ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER

Heb 3:13

Encourage one another daily as long as it is called, Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Encourage

One specially effective way of encouraging one another, is to create a bond of love through the common purpose of worshiping God together.

Why should we make a habit of congregating in a place which we call a church?

1.      To enable us to be united in our spiritual mission: To meet with God on one particular day of the week.

2.     Because the Bible tells us how important it is

Heb 11:25  Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

3.     To listen to what God has given His servant to preach from His Word.  Sometimes choir or a gifted singer can also bring a message through the anointed words of songs or hymns.

4.     To praise Him with congregational singing.

5.     To stimulate and encourage each other by greeting one another. No stranger should ever leave the sanctuary feeling isolated and lonely. People need to be recognised and respected. The first impression is always a lasting impression.

How Can We Encourage One Another

Heb 10:19-25

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,  20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,  21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

What effect does encouragement have?

It serves to give a person eagerness to go on with life.

It also helps people to realise how important they are.

NB

 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

That day!  The most dreaded day of our lives; nobody wants to die! But it will come some time in the future. It will “come to pass”. It is precisely this day that we are being prepared for. Death for a saint is a blessing; for the unsaved, it is the cul de sac that turns away from the road to heaven.

Heb 3:12-14

12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Your salvation is extremely precious to you and to God

The enemy of the soul has many weapons. His objective is to persuade you to give up; to surrender your relationship with God.

One of his most effective weapons is discouragement.

How Does Discouragement Start?

Unrealised expectations= disappointment – the answer HOPE

Disappointment leads to discouragement = despair= defeat=desertion = destruction

. . . .If we fail to encourage and be encouraged, and we drift from one place to another looking for a rest for our souls, we will find ourselves being tossed by every wave and every wind of teaching by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

False religion leads to false expectations that inevitably lead to disappointment and the chain of spiritual terror.

Today ! “Tomorrow is the day when idle men work and fools repent.

Tomorrow is Satan’s today; he doesn’t care what good resolutions you make, if only you fix them for tomorrow (John Wesley)

The sinful, unbelieving heart

If my religion cannot produce a purified heart, wherein there is no sinfulness, then my religion is false. My Christ can cleanse my heart from all sin and unrighteousness (1JJn 1:7).

No professing Christian can believe that they are saved unless it is from sin, and that they know that they can never be admitted to a holy haven hereafter, unless they are made pure by the blood of Jesus TODAY!

Don’t be discouraged by the awesome concept of human holiness. If holiness is important then is must be easily understood.

Does God’s Word demand it?

Can I do it myself?

Can God do it?

What must I do to have this assurance? 

Born again – first essential step

Seeking after blessings from God follows the first step Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Be obedient to the Word of God so that God has free access to your heart.

Your faith will be put to the test from time to time in order to strengthen your relationship with God. Gradually, as your faith grows stronger, your light will burn brighter and you will be a great supporter in the ministry of encouragement.

Matt 6:33 coupled with Mal 3:8-10 will show you how much you trust in God’s promises.

Mat 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you.

Mal 3:8-10

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But, you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “in tithes and offerings, You are under a curse - the whole nation of you- because you are robbing me. 10. Bring the whole tithe into the store house, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says, Lord Almighty”

Do you believe that God will bless you as He promises?

Will you dare to test God by giving the whole tithe (one tenth of the gross salary or whatever you earn)?  Can you afford not to do as God says you should?

Caution. You must avoid believing that God will double your salary, or that God will send money to you because of His promise. Don’t expect anything, Just give what God wants you to give so that your faith will be rewarded. You will be very surprised when you look back one day after you begin to tithe as a healthy spiritual habit.  

 Conclusion

If a son should ask his father for bread, . . . . How much more will your Father in heaven give you His Spirit?

 Encourage one another daily as long as it is called, Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.