to continually do the revealed will of God on a daily basis, which is to encourage.
When you are with someone, or even apart THINK WITH THE INTENT TO put into practice, “How can I encourage them?” When you hear of them struggling? Or if they have a need? Or if they are following the Lord wholeheartedly? Seek to encourage them! Come along side someone to aid them, stimulate them to go forward in faith and love doing His will. Counsel them from His Word. Do good to them in words and deeds of love as means to encourage them with the attitude and actions of, ” …ourselves your servants, for Jesus sake!” -{Read 2 Cor 4:5} He is your motivation for choosing to lay down your life, preferences in order to serve others for their benefit both physical and spiritually! It is an outward focus on the well being of others “…for Jesus sake!”
WHY encourage? “…for Jesus sake!” What is the attitude to take in order to do so? “ourselves your servants.” If you are one of two people in a room, know your privilege is “ourselves your servant” which is to say, “I am a here to serve you, to prefer you!” Such is the attitude of a follower of the LORD Jesus. And the motivation to serve through encouragement? “… for Jesus sake!” It was in the midst of hostilities and difficulties for their faith, that the writer of Hebrews wrote and told the believers that when they gather together, they were to be involved in actively seeking to stimulate and spur on another on, ” Let us consider How we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds … encouraging one another…and all the more as you see the Day approaching”-{Read Hebrews 10:23-25}. See the intent, love, good deeds, encouraging… we often gather for ” food, fellowship”… and while that may be fine it may miss the goal God has for us if we are not actively seeking His honor others well being as shown in this passage of Scripture. Be intent. Think I am here not to be served but to serve!
You not only have the command from God.
You have the capacity from God to be an encourager.
You make the choice!
No One outside of you can stop you from being so.
Does that mean you will always be appreciated, loved, or recognized by others for it? Not necessarily. But if that is your goal then you miss the mark. For the mark, the true motivation is “…For Jesus sake!” -{Read 2 Cor 4:5}
Be Encouraged… and Be An Encourager…by choice!