Sola Deo Gloria

It is not God’s plan for His servants to have to wait to receive their rewards until they get to heaven. That’s why He instructed us to “honor one another.” Mutual encouragement is definitely a dual concept! Encouragement can often inspire us to perform better, appreciate more, and love deeper.

Why do we fail to encourage one another? Why do we let opportunities slip by? Pastor Cornette even said that during the “Glorification of the worm process” that it often took 8 or 9 positives concerning a message to overcome one discouraging comment. Often times we believe people who appear to have it all together don’t really need encouragement. Even then positive feedback helps to give affirmation that we are truly being effective.

I. Biblical Examples of encouragement
A. The Holy Spirit is identified four times in John’s Gospel as a “counselor” or “another helper”(NASB) or “another comforter”(KJV). John 14:16,26;15:26;16:7.
(Greek) Parakletos: another encourager, counselor, helper, or comforter.- Discuss this was when Jesus was explaining that he was not going to leave them but in actuality going to give them “another comforter” Desciples were fearful during this time, much of their movements with Jesus was done in secret, etc…
B. The Word of God
1. Qualities of Eldership – Titus 1:9 exhort or encourage-same 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul wrote to Timothy about preaching the word and being prepared. To “correct, rebuke and encourage” 1 Thes. 2:11-13 –Paul and Silas dealt with the church at Thessalonica just as a father deals with his children “encourage – urge”
II. A Key to Spiritual Growth – What should happen to Christians when they meet together regularly and “encourage one another?” Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and so much the more as you see the day approaching.”
A. We should grow in our faith – Heb. 10:22
B. We should grow in our hope – Heb. 10:23
C. We should grow in our love – Heb. 10:24 – Paul underscored this truth when writing to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 13:13 It is clear to see that we are to encourage one another. There is definitely room in our Christian lives to encourage, and to BE ENCOURAGED.
Challenge – This week, look for opportunities in your daily lives to encourage someone for something you may take for granted. Pray that God would allow you to be an encouragement to someone daily. Also, think about how we are to accept encouragement from people.
III. Accepting Encouragement and Praise as Christians
A. Humility – according to www.dictionary.com means: The state or quality of being humble; freedom from pride and arrogance; lowliness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth; a sense of one’s own unworthiness through imperfection and sinfulness; self-abasement; humbleness.
1. Begins with a sense of subordination to God in Christ. 1 Peter 5.6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,”
2. Does not feel a right to better treatment than Jesus got. 1 Peter 2.21-23 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22″Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
3. Asserts truth not to bolster ego, but as service to Christ and love to the adversary. 2 Cor. 4.5 “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.”
4. Knows it is dependent on grace. 1 Cor. 4.7 “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
5. Knows it is fallible, and learns from criticism. Prov. 12.15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.”

When learning the verse/s, read the verse to yourself in this manner: (Chapter, verse, passage, chapter, verse)
ROMANS 3.10 – There is none righteous, not even one. ROMANS 3.10
1. Print out the verses and carry them with you. Read them often all day long. The more you read them, the more you will become familiar with them. (Notice I said READ, not recite)
2. Recite as much of the verse/s as you can a couple of times a day until you have it! Don’t feel you need to know it all right away, this takes work!
3. Write the verse/s out at least once a day, minimum.
4. When you get up in the morning, read the verse/s first thing. Before you go to sleep, read the verse/s.
5. Once you have them memorized, recite the verses out loud to someone. This will help to overcome your nervousness when speaking to someone.

I hope this helps you to become successful at placing God’s word close to your heart.

Romans Road of Salvation: NASB

Romans 3.10 – There is none righteous, not even one.

Romans 3.23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 5.12 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-

Romans 6.23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10.9-10 – that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10.13 – for whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Lent is a time which is a representation of Jesus 40 days spent in the wilderness, fasting, before his eventual sacrifice on the cross. Many who practice Lent in past times have decided to fast these 40 days by not eating meat except on Sundays. Nowhere in the Bible is Lent prescribed by God for Christians to do like it is for Communion (this do in remembrance of me). Any Christian who wishes to fast these 40 days as they feel God is leading them to do so is fine, but this should be no different than any other time of the year when they fast. Following examples of fasting in the Bible should always be how we live our lives. It is a time for communion with God, self-denial, and worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is a time of asking God to bring our desires and lifestyles into conformity with His will.