3 Ways to Be an Encourager – Hf #263

The Bible calls us to encourage one another in Christ. We are to be there for those in our lives and we are to encourage them. But what does this look like on a practical level? This episode will explore how we can be encouragers to those in our life and what the Bible calls us to do in this regard. Listen in here:

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Links & Resources:

Article by 9 Marks: Encourage One Another: Giving Grace with Your Words

Book recommendation: 100 Ways to Love Your Husband by Lisa Jacobson

Book recommendation: 100 Words of Affirmation Your Husband Needs to Hear by Lisa Jacobson

Book recommendation: When a Woman Inspires Her Husband by Cindi McMenamin

Book recommendation: Loving Well (even if you haven't been) by William P. Smith

Book recommendation: The Peacemaker by Ken Sande

Jump into the Instagram discussion about this topic here.

"WHAT IS ENCOURAGEMENT?

Biblical encouragement isn’t focused on complementing someone’s haircut or telling them how good their homemade salsa tastes. That kind of encouragement is important, but the encouragement the Scriptures refer to is explicitly Christian encouragement.

Encouragement is shared with the hopes that it will lift someone’s heart toward the Lord (Col. 4:8). It points out evidences of grace in another’s life to help them see that God is using them. It points a person to God’s promises that assures them that all they face is under his control.

The New Testament reveals that encouragement was a regular part of the early church’s life together (Acts 13:15, 16:40, 18:27, 20:1-2, 27:36). They shared Scripture-saturated words with each other to spur one another on in faith (Acts 14:22), hope (Rom. 15:4), unity (Rom. 15:5; Col. 2:2), joy (Acts 15:31), strength (Acts 15:32), fruitfulness (Heb. 10:24-25), faithfulness (1 Thess. 2:12), perseverance (Heb. 10:25), and the certainty of Christ’s return (1 Thess. 4:18).

Encouragement was and is an essential way of extending grace to each other."

- 9 Marks article: https://www.9marks.org/article/encourage-one-another-giving-grace-with-your-words/

Scripture used today:

We are told to be encouragers: 

1 Thess 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Being an encourager takes time and investment: 

Hebrews 10:23- 25 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Encouragement comes largely from our mouths and how we communicate with those around us: 

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

We are to be there in good times and bad: 

Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Do it all in patience and love: 

1 Thess 5:14 "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all."

1 Peter 4:8-10 "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace"