Encouragement

• Encourage the underprivileged (Isaiah 1: 17)-Learn to do good.  Seek justice.  Help the oppressed.  Defend the orphan.  Fight for the rights of widows.

We the body of Christ should be an encouragement to the underprivileged.  We should be doing good to everyone.  We should want justice for all.  We should help those who are oppressed.  Those who deserve fair treatment.  We should be defending the orphans.  They are innocent, and should be protected.  We should fight for the rights of widows.  They also are disadvantaged.  We should display love for them, as we would love ourselves, and our families.

• God encourages us (Isaiah 40: 31)-But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength.  They will fly high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.

God gives us encouragement in that, in Him, we will find new strength.  When we feel we cannot go on, the LORD gives us strength to keep going.  To press on.  To live as His Word commands.  We will fly on wings like eagles; meaning that we will soar above trials, tribulations, illness, disadvantages.  We will be free from slavery to sin, and high in spirits, on His path.  We will run and not grow weary; we will never quit fighting the good fight of faith, we will not give up, because we know that He is our reward.  We will walk, and not faint; our faith will remain forever in Him.  In his ways, we have peace.  In His ways, we have strength.  In Him, we have comfort.  In Him, we are victorious!!

• The Holy Spirit encourages us (Acts 9: 31)-The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it grew in strength and numbers.  The believers were walking in the fear of the LORD and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

When we are in the Holy Spirit, we have encouragement in that we are peaceful in our hearts.  We are able to grow in strength and numbers because we are able to support and encourage one another to remain faithful to Him, and to one another.  When believers walk in the fear (respect) of the LORD, they find comfort in the Holy Spirit, and need not fear for their lives, nor the lives of their family.  They walk in confidence, knowing that they are pleasing the living God.  That His wrath and judgement will not fall upon them at any given moment, they are confident that they are saved, and that they are in His favor.

• Encourage your neighbor (Romans 15: 2)-We should please others.  If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the LORD.

We should encourage our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  We should live in a way that respects them, and pleases them.  If we do this, we are not only honoring God, we are honoring ourselves, and we are honoring our Brothers and Sisters.  By doing this, we will build them up.  We will encourage them to live in the same way.  They will be confident in their walk with Christ.  This is very pleasing to the LORD.

• The Bible encourages us (Romans 15: 4)-Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us.  They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises.

As we know, the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit (God with us).  It is written to give us encouragement on our journey in life.  It was written to guide us, to teach us the correct way.  It is designed to give us hope, and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.  We should be reading it regularly, and growing from it continually, so that we will not grow weary and faint.  We should do this daily, so that our faith remains strong.

• Our position in Christ encourages us (Philippians 2: 1)-Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?  Any comfort from his love?  Any fellowship together in the Spirit?  Are your hearts tender and sympathetic?

The way that we make God truly happy is by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other(the Church), loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.  This is why our position in Christ encourages us.  We know that we belong to Him.  We know that we have His love.  We know that we are living in unity with one another.  We know that our hearts are tender and sympathetic to those who do not know him, or who do not have such a close relationship with Him.  So, we love them, pray for them, teach them, and encourage them to do the same.  That is our mission in Christ. We are encouraged by our position.  We know it is good.

• We should encourage each other (1 Thessalonians 4: 18)-So comfort and encourage each other with these words.

We should be encouraging one another with the words written in Scripture, as we know that First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air and remain with Him forever.  So, we should find encouragement in this, knowing that our lives, hard work, and dedication is not in vain.  Our reward is that we will reign with the LORD forever!  Amen!

• Encourage those who are weak and afraid (1 Thessalonians 5: 14)-Brothers and Sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.  Encourage those who are timid.  Take tender care of those who are weak.  Be patient with everyone.
  

In 1 Thessalonians 5: 12 it reads: Dear Brothers and Sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work.  They work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong.  Think highly of them, and give them your wholehearted love because of their work.  And remember to live peaceably with each other.  We see in this verse that we should be appreciating God's instruction through our leaders.  They are set in that position to look after you.  We should encourage those who are weak and afraid.  Warn those who are lazy, and don't want to do their parts as members of the body of Christ.  We should remind them that they have a responsibility.  We should encourage those who are timid, teach them not to be shy, teach them that they have the Spirit of the LORD, and that they need not fear.  They should feel confident that with Christ, they will be able to accomplish any task or mission they are assigned to.  We should be helping all believers and new Christians... (baby Christians).  We should have patience with all.  We should not give up on any of them.  Hope with and for them.  Pray with and for them.

• Encourage elderly people (1 Timothy 5: 1-4)-Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as though he were your own father.  Talk to the younger men as you would to your own brothers.  Treat the older women as you would your mother, and treat the younger women with all purity as your own sisters.  The church should care for any widow who has no one else to care for her.  But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them.  This is something that pleases God very much.

We should take care in how we speak to the elders of the Church.  The same is true in any setting.  We should respect them as if they were our own father.  We should treat the younger men as we would our brothers, with love, respect, and humility.  We should be doing the same with the women, as if they were our mothers or sisters.  This is what pleases God.  We should also care for the widows; for they are as vulnerable as a child.  (Especially the ones who have no relatives to care for them).  When their children and grandchildren are able to care for them, they honor God very much.  Their hearts make him proud!!  This touches God's heart! 

• Encourage others not to sin (Hebrews 3: 13)-You must warn each other every day, as long as it is called "today",  so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.  

What this means is that we should never be tired of poking at our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, or believers across the world.  This pleases God when we care enough about them to remind them even if they get tired of hearing it from us.  We should continue to remind them that they should fear God, and not become comfortable in sin, or disobedience.  In verse 12 it reads: Be careful then, Brothers and sisters.  Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.  We know that those who are deceived by sin, have hearts that become hardened against God like in the story of Moses, and the Pharaoh.  We know that king Pharaoh's heart became hardened against God, and this resulted in God's wrath and punishment over Egypt, there was death, plagues, pestilence, and severe punishment as a result.  Sin separates man from God.  We become God's enemy when we remain in sin.  This of course, is not good.

• Encourage others to love (Hebrews 10: 24)-Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.

Verse 23 reads: Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.  Verse 25 reads: Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.  Here we see that God warns His Church to love and encourage one another with good deeds.  We should be holding on tightly to the hope we have, knowing that God will keep His promise to His people.  We should continue to meet at Church, waiting for His return.  We know that all the prophesies written in Scripture are being fulfilled right before our very eyes, wars, rumors of wars, hunger, pestilence, earthquakes, floods, etc...  We need to continue now more than ever to live in the way He instructed us to.  

May God bless you this and everyday, that your faith and hope grow ever stronger.  May you be encouraged by the Spirit of our LORD behind this study-that you continue to be an inspiration to others around you.  God bless you!

Let us pray:  "Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day and a new opportunity to love one another as your Word commands, that we be given new strength to fly like an eagle and shed your light on others so that they too may come to know you.  Bless our Pastors, Missionaries, Evangelists, and Members across the globe so that they too may continue to have increased faith and strength.  That they are a blessing to others, and that your Holy Spirit continue to comfort and guide us all for your glory!  Amen!"