The life of an encourager
Romans chapter 12:1-12:8
Introduction-
Romans chapter 12:1-8
We are honored to have with us this morning the Girls Scouts.
We have a Daisy troop and a Brownie Troop.
Girl Scout Sunday was started so that the place where the Girls worship would honor and recognize them.
The Daisy Troop led by Mary Root meets in our building every week and we are glad to be a part of them meeting the needs of these girls.
Girl Scouts motto is “Be prepared” and the Girl Scout slogan is “do a good turn daily.”
Brownie motto is “Lend a hand”
That is what I want to draw out of these Scriptures I just read.
The Lord is directing us to be encouragers. All of us!
A kind word and a smile can change a person for life
Attitude adjustment turns hostile to caring.
Kind words melt a hardened heart
Encouragers can be defined as “someone who offers a word of encouragement to someone who has fallen or someone who stumbles.”
In the Greek, encourage means to comfort, to console, to strengthen.
It really means to offer courage.
At the time of Apostle Paul writing these words to the church:
They were under great persecution.
They were discouraged.
They were thrown out of their game.
They just needed someone to come along side of them and encourage them.
Illustration- (SermonCentral) You might have heard the story of the married couple asleep in bed on a stormy night who were awakened by a loud knock on the front door. The man crawled out of bed and grumpily went downstairs. When he opened the door he found a man dripping wet and obviously very drunk who said to him. “I can’t get my car started. Can you give me a push? To which the man of the house replied sharply, no, go and sober up and we will sort this out in the morning. He slammed the door and stormed upstairs. When he got back to bed and explained what had happened to his wife she was indignant and said to him, that was not a very Christian response. He could be in trouble and you have just sent him out into the storm for the rest of the night. Reluctantly the man got out of bed a second time and put on his coat and went downstairs. He figured he wasn’t going to get any peace until he did something for the man out in the rain. When he got to the front door the rain was stopping and he couldn’t see the man. He could hear a faint noise out in the front yard so he called out, hello? Are you still there? What can I do to help? To which the other man replied, could you give me a push? I’d be happy to if I could see you, where are you? I’m over here on your swing!
Here is what I am saying this morning-
maybe you’re here this morning and you could just use a push.
May be you’re here this morning and you could give someone else the push they need.
One study shows that 75 % of what people say is critical of someone else. That it takes 4 positives to offset one negative comment.
The day of please and thank you is quickly going away and an attitude of expectation is roamed upon us.
“Have it your way”, “Just do it”, “It is all about me” have replaced our ability to show compassion to each other.
Acts 13:15-
“The synagogue rulers sent word to them saying, brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
We all need to learn to speak words of encouragement to others.
It is easy to discourage someone or put them down
But what about lifting them up?
If you have a message of encouragement please speak!
Ephesians 4:29-
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Colossians 4:6-
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Speaking words that build people up should be our goal.
If we have words of encouragement speak up- or….. don’t speak. Gotch you !
Illustration-
President Calvin Coolidge was known for not talking much. A women bet her friend that she could get Coolidge to speak to her. She went up to him and said, Hello Mr President, I bet my friend that I could get you to say three words to me. “You Lose” he replied and walked away.
Ann Landers once said- “The trouble with talking too fast is you may say something you haven’t thought of yet.”
Apostle Paul makes practical application of the word of God. He details that Jesus Christ is to be Lord of every area of life. He shows us that our actions, our words, our faith, our thinking must be expressed in our obedience to His word.
He urges us to be living sacrifices, living models of the Holy Spirit working daily in our lives. No more dead animal sacrifices, but each one being a living sacrifices of what God has done in our lives.
(2) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Our lives should mirror the life of Christ- that is being an encourager, not a discourager!
Flatter me, and I may not believe you.
Criticize me and I may not like you.
Ignore me and I may not forgive you.
Encourage me and I will not forget you.
Triskaidekaphobia- the fear of the number 13
Arachibuyrophobia- fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.
Phobophobia- fear of getting a phobia.
2000 classified phobia’s fears!
There are only 2 that Psychiatrist say we are born with. Anyone know?
Fear of falling
Fear of loud noises.
The rest are learned. Which means we can unlearn them if we let the Lord transform and renew our minds.
Courage is doing what is right, Regardless of circumstances and consequences.
So if we are going to be an encourager- it is doing and saying what is right without worrying about circumstances and consequences. That is going against the normal because most people tear down and destroy and God is looking for men and women to build up and restore.
If everyday was a good day- there would not be any bad days. We would not have anything to compare it too. Bad days help us appreciate good days.
Hugh miller said “problems are only opportunities with thorns on them”.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.”
Listen, you will never be the encourager that God desires you to be until we learn this lesson and apply it to your life.
It is not all about you!
We don’t live in a perfect world.
Bad things happen to good people
When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.
There is something about giving back to someone else when you are in the midst of turmoil. It gives you a release and comfort and strength that will get you through it.
Paul likens Christians to member of a human body for a reason.
We need each other!
We are important to each other!
We function better as a group than being an island by ourselves.
The emphasis is unity, and helping each other gets us through the adversities in life.
(5) “So in Christ we who are many form one body.”
In Christ- is how we function best in our lives.
In Christ- is how we function best as a church.
The church is the factory that God works on His people.
We need each other! Did you hear that enough this morning! We need each other!
(6) “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve. If it is teaching, let him teach. If it is encouraging , let him encourage. If it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously. If it is leadership, let him govern diligently. If it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”
Each one of us has gifts that God has given us. If you don’t believe that , get with me and we will find out the gifts God gave you.
To deny the existence of gifts is to miss what God has given you in proportion to your faith.
Encouraging is up lifting others while accomplishing what God wants you to do with the gifts that He gave you. (repeat) one of my best quotes.
You fall seven times, get up seven times and you are still okay, keep getting up!
One proverb says- “a bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.”
Closing
Thank God we have people around us to encourage us and get us back on our feet. If you do not have people like that around you, stop hanging where you are and find a place where they are (church maybe) just saying!
My wife is such an encouragement to me. She has seen me over many years ride the wave (Hang Ten) and she has seen me get swallowed up by those very waves. She has never let me face it alone. And I would never let her either.
Find people who offer words of encouragement and hope.
Be a person who offers words of encouragement and hope.
2 weeks ago, I talked about being a lion chaser. 2 Samuel 23:20-21
Talked about Beniah chasing a lion into a pit and coming out victorious.
Point being
It is bad enough to be chased by a lion. That is trouble.
But aggressively chasing a lion and being victorious is a God moment.
Courage is doing the right thing regardless of circumstances and consequences.
That is forgetting what is wrong with you and remembering what is right with God. (repeat) Good Stuff!
Who are you encouraging? Who are you mentoring?
Who is encouraging you? Who is your mentor?
We need each other
