GET UP AND ENCOURAGE SOMEONE… WHO COULD ENCOURAGE TODAY?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
USE TO? MY DREAMS ARE CRUSHED. WE ARE DOWN AND OUT…
YOU CAME ALONG SIDE US…
EIGHT MILES SOUTH WEST OF JERUSALEM WIITH NO HOPE…
GET UP AND GO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE…
WE TRUSTED… We believed in a reliable, good thing, now look, JESUS IS IN THE GRAVE…
We placed our confidence and depended on Jesus, now look…
TRUSTED IS PAST TENSE OF TRUST.
WE USE TO TRUST…
Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
GET UP AND ENCOURAGE SOMEONE…
My dear friend, the third day is coming, don’t give up now.
Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
LORD, PLEASE OPEN THE EYES OF HEART, WE WOULD SEE JESUS.
JESUS WAS WITH THEM THE WHOLE TIME, THE DEPRESSION AND NEGATIVE TALK HAD DESTROYED THE DREAM.
If our hearts recognize Jesus they would burn…
I LISTENED TO THE DEFAMING… AND FEAR GREW…
WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TERRIBLE, WE THREATEN GOD WITH I WILL JUST QUIT…
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. 10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
LIFE IS ABOUT CHOICES…
STOP TELLING ME WHAT IS WRONG…??
LOOK WHAT IS RIGHT.
QUIT FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE?
COUNT WHAT YOU DO HAVE!
GET UP AND ENCOURAGE SOMEONE.
Get up and encourage someone… GO BEYOND THE STINK OF HUMANITY?
MINISTRY TO ENCOURAGE REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL PROBLEMS SOMETIMES INCLUDES THE REALITY OF SWEAT ARM PITS…
I do not know how often they had baths in the wilderness.
In 1912 the average person took one bath a month? They washed their hair once a month?
The reality is THE BATTLE RAGES HIGH… GO BEYOND THE STINK? Encourage!
Heavy hands?
Exodus 17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
Aaron was Moses brother. History teaches that Hur was Miriam’s husband, brother in law.
GET UP AND ENCOURAGE… DON’T TALKED BAD ABOUT FELLOW WORKERS.
REMEMBER THE TIME THAT MIRIAM AND AARON TALKED BAD ABOUT MOSES’ WIFE?
GET UP AND GO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE, EVEN THAT HAS BEEN MEAN TO YOU!
YOU MAY NEVER KNOW THE CHOICE THAT YOU MADE TO LIFT UP ANOTHER MAY MAKE YOU A HERO? YOU MAY NEVER KNOW THE BEAUTY OF YOUR ACTION?
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
GUIDEPOST MAGAZINE had an article about a man named DONALD VAIRIN. Vairin was a medic IN THE ARMY. The ship was taking the troops to an event in the ocean near Guam. There was a small USA ship carrying troop and sailors for a battle in WWII. There was sailors and army troops on board. The small ship had hit a large coral reef just off the coast of Guam and the ship was in danger of sinking.
The captain ordered a complete evacuation of all personnel from the small ship. They had no other option that day. Donald was a hospital corpsman and the invasion of Guam was an important battle.
Donald Vairin did as was ordered and jumped all his gear into the ocean waters. Donald had his carbine rifle, his fresh water supply, his combat boots, and his medical gear as he plunged into the water. Donald swam with all his might to force himself to surface. He grabbed a breath of fresh air and down he went. He tried his best to take his combat boots as he was sinking to the bottom again. He just could not remove the heavy gear from his body. It appeared Donald was doomed to drown in the ocean waters. Donald became exhausted and knew he was dying so he made one last attempt to surface for air.
As Donald surfaced he saw another soldier in desperation thrashing in the water. So in great desperation Donald grabbed onto the other man. That was enough to get Donald to the reef where he come stand and rest and renew his strength. Soon a rescue boat came to and picked up Donald and took him safely to the shore.
Donald sat on the shore and cried, yes he was safe on land, but he felt so guilty about grabbing a hold of the drowning man to save himself. Don was so ashamed he never told any person about this event.
Several months later Donald and the surviving men had a reunion while on leave in San Francisco. They were in a restaurant and Donald heard a sailor yell his name and called him over to their table. The sailor yelled out for everyone to be quiet. The sailor announced to the room: THIS IS MY BUDDY, HE SAVED MY LIFE NEAR OCEAN OFF GUAM.
Donald said: What are you talking about?
The sailor said: DON’T YOU REMEMBER, OUR SHIP CRASHED ON THE CORALS NEAR GUAM AND WE WERE IN THE WATER TOGETHER? DONALD, YOU GRABBED ON TO ME. I WAS GOING DOWN FOR THE LAST TIME AND YOU HELD ME UP.
A person may never the results OF THE GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
CONCLUSION: WHO DID YOU ENCOURAGE TODAY? DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO HELP AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS? The best thing to do behind others backs are to PAT THEM. Encouragement is kind of like high octane gas, it helps take the knock out daily living. If you desire to be encouraged you must encourage others. You can strengthen others by praying for them. You can love the unlovable and bless them by faith. There is only one successful way to get rid of an enemy that is make them a friend. Be a HOPE GIVER. HOPE CAN BE CONTAGEOUS.
THERE ARE THREE ESSENTIALS TO A GOOD LIFE…
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, LOVE, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE.
TO ENCOURAGE WE MUST SEE THE INVISIBLE AND REACH FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A BETTER FAMILY? Encourage each other.
Do you want a better church? Encourage each other!
Do you want a better pastor? Encourage him!
SMILE MORE! A smile improves your face value.
ENCOURAGEMENT IS IN THE HEART NOT THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
There is no better exercise than bending down and lifting others to the heart of God.
LIFE CAN GET VERY HEAVY WITH DAILY STRESSES WE NEED THE GIFT OF REASSURANCE THAT WE CAN MAKE IT.
Sometime back I was in a funeral home a distance away from our area. The phone rang and the funeral director stepped away to answer. He returned and was pale. He whispered to a small group around him: a very successful pastor in the community had just loaded a pistol and shot himself in the head. No one could believe it. The pastor had grown the church, it had doubled and doubled again. Everything was beautiful. He had a wonderful wife, 3 children. The whole community respected him.
He was so discouraged and depressed. He had no one to talk to. He felt he had no friends. His little note expressed how down he had been. Everyone thought he was on top of the world? Seems the world was on top of him? One handshake might have made a difference? One hug? One kind word? One trip to take him to lunch? One volunteer saying: Here let me do that? One call from the office of his headquarters? One note? One email?
In no way am I trying to blame anyone… I am just saying one person’s compassion might have made a difference.
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Honestly, would you ask yourself: IS MY COMPASSION MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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