Loving People Into Transformation

Every person on this earth wants to be loved and accepted. We want to know we are valuable and cherished. Even the hardest of hearts has a weak spot… Love.

Earlier this month we celebrated Valentines day. To many, they don’t like this celebration because they may be without a Valentine. We celebrate love as a Nation every year at this time. Why? Because everyone wants to be loved.

Songwriters have written songs like; “Love is all you need,” or “Love will keep us together.” How about; “I’m all out of love, and so lost without you.”

Let’s remind ourselves of the One Who has loved us first and the most:

John 3:16 NLT

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

God loved us, so He gave… He gave up the very person he cherished the most, Jesus Christ, because God had to save the world from utter damnation. This is extravagant love. Our minds have a hard time wrapping itself around the thought of this. But God loved people enough to send His only Son to save us from spending eternity in Hell. This is powerful love!

We, as the World, need this transforming love in us and we need to show this love to others. We need to cherish people like God does. We need to love people into transformation.

LOVING PEOPLE INTO TRANSFORMATION

(Based on 1 Corinthians 13:1 – 13)

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1 – 13. In it states if we don’t have love we have nothing. Love takes its time. It is not in a hurry. It comes with no expectations. It just is.

So what is 1 Corinthians 13:1 – 13 actually saying? Love is such a simple subject, yet very complex. Matters of the heart are hard to define. In this passage of scripture we will see the very basic important points we must consider to gage our love for others and their love for us, and our love for God and His love for us, and apply it to our lives.

1.  Love is superior to speaking languages or intellect.

1 Corinthians 13:1 (CEV)

“What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” 

Having the highest intellect or ability to speak languages known and unknown doesn’t mean a thing if you have no love.

People are more important then boasting about our abilities and knowledge.

What good is having the ability of speaking to any nation if you have no love for that nation? People know if you are sincere.

Noisy gong or a clanging cymbal makes a lot of noise, but really has no other use. This is what our intellect or the ability to speak in various languages has when compared to loving people. We are “noisy” when we put all of these above love. Love conquers all and sees all.

2.  Love authenticates spiritual gifts.

I Corinthians 13:2 

“What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others.”

I have seen people “prophecy” in a very judgmental, critical tone and think it is okay, but there was no love in it, not even tough love. It actually did more damage then good. Far too often Christian people put a higher priority on Spiritual gifts then they do loving people. Someone with a true Spiritual gift will flow God’s love.

We can have all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and live a very lonely life, all because we choose to be selfish and not love others. People have spent years of their life trying to gain worldly wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, but without love, all their intellect is in vain. We can’t take our intellect to heaven when Christ comes to take us home, but we can take His love that is flowing through us to others to heaven. It originated there. Combining love with our knowledge is powerful. It will help you make godly decisions instead of worldly ones.

God knows what motivates us to do things. If you are ministering or confronting people and there is no love, it will come across as harsh, stale, and very mean. People respond to correction that is given in love. Correction that is given in just intellect or without love will have a negative affect on the receiver. People will listen and respond easier to correction given in love.

If you are correcting your children when they have done something wrong, but don’t have love, you are in the wrong. It will scar their lives forever. Yes, you need to correct your children, but take a moment to relax your anger. Take a moment to respond to them in a loving way. There are too many grown adults who were corrected and abused from their parents all because there was no love in their correction. Always remember your children will grow up to be adults and how you treat them today will form them into the adult they will become. Ask God for His wisdom and always put on love when correcting your children.

3.  Love is not self-profiting. 

1 Corthinthians 13:3

“What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others.”

What if we gave all that we owned to the poor, but our motive was not backed with love? It is all worthless. We wouldn’t gain a thing.

“If we give away all we have, while we withhold the heart from God, it will not profit. Nor even the most painful sufferings. How are those deluded who look for acceptance and reward for their good works, which are as scanty and defective as they are corrupt and selfish!”

Matthew Henry Commentary

Giving to the poor is a selfish act if not accompanied with love. Selfish in that you want to be seen for your deed, instead of lovingly reaching out and helping someone.

“If all that a man had were dealt out in this way, in small portions, so as to benefit as many as possible, and yet were not attended “with true love toward God and toward man,” it would be all false, hollow, hypocritical, and really of no value in regard to his own salvation. It would profit nothing. It would not be such an act as God would approve; it would be no evidence that the soul would be saved. Though good might be done to others, yet where the “motive” was wrong, it could not meet with the divine approbation, or be connected with his favor.”

Albert Barnes Commentary

When you think about it, being selfish is the opposite of love. If you find yourself thinking about yourself and wanting things your way, this is not love. Which leads to my next point.

 4.  Love is selfless.

1 Corinthians 13:4 – 7

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.” 

Kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, arrogant, or rude: Can you place your love for others in these categories?

Taking the time with others when they need your help is showing love. When you are waiting for someone to do something you want them to do, do you wait patiently?

Do you show kindness and speak kind words, even when it is to your enemy?

Do you get jealous when someone you love succeeds or do you rejoice with them?

Do you remember the wrong people have done to you and bring it up to them? It is hard to love people who have wronged you. Seriously, it is hard to forgive someone who has wronged you. People will let you down. People will hurt you. Their lack of awareness to the wrong they have done can paralyze us if we let it. God requires us to love each other as He loves us. We are to abound in love. Knowing this gives us an insight on our own character. If we hold a wrong against someone, we truly do not love them… OUCH! The good news is that we can ask God to help us love one another. Paul wrote that we can increase and abound in our love for each other.

1 Thess. 3:12 (NKJV)

“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.”

How do we love our enemy or those who have wronged us? We pray for them. It is not easy, but pray for them.

We need to rejoice in truth and not in evil. Don’t be happy when evil prevails. Fight for justice for yourself and for others.

Do you remain calm when someone is angry, or do you get angry yourself which complicates matters worse?

The New Testament word for ‘love’ is ‘agape’. It is not the natural love for a friend or a relative. It is the kind of love that God shows to people. We do not deserve it and we can never earn it. So, when we know God’s love, we should show that same love to other people. (www.easyenglish.info Bible Commentary).

 5.  Love is eternal and imperishable. 

1 Corinthians 13:8 – 10

“Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don’t know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. ¹But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn’t perfect will then disappear.” 

Love never is to be out of use; it always holds its place. It will always be fresh and usable.

Prophesies, and unknown languages are gifts from God for us today, but this scripture lets us see the importance compared to having love for others. There is no comparison. These gifts are important, but loving others is even more important. It doesn’t matter if you have these gifts yet never show love to others.

Love is God, and God is love. It is the very essence of God. The gifts are just that; gifts from God. The gifts are for edification while we are on this earth. When we get to heaven these gifts will no longer be relevant or needed. But love will always remain. Love is eternal and imperishable.

All these things will pass away, and all that is not perfect will pass away, but love will never fail!

6.  Love is mature

1 Corinthians 13:11 – 12

“When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.” 

Don’t think like a child any longer. Put away childish ways of being selfish and arrogant.

Even in our pursuit of love on this earth, it really is a cloudy picture we have right now. Some sweet day we will see God face to face. We will see Him as He is. Then we will understand God’s love completely.

7.  Love is the greatest.

1 Corinthians 13:13

“For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.”

Faith, hope and love have been a well-known group of qualities. Paul speaks about them in other letters.

1 Thessalonians 1:3

“…remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.”

Colossians 1:4-5. 

“…since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.”

But now abideth faith, hope, love. These three shall survive. They are eternal. They continue to exist in the church, and shall not fail in its glorified state. As long as the redeemed saint shall have future ages before him, so long will trust in God and hope give them brightness, while love itself is the very atmosphere of the divine life. These three words explain the whole of the Christian life in this world. Christians have faith that God will forgive them because of Christ’s sacrifice. They have hope for the future, because of Christ’s resurrection. They live a life of faith and hope among Christian brothers and sisters whom they love.

The greatest of these is love. The greatest because it glorifies both faith and hope, sanctifies every faculty and Christian grace, is the very moving impulse of the gospel, and is the one quality that is divine. “God is love.” Love is the greatest, because God himself is love. A friendship with Him will never end, but it will continue into eternity.

1 John 4:8

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

If you are struggling to love people, take a look at your relationship with God. Do you really know Him? Chances are you don’t because God is love! He loved the world so He gave…. If we want to be more like Jesus, we have to embrace people and love them with the love He has given us. If not, we will just be a noisy clanky gong and live a miserable life.

Now after reading 1 Cor. 13 and studying it together, turn this passage of scripture around and see this is how God is towards us. Substitute the word Love for God in verses 4 – 8 and it will read like this: “⁴Love God is kind and God is patient, God is never jealous, boastful, proud, or ⁵rude. Love God isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It God doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others we do. ⁶Love God rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. ⁷Love God is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love God never fails…”

Even if that person is rejecting you or behaving badly, the love of God in you helps you to continue in a relationship with them. You are praying and believing God will change their hearts and outlook. You know that the same Holy Spirit Who works on your heart is working on theirs. God pursues us constantly. He doesn’t force us to love Him or even like Him. Yet He relentlessly pursues us. We are valuable to Him. He never gives up on us.

Jeremiah 31:1

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love, With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”

God is constantly pursuing us. He draws us with His love. His love is everlasting, and never-changing.

How did Jesus forgive the very ones who were crucifying Him? With Godly love. It wasn’t human love that held him to the cross. It was the love of the Father that gave him strength to fulfill the redemptive plan to save this world.

We are ignorant to the fullness of God’s love He has for us. Yet, we can taste a little of His love on earth by opening up ourselves and receiving His love. Often times we reject God’s love thinking, “We are not good enough” or “He could never love me after what I have done.” These are just excuses for not receiving His love. His love is unconditional. It doesn’t have attachments connected to it.

God just puts His love out for us to receive it again and again. Eventually, through circumstances and finding the right pieces to the puzzle, we see how much God loves us and we start receiving His love in our hearts. When we finally receive His love it fills us to the point we even wonder why we fought it in the first place.

God’s love is contagious. People will sense and see something different about you. You are walking in God’s love, which is not of this world, and the people will be drawn to you. Not because of anything you have done, but because of the Love of God in you.

Ministering to people, without having love in your heart for them, will not have the abundant fruit you are looking for. We, as ministers, have to be full of God’s love, and out of the overflow we will minister successfully to others.

Don’t Fake The Front

People know if you are fake or genuine.  We can’t “Fake The Front” and still be productive in the Kingdom of God. Faking the front is when you pretend you love someone and act like everything is okay when it is not.

God sees your heart and He knows you are not being genuine. Ask God to teach you to love with the love He has given you.

1 John 4:8 (NKJV)

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

1 John 4:11 (NKJV)

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

We can love others with Godly, Agape love. This is genuine love that will never fail.

Once you start loving people with the genuine love of God, you will see open doors before you. Why? Because God’s favor goes before you. You are oozing with God’s love and it can’t help but minister to others.

People will want what you have. They will see you are different from other people. You will get promoted at work over others that are more qualified, all because you finally have received God’s love and show it to others.

God opens these doors because you are His hand extended. You have been transformed by His love and now can be trusted with greater things.

Your demeanor changes. Your countenance changes. You are more pleasant to be around. You value people more. You show appreciation towards your work and the things you do at your job all because the love of God is flowing in you.

Love is…

“Saying ‘No’ to your self and ‘yes’ to someone else.”

(John 3:16 – God loved so He gave)

This has been taught and instilled in me from a precious lady, “Connie Hise.” She has shown genuine love for others and the Love of God flows out of her as she ministers.

I have seen this in my own ministry. People won’t care what you have to say until they see you care. It would only be a clanging gong if I ministered out of head knowledge and not a heart of love.

People take time to change. There is a process for healing. There is a process for understanding. There is a process to changing. All people have a higher level of potential they can climb to, but the very thing that is blocking their accent could be the lack of feeling loved or cherished.

Love people as they are transforming to be more like Jesus. There will be hard times, times you will want to give up on them, but don’t give up. You might even be misunderstood, but it is all worth seeing someone receive the love of God which will empower and change their lives.

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

iLove

Hope Fellowship is a family. We have a foundation of God’s love. All we do here is based on God’s love.

Video:  “Love Life”

Love. This is a word that in today’s world has more meaning than probably any other word. You can love your family. You can love your church. You can love sports. You can love food. You can love Diet Pepsi, Starbucks Skinny decaf Grande with sugar free vanilla, even chocolate.

And the definition of love has been so marginalized that many times we really don’t understand what love really is. We use the word so often and in so many ways, we tend to lose focus of what it really means to LOVE someone.

Christ understands the word LOVE. He knows what that word means, He knows the value of this word. He knows how to love. And we as Christians must do what we can to also understand this word…in the way Christ understands this word.

Until we understand love from God’s perspective, we will have an extremely difficult time reaching this world for Christ. Because people don’t really care about what you have to say if they don’t know that you care about them…that you love them.

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the word; “encouragement.” We have learned how to encourage ourselves and others. Today, I want to look at the word; “love” and focus on how love can encourage one another.

1. HOW DO WE LOVE?

We love according to God’s definition of love. The Bible teaches us that loving people with God’s love should be first and foremost in our minds and hearts. Next Sunday we will be looking at loving people to transformation. Love is powerful!

Prov. 3:1 – 4 (NIV)
“My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

a.) Like Jesus did.

His entire earthly life consisted of loving the unlovely. He loved everyone he met, even those who crucified Him. The Example of Love gave us a commandment to live by:

John 13:34
“And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

This isn’t a suggestion, but a new commandment. If you are one who likes to follow the rules, which we all should be doing, this rule was given by God to love one another. It has to become a part of our everyday life. You can see this same command in many scriptures in the New Testament: John 13:35, John 15:12, John 15:17, Romans 12:10, Romans 13:8, Hebrews 10:24, 1 Peter 1:22.

Rom 12:10
“Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another.”

Rom 13:8
“Be under obligation to no one—the only obligation you have is to love one another. Whoever does this has obeyed the Law.”

Heb 10:24
“Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.”

1Pe 1:22
“Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for other believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart.”

There are so many more verses that express how we are to love one another. To me, seeing all these verses tells me that God really wants to get this point across to us! Don’t neglect others and loving them.

b)  With our words

EPH 4:29
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

What we say to people:  Encourage them! This is one of the highest forms of love in action. Encouragement goes a long way. I can do just about anything with the right encouragement.

What we say about people:  Watch what you say about others to your  family/friends/c-workers – Don’t gossip

What we say for people:  Supporting and standing up for others

c)  With our actions (deeds)

Matthew 5:14 – 16
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

We have to invest in each other! Love is time spent with another. Words often don’t cut it when it comes to love. We have to spend time with others. Spending time with someone shows you care and that you are interested in their life.

Be kind to everybody. Remember love is kind (1 Cor. 13). We will be discussing 1 Corinthians 13 in more detail next Sunday. There is no reward in being mean to others. It only shows your character, and it hurts others. Would you like to be treated by the way you treat others?

2. WHOM DO WE LOVE?

a. Let’s answer this by looking at what Christ said about it when He was asked this same question?

Matt. 22:34 – 36
“But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Matt. 22:37 – 40
“Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

What is so interesting about the lawyer’s question is what leads up to this question. You see, throughout the years leading up to Jesus ministry, the Pharisees had been grappling with a problem among themselves.

Here was their problem: The Pharisees were considered the most pious & holy and they were considered holy as much as they could humanly keep the 613+ Old Testament laws in their society. The problem is that they (obviously) could not humanly obey all theses laws. So, they decided to make amendments to the laws – called “Oral tradition.” They added their own “interpretation” (or “reinterpretation”) to the laws so that they would be able to keep all the laws.

After realizing that even this didn’t work out, they decided to settle on the position that each person should focus on just keeping the “Big 10”- The 10 Commandments. But after quickly realizing that the human heart is even incapable of keeping just 10 commandments, they collaborated and decided that one could be considered holy IF he could say that he has kept ONE commandment 100% of the time. So, there was a debate as to which ONE should be adopted as the ONE commandment everyone should keep.

…It must be the greatest commandment – one worthy and most notable of keeping.

It was at this point in the Pharisee’s debate that this lawyer’s question & conversation with Jesus takes place.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.”

You see, the reason why you obey commandments is NOT just to obey commandments for holiness…obeying commands is ALWAYS out of a heart APPRECIATION for who God is and what He has done for us!

So, if you love God, you’ll obey him. If you don’t love God, you won’t love obeying his commandments.

THEN after he settled the debate amid the Pharisees…Jesus added a SECOND commandment that is an OUTGROWTH of the first. Meaning – Jesus was saying that IF you love God…it is a given that your heart will love people!!

Matthew 22:39

“And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

If you want others to know that you truly love God…the sign will be that you love ALL people. And ALL people refers to far more than those who look like you, that talk like you, that live where you live and go to the same places as you do.

We must love ALL people. Meaning, even those who we’re not comfortable around. Those who the pious among us might think we shouldn’t even spend time with. Look what Jesus did and said…

Luke 15:1-2
“Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

And in a parable Jesus said…

Luke 15:6b-7
‘…Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’  I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

You see Jesus loved them all. He didn’t care their background, He didn’t care what they looked like. He just loved them. And why wouldn’t He? He knew that it was for them He would die!

3. WHY SHOULD WE LOVE?

Revelation 2:1-3
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.”

It all sounds good, right? Don’t we all love a doctrinally strong church? Isn’t that what every serious believer in Jesus Christ looks for in a church? So, what’s the problem?

Revelation 2:4

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

This love refers to love for God and people!

You see, to the church of Ephesus, they were so concerned that people maintained the same theological standard (and this is good) but they forgot to love the person!

Why should we love in God’s definition of love? Because if we don’t Christ will hold this against us. And my friends, we must never allow ourselves to be in the position of Christ having something against us. We want Christ to be for us.

Rom. 8:31
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

We want to stand with Christ. To stand in His truth. To stand in His love. To stand with His power.

Rom. 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God demonstrated His love by sending His son to die for us. God did something with His love. He sent His son. And today, we must also DO something with our love for others, for the lost, we must love people to JESUS!

We must share the love of Christ to this lost world. We must love people into transformation. We will be looking at this next week, but today, be determined to love people, even the not so lovely. How do we do this? With the love God has given us.

We can’t love with God’s love within our own strength. This is something I have been preaching in Hope Fellowship since it’s conception. We love others with God’s love.

God can and will teach us how to love others with His love if we ask Him. Once you do, your outlook on people will change. You will genuinely love others and might even be surprised at your heart and reaction or actions towards others.

God’s love is a magnet. People will be attracted to you because of the love of God in you. God’s favor will go before you and open more and more doors to share His love.

                                                       iLove
Let “iLove” be your motto in life! You might be hurt, and people might even reject you trying to love them, but still be Jesus’ hand extended in the flesh to others. “iLove” will bring down walls and melt the hardest heart. God’s love is powerful. Let’s utilize it for God’s glory and win our world for Christ. Be determined to choose and say “iLove” people no matter what they do, or who they are!

For those who do not know God:
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

“Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I ask for Your forgiveness Lord of all the wrong I have done. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that I am forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you!

Pastor Kris Belfils
www.krisbelfils.com
www.hopefellowshipspokane.com
www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

Be An Encourager

One of the great tragedies of our time is that there are so few kind people around. There are plenty of mean spirited, critical, cynical people, but there are few who just take the time to be kind as a lifestyle.

I believe that this is how every child of God ought to be. Let’s be honest, all of us are at times opinionated, self-centered, rude and sometimes just plain mean in our dealings with other people. This ought not to be! I believe that the Lord would have us to practice a ministry of encouragement as we pass through this world.

Fifty-seven years ago, on June 18, 1956, a freak accident happened on a lake in New York. A speeding motorboat bounced on a wave and shot into the water two of its passengers, a 50-year old man and a little girl. To keep her from drowning, the man held her head above water while the boat circled back. They rescued the girl. But the man sank and drowned.

That’s how Dawson Trotman died, the founder of the Navigators, an international discipleship ministry. According to a quote in Time Magazine, “He lived to save others. His death was just the way he would have planned it.” I read somewhere that his obituary reads like this: “Dawson Trotman, always lifting someone up.”

Now that’s a legacy. Would that be yours, too? That you live to save others? That you always lift someone up? In a word, encouragement. Today, we will talk about “The Power of Encouragement.”

Be An Encourager

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

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

In the Greek, the word “encourage” means “to call to one’s side, to comfort, to console, to strengthen.” Basically, to put courage in. At the time of the writing of Hebrews, there was a great persecution. Our tendency during such trying times would be to save our skin or to each his own. But, the book of Hebrews encourages us to encourage one another.

“Encouragement is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough… To encourage is to inspire another with courage.”

Unknown

Your very encouragement could be the very thing to help someone survive!

It is interesting to note that the Greek word for “encourage” is the one used for the name “Comforter” of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). People usually equate the works of the Spirit with signs and wonders. But, when we encourage one another, we show that the Spirit really dwells among us. Encouragement, I believe, is the best indicator that the Spirit is working in and through our church.

The word “encourage” is in the present tense. It means a habit or a way of life. In fact, Hebrews commands us to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today” (Hebrews 3:13). It is also in the active voice. It means we don’t wait for others to encourage us. But we take the initiative. We must encourage even if others could not, even if others would not. Note that we are to “encourage one another”. That means that it is not only for pastors but for every one of us.

Hebrews 3:12-13 

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

When a person is discouraged, when we fail to encourage, sin can deceive and harden his heart to the point that it becomes sinful and unbelieving, leading the person to turn his back from God.

“People live by encouragement. Without it they die. Slowly… Sadly… Bitterly.”

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Going back to:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

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

“let us consider…” It means “to observe attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon.” In short, we are to focus on encouraging one another. It is never accidental but intentional.

I like how The Message expresses it: “Let’s see how inventive we can be…” Let us think of creative ways of encouraging others.

14 Ways To Encourage Others 101

1.  Encourage someone by using your gifts and talents and making something for them.

How special it is when we use our encouragement and God given gifts to help others. It’s such a simple thing to give to others using our natural gifts, whatever that gift is in each of us such as encouraging with a written card, or  cooking a meal for someone, or giving a piece of your art, or singing a song to them, etc…. I think we sometimes dismiss this idea because we don’t think the gift we have, could make a difference in the life of someone else, BUT IT DOES!

2.  Encourage someone by praying for them.

3.  Encourage someone by praising them when they do good! (Be specific and truthful)

Saying, “Good Job” can go a long way in someone heart. You know how it is if you worked hard on something and nobody noticed. Learn how to give words of praise.  (LIST of encouraging phrases)

4.  Encourage someone by giving them a hug.

A hug goes a long long long way! Never underestimate the power of a hug. A hug is comforting. It reassures the receiver that you care and are interested in their life. Hugging someone brings security. If you want to get closer to someone, give them a hug.

We could learn form the way team athletes freely pat, touch, and high-five each other in competition. Often even a touch on the shoulder connects you with someone else. A touch expresses connection. It breaks down walls and allows freer conversation and interaction.

“A hug is the perfect gift–one size fits all,

and nobody minds if you exchange it.”

–Ivern Ball

5.  If an encouraging thought comes to mind, share it!

6.  When someone is discouraged or hurting, offer specific, practical help.

7.  Remind fellow Christians of the specific promises of God for their situation.

8.  Write someone a note of encouragement when God places them on your heart.

9.  Make celebration a more regular part of your relationships. (Celebrate the good)

10.  If you are part of a church Bible study or Fellowship, be committed to showing up!

How does this help? You could be the encouragement someone needs. You could receive encouragement from someone. Being faithful in fellowship makes you stronger in your faith. Being faithful encourages your Pastor or leader!

11.  If someone you know is working on a large project, send her a flower, or text him words of encouragement! 

12.  Use encouragement as an outreach!

Encouraging a non-Christian shows your Christian witness. It shows you care. Encouraging someone is a form of love, and Christians should be known by their love.

13.  When you see someone making positive changes in their life, affirm them.

14.  Tell people how they have encouraged you! (Even an encourager needs encouragement!)

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

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

Verse 24 continues, “let us consider how we may spur one another on…”

To spur means “to stir up, provoke, stimulate or incite someone to do something.” In other words, to create a thirst. A thirst for what? “toward love and good deeds.” That’s how we measure encouragement. It is not a fuzzy feeling. Always remember, as the song goes, “Feelings are nothing more than feelings.” If someone became a more loving person or a better person, then we really encouraged him or her.

Verse 25 says, “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.”

We usually use this verse to remind people to be faithful in attending church services. However, note the conjunction “but”. It gives a strong contrast between the clauses “Let us not give up meeting together” and “let us encourage one another”. That means that, even if we attend church services, if we fail to encourage others, we have not obeyed this verse to the full extent. Encouragement is the purpose of our meeting together, whether it is a worship service or a small group meeting.

“It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.” 

William Barclay

So what about you? Are you an encourager? Even if it is not your personality, there is hope! Allow yourself to be more like Jesus and you are on your way to being an encourager. Jesus had compassion on people and touched them. Even when other people were ready to stone the Adulterous woman, Jesus was offering forgiveness and hope.

How easy it is to keep to yourself and not reach out to others who are hurting. But that is just being selfish and weak. It takes a strong person, willing to step outside of their comfort box, and help another human being. Let it be you!

Remember the time you needed encouragement. What if no one was willing to help you? Where would you be? What if Jesus decided to be selfish and not go to the cross for you and I? Where would we be?

This is a pretty simple message today, but it is so needed in the body of Christ. Hope Fellowship is a church built on family, love, and support. We are the “Imperfect who are perfectly welcome to passionately know Christ and make Him known.” This is our mission statement! May it begin with me. May it begin with you. Let us be a church who is known for our acceptance and ministry of encouragement towards others. Do you know this is what people crave?

Let’s read the main text again:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

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

Your Pastor,

Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

How To Encourage Yourself In The Lord

All of us need encouragement. It is a tool that increases our confidence and inspires us to act with courage, spirit and strength. That is what we need! We don’t need anyone around to discourage us… instead we need encouragement. First and foremost we need to learn how to encourage ourselves. We are the only person we are with twenty four hours each day, seven days a week: 24/7 is our time with ourselves. We need to be equipped with tools to help us minister to ourselves.

Video: “Encourage Yourself”

David strengthened himself in the Lord

Before David was king in the Old Testament, God brought him through many difficult trials, hardships, rejection, and pain. We all know David as a “Man after God’s own heart.” His relationship with the Lord was highly unusual for his day because the entire outlook for worship in Israel at the time was focused on the sacrifice of animals to temporarily deal with sin, and not the sacrifice of praise from the heart. His heart led him beyond the letter of the law to the heart of the Lord. David learned how to rely completely on God for victory. David’s trust for God did not change with each circumstance. David had integrity of heart. His heart was forever faithful to God in-spite of his circumstances.

David was anointed to be king, but he didn’t assume the throne until 10 – 13 years after Samuel had anointed him. God was grooming David for greatness. He was being groomed for the throne of Israel. He endured more difficulty, persecution, and rejection than many of us face in a lifetime. David developed strength of character that only comes by winning private battles.

Read 1 Samuel 30:1 – 6

David learned the ability to do something in the face of the deepest betrayal and rejection imaginable. When he stood completely alone, that is when David “strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)

1 Samuel 30:6 

“Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters…”

How would you respond to a situation like that? Without question I would feel “greatly distressed” too if my life was threatened by my closest friends, not to mention having your entire family taken from you. It is one thing to deal with the grief of missing your wife and children, it is added hardship to face at the same time those who are rejecting you and remain strong. David was human.

The Bible doesn’t go into detail how David encouraged himself, but we do know his source of encouragement was the Lord.

In this message you will find tools to encourage yourself in-spite of any hardship you may be facing. We have to learn to encourage ourselves so that we can advance in God. God wants us to learn how to strengthen ourselves through Him because developing our skills will promote spiritual longevity. We need longevity because our destiny and potential cannot be attained in a few years; they extend to the end of our lifetime here on earth.

How To Encourage Yourself In The Lord

 1.  Look the right way!

Phil. 4:8 (NKJV)

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.”

Look for the good. Look for what is true and noble. This verse tells us to look for the lovely. If we do this, we will be encouraged and strengthened.

Phil. 4:8 (The Message)

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

You will be challenged from day to day. We are not promised that our days will always be blissful and peaceful. As you go through your day you may encounter things which make you cringe, or things that are wrong or ugly. Deal with these as you must, but do not let them become your focus. Remember that almighty God is with you. Can you hear Him say to you, “Look the right way?” Remind yourself of how faithful God has been in your life and set your gaze in that direction. God will be faithful again because it is his character.

2.  Listen to God’s voice and follow!

Don’t allow the enemy to tell you that you can’t hear God, or that God doesn’t speak to you because God does speak to us. We have to tune our ear to His frequency by spending time with Him to recognize His voice.

John 10:4 (NKJV)

“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice.”

John 10:27 (NKJV)

“My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Close out all other voices of the world and focus on the One True Voice of God which will lead you out of your despair. Any voice that is shouting doom and gloom is NOT of God! God’s voice instantly brings peace. As a matter of fact God’s voice is peace.

It is one thing to hear His voice and another to follow and obey. If we cried out to God and He answers; obey. Our actions should follows hearing His voice.

When God speaks and you follow, life will become a romance. It will awaken your passion for God, life, and others. Listening to God’s voice becomes the first thing you do instead of the last.

Why is it that we humans try to figure things out on our own and then end up discouraged and hopeless? Let it be the first thing we do and save ourselves undo grief.

3.  Pray your anxieties away!

Take inventory of what is occupying your mind. What occupies your mind the most becomes your god. Worries, if indulged, develop into idols. Anxieties will gain a life of their own like parasites infesting the mind.

What I am about to share may seem cliché or simple, but this is what I do when anxiety tries to overtake me. I run to my secret place in prayer with God and cry out how I feel and share all my anxieties with Him. He already knows, but something happens when I release it. I stay in my secret place until I sense His peace and reassurance that His is with me and I can trust Him with my life. Often we are anxious because we lack trust. We may have been wounded by others, or circumstances, and are afraid. I put on Christian worship music while in my prayer-time. It helps me to focus my attention on God, Who is my source of peace.

We have to stop playing and rewinding our memory tape of our past and allow God to heal us from the sting of it all.

Phil. 4:6 – 7 (The Message)

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Affirm your trust in God and refresh yourself in God’s presence this will break you free from the bondage of fear, worry, and anxiety.

4.  Guard your thoughts!

Good thought choices keep us close to God, while bad thought choices will push us away. Do anything to guard your peace.

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.”

When you are discouraged your peace is gone. Hope is gone. Chances are you didn’t guard your thinking, or you are allowing circumstances to determine your mood. Circumstances come and go but God, and His peace, remain the same; always available to us.

Bring your thoughts into God’s presence. If they are negative, destructive, or blown up, God’s presence is the defuser.

2 Cor. 10:5 (NKJV)

“Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

Don’t allow your vain imaginations to grow above who Christ is in your life. Focus on God’s answers and not your problems.

Psalm 105:4 (NKJV)

“Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face forevermore.”

In God’s radiant light, anxious thoughts shrink and shrivel. Judgmental thoughts are unmasked as you bask in God’s unconditional love. Confused ideas are untangled while you rest in the simplicity of God’s peace.

Walk and talk with confidence. It’s time you look up, not down. It’s time for you to expect great things to happen in your life, not bad.

5.  Praise your way out of despair.

I am sure this is one of the ways David encouraged himself in the Lord. David was a praiser. He couldn’t help it. Remember he had integrity of heart. He was solid in who God was in his life. Praise came naturally to him.

Psalm 28:7 – 8 (NKJV)

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. The LORD is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.”

When David was captured by the Philistines in Gath David cried out to God his heart and his praise.

Psalm 56:3 – 4 (NKJV)

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”

Our very concerns, as we cry them out to God, can turn into praises because they express our need for God to intervene. They are truly a sacrifice of praise and this is what God desires from us; to be real, and to know Who our source is.

Psalm 42:5 (NKJV)

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of my countenance.”

Praise brings God’s help. When we are depressed or feeling down, we are encouraged to hope in God in this prophetic song. It lets us know that God’s countenance, His face, turns towards the one who praises. Then the praiser’s countenance is lifted by God’s love.

When we praise God He comes. His presence saturates us and we can’t help but receive joy.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

“You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Face to face encounters with God will always bring peace – this is what our praises do. Knowing this makes me want to always seek God’s face in every situation in my life. Actually, it draws me to want to spend time with Him because I am forever changed after being in His presence.

Psalm 105:4 (NKJV)

“Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore.”

Numbers 6:25 – 26 (NKJV)

“The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Wow! These verses in Numbers sums it all up. Let it be your prayer that God will shine His face upon you daily. One true way of assurance that it will happen is to spend time everyday in God’s presence. The peace of God is more valuable then all the riches in the world.

6.  Meditate on the promises of God.

All the verses I have placed in this message are God’s promises. We can stand on everyone. Reading God’s word and meditating on what it promises will lift our spirits. God’s word is truth. His word never lies. We will not be put to shame when we trust in God’s word.

Here are are more promises in God’s word to stand on:

Psalm 22:5 (NKJV)

“They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.”

Psalm 25:2 – 3 (NKJV)

“O my God, I trust in You, Let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.”

The words “trust” and “wait” are interchangeable. Trust = Wait. This means we need to ponder upon it, or roll around in it. Often trusting God requires waiting, and waiting requires trust.

Psalm 25:20 – 21 (NKJV)

“Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.”

There are so many promises in God’s word. Find some which pertain to your situation and stand on them. Get them in your spirit so when the wind and waves come, you won’t be tossed here and there.

7.  Strength comes from covenant people in your life.

Our close friendships, especially with our spouses, are powerful because they are build on covenant.

Covenant establishes an agreement that allows the spiritual reality that governs your life to flow to the other person, and visa versa. This is why it is so vital to develop friendships with people whose lives consistently display the fruit of the Kingdom. When we steward covenant friendships with people of faith, we stay connect4ed to a growing source of strength that often greatly determines our ability to persevere through difficult times.

Ecc. 4:9 – 12 (NKJV)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

There are many close friends of genuine faith in my life. Sometimes I don’t have to even tell them what I am going through, but just spending time with them I am uplifted. Why? Because my friends are people of faith and they naturally exude hope, peace, and joy. Many times when I am low, tired, or discouraged I spend time with my godly friends and I walk away encouraged and my burden is lighter.

Remember to protect yourself when you are emotionally vulnerable or tired. Don’t allow yourself to be around people who will drain you, or are complainers or who are critical. This will bring you down even more and discouragement will set in. You will become who you hang around. Choose your friends wisely!

All this said, if you have sin in your life, this will always separate you from God and make you discouraged. Check your heart and ask God to show you anything that is not pleasing to Him. When he shows you, or you may already know, stop it immediately and turn away from it. The pleasures of sin are but for a moment, and the consequence can last forever.

I pray this has helped you to encourage yourself in the Lord and to walk with confidence and boldness to keep on with your life. Be your own cheerleader! If you don’t who will?

From one encourager to another,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com