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Dear friends, God has blessed us with another month. The world faced some tough
challenges, and our own families faced some losses. In all these, God enabled us
to comfort one another with His Word as we took everything to Him in prayer. As
Christians, we need to encourage one another at all times.
I believe that we have a basic misunderstanding of the meaning of encouragement.
The Greek word for "encourage" may be translated as "comfort, console, entreat,
beg, implore, counsel, urge, challenge." We see from this definition that encouragement
has a two-fold emphasis: to comfort or reassure, and to challenge or admonish. To
encourage someone is to comfort or challenge them with the Word of God in such a
way that the person is motivated to lead the Christian life and continue in the
Lord's service. To encourage is to be an instrument of grace. It works out of compassion
and love and care for the other person, not judgment and condemnation and accusation.
1. The Father More than once we see the Greek word for "encourage" used for God
the Father: 2 Cor.1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 2 Thes.2:16-17 Now our Lord Jesus
Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us
everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish
you in every good word and work.
2. The Son The Greek word for "encourage" is also used as a title for Jesus in I
John 2:1. Jesus is called "the Advocate," or our defense" or "our Intercessor."
The word used here is the Greek for "encourager" and it literally means "one called
alongside to help." The Lord Jesus has been called to our side to represent us before
the Father.
3. The Holy Spirit Not surprisingly, the Greek word for "encourage" is also applied
to the Holy Spirit in I John 14:16. The Holy Spirit in the original language is
called the "Paraclete" here translated as the Comforter or the Counselor. The Holy
Spirit has been called to our side to assist us.
When applied to the Trinity, what does the word "encourage" tell us? It tells us
that God is the great encourager, the One from whom we receive support and love.
Bruce Larson, in his book, Wind and Fire, points out some interesting facts about
sand-hill cranes: "These large birds, who fly great distances across continents
in a "V" formation like geese, have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate
leadership. No one bird stays out in front all the time. Second, they choose leaders
who can handle turbulence. And third, all during the time one bird is leading, the
rest are honking their affirmation." This is not a bad model for the church: we
should all be honking encouragement at each other.
May the God of Comfort help us encourage one another to build His Kingdom on earth.
- Pastor Godwin
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