Hi Friends,
I’d like to talk to you about “Everyone Needs Encouragement.”
In Hebrews 10:24 the Bible says, “…consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”
The word “consider” is the Greek word kataneoeo. It means to thoroughly consider something; to think something through from the top to the bottom; to think hard about something; or to deeply ponder a matter. It does not represent a momentary shallow thought. A person engaged in this type of thought process is focused and concentrated. Their attention has been completely captured, and they are seriously contemplating the matter at hand.
So, when God urges us to “consider one another,” He is saying we are to be so concerned about each other’s welfare that we take time to regularly and seriously contemplate how we might us our words to uplift, encourage and bless one another instead of using our words to tear them or their ministry down. If we truly care about the people in our lives, we should notice when their appearance changes or when they don’t seem as “perky” as usual, or when they begin to skip church services. If we have a genuine care for others, our aim should be to think through from the beginning to the end the question of how we might use our words to become a greater source of blessing, strength and encouragement to others instead of using them to tear them or their ministry down.
The church is designed by God to be a spiritual family where people sincerely love and are mindful of each other’s needs not our own personal agendas. We should not only know each other’s dreams and desires, but we should pray for those dreams to come to pass and check to see how things are progressing.
We should be committed to being a blessing to one another. If each one of us took this approach, observing and contemplating each other's needs thoroughly; it would be hard for discouragement and accusation to find its way into God’s family and, we would be able to perceive when someone was starting to slip and we’d be able to lift that person back up to a place of strength in order for them to continue on in fulfilling their God given destiny.
If we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and truly concerned about those people who we are close to, or whom we come into contact with during our daily lives, God will show us when they need a special word to lift them up or maybe even just a smile.
Finally, just as you need people who will love you, to be sensitive to your needs, and support you when you are struggling through challenges or feeling tired and worn out, those people with whom you encounter in your daily life also may have those exact same needs.
Scripture Meditations:
Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
James 5:16: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
