Encouragement – A GREAT Gift

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My Pastor Shawn started a new Sermon series this week and he talked a little about 1 Thessalonians…   and told us we needed to read it about 42 times in the next few weeks (Well maybe not 42 times but allot).   In my study Bible is has a section for “Check List for Encouragers” and when you read the list – we should all have this gift or be working on how to be an Encourager…  The Scripture comes from 1 Thessalonians 5:  11-23.
1 Thessalonians 5:11-23  11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Final Instructions

2 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is a list of what some of the examples are:

  •           Build each other up
  •           Respect Leaders
  •           Live in Peace
  •           Warn the Idle
  •           Encourage the timid
  •           Help the Weak
  •           Be Patient
  •           Resist revenge
  •           Be joyful
  •           Pray continually
  •           Give Thanks
  •           Do not put out the Spirits Fire
  •        Avoid every kind of evil
  •           Count on the God’s Constant help

As you can see this is a long list of examples for us to build into our everyday lives… I have highlighted the one I would like to work on this week…   I would encourage you to pick one to work on this week..
It is going to be a great week to work on what you see as “Radical Truth and Grace” and these are some great ways to do it…
Hope to see you at the GMM Conference this weekend.
Bobbyg