How to encourage?

[brinny]

Very true

Well if you already knew that, why is this thread like umpteen numbers o' pages?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Well if you already knew that, why is this thread like umpteen numbers o' pages?

Some people need encouragement I suppose

 

[brinny]

c'mon.....encouragement is NOT that HARD, is it?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

c'mon.....encouragement is NOT that HARD, is it?

Most things on CF can be very difficult lol

 

[brinny]

Some people need encouragement I suppose

Well other than the debates about what encouragement is or isn't it, maybe actual "encouragement" can be demonstrated.

Amen?

Some might get confused and think that way to go is to be like the evangelist who kicked the older sick and frail woman in the face because God told him to.

And there are those who actually defend it.

God help us.

Amen?

 

[brinny]

Most things on CF can be very difficult lol

LOL!

No they're not.

 

[Foxfyre]

If you would like to know what others in Christ's body/ ekklesia born again of the Father's Will/ are called to do , and how they are called to live,
read ACTS, EPHESIANS, COLOSSIANS, and PHILIPPIANS.

There it is written very clearly.

All good reading. But the Apostle Paul was very clear that we are all given different spiritual gifts as we need them. And we each have our own calling and are given ministries to do. Not all are called to evangelize or preach or teach or do hands on ministry. There are probably as many different ways to serve and encourage people as there are people, and I can't find any evidence that there are any one size fits all rules for how it has to be done. I just think that we need to be careful not to guilt people and therefore discourage or detract them by telling them they are somehow not being good Christians if they don't do it the way we do.

 

[brinny]

All good reading. But the Apostle Paul was very clear that we are all given different spiritual gifts as we need them. And we each have our own calling and are given ministries to do. Not all are called to evangelize or preach or teach or do hands on ministry. There are probably as many different ways to serve and encourage people as there are people, and I can't find any evidence that there are any one size fits all rules for how it has to be done. I just think that we need to be careful not to guilt people and therefore discourage or detract them by telling them they are somehow not being good Christians if they don't do it the way we do.

Well i would have to agree with you here.....especially if someone is direly discouraged.

I've BEEN there, needing encouragement and in dire dire straits. That verse in James comes to mind.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

No, i'm referring, my friend Jeff, to what someone's face would look like if they are discouraged.
What would it look like?

This a little child knows..... but >>

Most things on CF can be very difficult lol

this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
is true, for reasons posted about in previous time.

c'mon.....encouragement is NOT that HARD, is it?

Online, on forums, yes,
and actually in person also ,
because people usually have so many inputs from directions that are on purpose life-taking/ discouraging/ untruthful/ plain wrong.(even family and church and government and counselors and schools etc etc etc)

LOL!

No they're not.

Yes, they are. This thread is awkwardliy a good example, as are many threads today .....

Well other than the debates about what encouragement is or isn't it, maybe actual "encouragement" can be demonstrated. Amen?

Not amen, generally. No.

Some might get confused and think that way to go is to be like the evangelist who kicked the older sick and frail woman in the face because God told him to. And there are those who actually defend it.

What ? .......
..... too strange!?

 

[brinny]

This a little child knows..... but >>

this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
is true, for reasons posted about in previous time.

Online, on forums, yes,
and actually in person also ,
because people usually have so many inputs from directions that are on purpose life-taking/ discouraging/ untruthful/ plain wrong.(even family and church and government and counselors and schools etc etc etc)

Yes, they are. This thread is awkwardliy a good example, as are many threads today .....


Not amen, generally. No.

What ? .......
..... too strange!?

LOL!

Whatever you say, Jeff.

 

[Halbhh]

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Another very simple question:

How do we stir up other believers to good works and love?

What I mean in a practical sense is if you know someone in your church or sphere of influence should be doing something good for the Lord but isn't, how can you encourage that person to do what they ought without condemning them?

*again not meant as a trap but a genuine discussion

We can stir others by helping their faith by telling them things that have happened to us.

Works -- doing what Christ commanded -- follows from faith. As faith strengthens, works will follow.

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."
-- John 3 v 36
This implies that faith will lead to works.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
-- John 15 v 5 (I recommend the entire passage, verse 1 though 17, below)

Therefore, since being fruit that is good only comes from remaining in Christ, through faith, then faith is the key to those results.

As you likely have heard "faith without works is dead" -- James 2:17

So, if they do nothing, which you cannot presume, it's a lack of faith.
But, sometimes it could be they do things you know nothing about.

Christ said to hide our charity -- Matthew chapter 6.

But we are not to hide our love for each other. If you don't see love for others in some manner -- and each person is unique and shows loves differently -- then without love it would follow their faith is dead.

In that case, you may be able to help. You could testify to them about Christ in your life. You could pray for them also.

 

[Halbhh]

what makes us bear fruit --

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well i would have to agree with you here.....especially if someone is direly discouraged.

I've BEEN there, needing encouragement and in dire dire straits. That verse in James comes to mind.

I do hope you got the encouragement you needed at the time.

But for this thread I am trying to stay within the interesting and narrow scope of the OP:

How do we stir up other believers to good works and love?

What I mean in a practical sense is if you know someone in your church or sphere of influence should be doing something good for the Lord but isn't, how can you encourage that person to do what they ought without condemning them?

*again not meant as a trap but a genuine discussion
​

So I am taking the line that it isn't our prerogative to tell another person what he/she ought to be doing for the Lord. Mercy me, it is tough enough just to worry about our own values, direction, motivation, etc.

I do think at times we may have opportunity to encourage another who is struggling with what to do--has he/she chosen the right path, the right direction to go? At such times I pray hard for the Holy Spirit to direct me to affirm their goals as righteous for them or to withhold encouragement if it is wrong.

 

[brinny]

I do hope you got the encouragement you needed at the time.

But for this thread I am trying to stay within the interesting and narrow scope of the OP:

How do we stir up other believers to good works and love?

What I mean in a practical sense is if you know someone in your church or sphere of influence should be doing something good for the Lord but isn't, how can you encourage that person to do what they ought without condemning them?

*again not meant as a trap but a genuine discussion
​

So I am taking the line that it isn't our prerogative to tell another person what he/she ought to be doing for the Lord. Mercy me, it is tough enough just to worry about our own values, direction, motivation, etc.

I do think at times we may have opportunity to encourage another who is struggling with what to do--has he/she chosen the right path, the right direction to go? At such times I pray hard for the Holy Spirit to direct me to affirm their goals as righteous for them or to withhold encouragement if it is wrong.

So I am taking the line that it isn't our prerogative to tell another person what he/she ought to be doing for the Lord.

I agree. A very wise minister once said that if someone comes up to you to tell you what you should be doing for the Lord, or they are saying that God told them to tell you something, to runnnnnnnnnnnn.

I agree with him.

He was a very wise man.

 

[Emmy]

Dear ByTheSpirit. Jesus gives us good advice in 22 Matthew: 35-40: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thyself. In verse 40 we read: on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters.
The Bible tells us: give up all selfish and unloving wishes and wants, start treating all we know and all we meet, as we would love to be treated. God sees our deeds and God hears our kind and loving words. God will Bless us greatly. All we have to do is Love God and love our neighbour. God made us in His image and we owe God our lives, and our brothers and sisters should be told what God is doing for us. God gave His only Son to die for us, and now Jesus our Saviour lives for us. Let us all thank God by being loving and kind to all we meet and know, let us tell them the wonderful NEWS. God is Love and God wants our love. Let us be the sons and daughters which God wants, and tell the Good News to all we know and meet. I say this with love, ByTheSpirit. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[DreamerOfTheHeart]

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Another very simple question:

How do we stir up other believers to good works and love?

What I mean in a practical sense is if you know someone in your church or sphere of influence should be doing something good for the Lord but isn't, how can you encourage that person to do what they ought without condemning them?

*again not meant as a trap but a genuine discussion

I would like to see a lot more miracles from folks, my own self. And, I do not mean by this, the 'gift of miracles', but I mean by this the true power of the Kingdom.

For instance, in context, why have I signed up tonight, and why am I posting? Because a very spiritually powerful friend of mine "liked" a post on my linkedin feed. That is a big "why" right there. The way he thinks, I am not sure if he knew that one particular "like" would have made the shot. But, I am confident he knew it very well could have, and if not that one, something else very similar.

It happened to have been on a matter I was just deliberating on. Specifically, if you have infinite resources and no competition, then you really do not need a financial advisor. Which, to anyone else, would be utter gibberish. Money? Financial advisor? Infinite resources? No competition? What? How is that spiritual?

But, in Christ, we do have infinite resources and no competition. So, why are we allowing all of these problems to continue to happen in the world? Or, who might give us advise about "what we should do", in terms of how to spend our money? And I do not here mean physical money, anymore then he did.

I do not think we are called to go and spend our spiritual gold wildly, without regard for whom we give it to. One can only waste so much gold and take so much rending and tearing while doing so.

 

[brinny]

I would like to see a lot more miracles from folks, my own self. And, I do not mean by this, the 'gift of miracles', but I mean by this the true power of the Kingdom.

For instance, in context, why have I signed up tonight, and why am I posting? Because a very spiritually powerful friend of mine "liked" a post on my linkedin feed. That is a big "why" right there. The way he thinks, I am not sure if he knew that one particular "like" would have made the shot. But, I am confident he knew it very well could have, and if not that one, something else very similar.

It happened to have been on a matter I was just deliberating on. Specifically, if you have infinite resources and no competition, then you really do not need a financial advisor. Which, to anyone else, would be utter gibberish. Money? Financial advisor? Infinite resources? No competition? What? How is that spiritual?

But, in Christ, we do have infinite resources and no competition. So, why are we allowing all of these problems to continue to happen in the world? Or, who might give us advise about "what we should do", in terms of how to spend our money? And I do not here mean physical money, anymore then he did.

I do not think we are called to go and spend our spiritual gold wildly, without regard for whom we give it to. One can only waste so much gold and take so much rending and tearing while doing so.

This comes to mind:

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,b but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." ~I Corinthians 13:1-13

 

[Foxfyre]

I would like to see a lot more miracles from folks, my own self. And, I do not mean by this, the 'gift of miracles', but I mean by this the true power of the Kingdom.

For instance, in context, why have I signed up tonight, and why am I posting? Because a very spiritually powerful friend of mine "liked" a post on my linkedin feed. That is a big "why" right there. The way he thinks, I am not sure if he knew that one particular "like" would have made the shot. But, I am confident he knew it very well could have, and if not that one, something else very similar.

It happened to have been on a matter I was just deliberating on. Specifically, if you have infinite resources and no competition, then you really do not need a financial advisor. Which, to anyone else, would be utter gibberish. Money? Financial advisor? Infinite resources? No competition? What? How is that spiritual?

But, in Christ, we do have infinite resources and no competition. So, why are we allowing all of these problems to continue to happen in the world? Or, who might give us advise about "what we should do", in terms of how to spend our money? And I do not here mean physical money, anymore then he did.

I do not think we are called to go and spend our spiritual gold wildly, without regard for whom we give it to. One can only waste so much gold and take so much rending and tearing while doing so.

You raise an interesting point.

Are we being good stewards when we give to the homeless guy asking for food money who instead will use that money for booze or other drugs? We might feel righteous but have we done good? Maybe the better choice is to help fund a good service/shelter that provides a meal but also provides opportunity to get help with addictions or other issues. And direct the homeless person there.

I once worked for a church organization that had a steady stream of transients coming in to ask for money for food or gasoline. Many of the social agencies in our smallish community had pooled resources to set up a central agency to deal with such people and would help them with food or cash. . .BUT. . . the people had to have identification and be willing to undergo a police background check.

The people who came to me usually said they were enroute to a new job in another city and said they had been mugged or robbed of their I.D. etc., and needed cash for food or gas to get there. But they could never give me the name or phone number of somebody where they came from or where they were going. Nobody in the world who could vouch for them.

We would not give them cash, of course, and knew referring them to the central food/cash bank would be futile. But neither could we send a truly hungry or desperate person on his/her way with nothing. So I arranged with a small cafe and a small service station nearby to accept our vouchers that we would pay if they were cashed in. The person presenting the voucher would receive any meal ordered on the menu or would receive 5 gallons of gasoline. And I kept track of how many vouchers I handed out for the next year. Out of several hundred vouchers, one voucher for gasoline was cashed in and one voucher for a meal. No way to know if the same person cashed both but it probably was.

And as for our spiritual gifts, I think you are right. We are foolish to cast our pearls before swine and we can actually hinder the Spirit if we unnecessarily offend people by forcing unwanted 'witness' upon them. But when the Spirit directs us, there is likely to be much more fruit realized.

 

[DreamerOfTheHeart]

This comes to mind:

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,b but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." ~I Corinthians 13:1-13

I do not view Christians who experience true miracles as being apart from love. Quite the reverse.

Just noting my underlying assumption there. I think Paul made that statement considering immature Christians who were relatively apart from love misunderstanding the core basics of the faith.

Definitely I have come across more frauds or the fooled, then those who have a miraculous life. Apart from running across one miracle or another in news stories and autobiographies. Which is very common. Invariably, those who have a miraculous life, I have also found to be the most spiritual, open minded, warm hearted of Christians.

Jesus did say that things even more incredible then what the apostles saw are open to all believers. So, while I do not stand with any particular denomination, I do find those who do not ban the "continuation of the gifts" to be in a very strong right with that stance.

I definitely do believe the world today needs a lot of miracles.

But this true sort is not the kind which demands people go to a specific, small group which isolates themselves from all other Christians.

Though, I do not fret. As there are many more angels then there are human beings.

But, there is no reason for folks to be satisfied with living a life apart from the miraculous. I do not believe so. We are called now to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven. The very nature of Heaven is miraculous. By this definition.

 

[brinny]

I do not view Christians who experience true miracles as being apart from love. Quite the reverse.

Just noting my underlying assumption there. I think Paul made that statement considering immature Christians who were relatively apart from love misunderstanding the core basics of the faith.

Definitely I have come across more frauds or the fooled, then those who have a miraculous life. Apart from running across one miracle or another in news stories and autobiographies. Which is very common. Invariably, those who have a miraculous life, I have also found to be the most spiritual, open minded, warm hearted of Christians.

Jesus did say that things even more incredible then what the apostles saw are open to all believers. So, while I do not stand with any particular denomination, I do find those who do not ban the "continuation of the gifts" to be in a very strong right with that stance.

I definitely do believe the world today needs a lot of miracles.

But this true sort is not the kind which demands people go to a specific, small group which isolates themselves from all other Christians.

Though, I do not fret. As there are many more angels then there are human beings.

But, there is no reason for folks to be satisfied with living a life apart from the miraculous. I do not believe so. We are called now to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven. The very nature of Heaven is miraculous. By this definition.

The question is:

Is it about "us"?

Or "God"?

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,b but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." ~I Corinthians 13:1-13