"Encourage One Another"
Text: 1 Thessalonian 5:8-11, Hebrews 10:22-25
Why do we need to encourage one another?
1. Life's journey is difficult
2. Keeping the faith is difficult
3. The ministry of maintenance
4. Discouragement - Satan's weapon
In Romans 15:5 says endurance and encouragement are gifts of God.
- When you exercise the ministry of encouragement, you're obeying God's command.
* Don't be stingy with encouragement. Don't give excuse that you do not know how to encourage.
What is the Biblical meaning of Encourage?
- English 'en' is a prefix: to add, to put on, to cover with
- The Bible uses two or more Greek words:
1. To build, to strengthen, to edify
2. To draw near, to comfort, to inspire, exhort (2 similar to Holy Spirit)
Two Biblical Examples:
1. Son of encouragement - Barnabas
- Filled with the Holy Spirit... encouraged Paul
2. The Lord comforts - Nehemiah
- Rebuild and construct Jerusalem
How Do We Encourage Each Other
1. Speak only encouraging words
- James 3:3-12, Proverbs 18:21
2. Make encouragement a daily attitude
- Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 3:13
3. Make full use of all resources / creativity
(a) a phone call, sms, email
(b) send a card, letter, snail-mail, birthdays etc
(c) visit a friend, a time of prayer, home, hospital
(d) lend or give an appropriate book, article
(e) help in some chores
(f) a loaf of bread, a cake, fruit
(g) host a meal, cell meeting
4. Keep on encouraging one another
- 2 Thessalonian 3:4-5
There are always two people who see what we do, and how well we do it - ourselves and the King of kings.
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