Encouraged

Michael writes this week that despite the bad news about the global pandemic, not everything is as it appears. Even though there is record unemployment with massive layoffs, business closures, and shutdowns of non-essential businesses, God has opened the door for other ministries to flourish. God has been blessing ministries exceeding abundantly above all they could ever ask or think. In times of need, God shows up and shows off. Ministries that deliver a message of encouragement from the Word about God’s grace, mercy, and deliverance. God calls ministries to prove Jesus’ words: “in that you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.”

God has allowed our ministry to continue despite the government’s orders to socially distance. We have been meeting together via Zoom and conference calls for prayer and continued fellowship. Our Orange County Chapter has been meeting continuously since 1992. After 4 months of on-line meetings, we are thankful that today, a Church of Irvine has allowed us to meet together in person. My Pastor Pete recalls that one day he was praying and listing each of his physical ailments. God responded, “Turn your heart to me so that I can help you through your pain and suffering.”

The world thinks that pain, heartache, trials and tribulations are our enemies. However we will never know by experience the meaning of love and hope until we have been tested. Romans 5 says, "for tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience (character), and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us."

When we write a letter to God and then God dictates a letter in response back to us, His letter is always a word of encouragement. At our minisrty retreats, we toss an orange to brothers who have encouraged and refreshed us. The foundation for this practice is in Philippians 1:7: "For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you." To encourage means to build up, and to fill with inspiration, reassurance, hope and blessing. An encourager is one who is called alongside to deliver a timely word of kindness. Encouragement inspires us not to give up and give in. Philemon was an example of an encourager. An individual is never more Christ like than when he encourages a brother or sister who is discouraged, beaten down, and burdened by the tribulation of this world. Blessed is the man who inspires, stimulates, and influences others to take heart. 

The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. In times of struggle, when a person is broken and repentant before the Lord, God will lift them up. The light affliction of this present time is not to be compared with the glory that shall follow. In other words, the best is yet to come. God will remind us through a brother or sister in Christ that despite the pain, God has us each of us in his own intensive care. A word of forgiveness and grace is a word of encouragement. According to Philippians 2, “fulfill ye my joy that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” We’re encouraged to be of the same mind as Jesus Christ himself. Jesus let nothing be done of strife and contention or for His own vain glory. He took upon himself the form of a servant and became obedient to his Father, even unto his death on the cross. Jesus although He was God’s only begotten son, lived to serve and encourage those whom God had called him to minster.

Why don’t Christians encourage one another? Often it’s because they are too concerned about themselves to think about others. Philippians 2 says, "Do nothing through vain conceit but look everyone to the needs of others to lift them up according to God’s grace." James chapter 3 talks about the tongue. The tongue can be used as a knife to sarcastically cut down others. It’s better to do what the Bible says: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.” A critical spirit will kill any relationship. Especially in marriage when one party continues to make deposits into a resentment bank. Even though the percentage of resentment deposits may be outweighed by the good deposits, the seeds of resentment will grow and choke out the good deposits. This will kill the relationship.

James says the tongue is like a flame set on fire by Hell itself. It will engulf and consume anything in its path. An unkind word will kill the relationships within the body of Christ. The tongue is full of the deadly poison of hatred spewing cursing toward those who are made in the likeness of God. When the flesh is defensive, the mouth will speak from the abundance of the heart. These destructive words will destroy godly relationships. James 3:15-16 says, “This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” The antidote is to turn from the wisdom of this world and instead seek God’s wisdom from above. This wisdom of God comes from the Word of God and prayer. James 17-18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

Even when we were dead in trespasses and sin, God gave us grace and loved us anyway. I was destined for hell, but because of his grace, mercy and love, He gave me heaven. Proverbs says, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". You can tell a healthy soul by what comes out of the mouth. Salvation depends on confessing with our mouth hour heart’s conviction that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). At the moment of salvation, a Christian is fully forgiven. Because we have been "born again" of God’s Holy Spirit, we have been declared righteous in Christ. From the moment of new birth, our forgiveness is a past, present and future reality.  

Even though we have been "born again" of God’s spirit, we often sin in the flesh when we miss the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. However, we remain righteous in God’s sight. For He who knew no sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. After salvation, If we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we sin by breaking fellowship, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Before we can encourage others, we need to encourage our own hearts in the Lord. This is the purpose of prayer in Philippians 4 beginning in verse 4: "Therefore, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation, (your loving mercy and grace,) be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Aaron’s benediction in Numbers 6:24-26 is a blessing of encouragement: “The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” ... that we may encourage one another in the Lord, and that together we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael