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Be a Purposeful and Practical Encourager – Ray E Horton
God is building His church, and He will use you! Let us purpose to be purposeful and practical encouragers.
“People do not need theological treatises, they need encouragement and simple answers, reinforced often”
I have a practical bent in my spirituality. I don’t believe in telling people you should do this, and you should do that. They usually already know what they should do and have given up. They need to know how! People have struggled with a works-based mentality taught by religion and seeming right to the flesh. But it only brought failure and condemnation.
What will be a blessing to many is not to focus on the negative, but to encourage people and offer answers to how to live this life. And, you have the answers to share. As you do, you too will grow in Him.
- Do not tell people that they need to love more – point out the love that God has already put inside them to draw on.
- Do not tell them that they should have more faith, but teach them how, by hearing Gods Word, to draw on the faith already placed in them.
- Do not tell them not to worry, but show them how, by prayer with thanksgiving, which will lead to Gods peace.
- Do not tell them to be strong, but show them how, by focusing on Jesus, which brings the experience of His presence, leading to joy with its accompanying strength.
- Do not tell them that they need to keep this or that rule or law but help them to see that by yielding to Jesus they can let Him live through them.
Teach them that there is no condemnation for them because they are already forgiven and that they can overcome. Explain that it is by the Blood of the Lamb (grace) and the word of their testimony (faith). Tell them that like salvation, it is by grace (what He did), through faith, choosing to receive, not by self-performance, that we live victorious lives.
People do not need theological treatises, they need encouragement and simple answers, reinforced often. We need one another. That is why Christian relationships, including a good church family or home fellowship, is so important.
So, will you care about the people Jesus loves and be available to Him to be a purposeful and practical encourager? The Lord will be well pleased.
Ray E Horton
This message may be helpful to all those who feel led to help fellow believers in their Christian walk. Don’t say “Do this,” but tell them how. “They usually already know what they should do and have given up. They need to know how! … People do not need theological treatises, they need encouragement and simple answers, reinforced often.”