Saturday Afternoon Seminar - Jake Peters: 'Encouragement'

What encouragement is Brainstorming ideas: • complementing • going out of your way • being helpful • how christians stay strong • being accountable

How to encourage

Brainstorming ideas: • talking • helping • caring • giving

Why encourage?

Brainstorming ideas: • grow • make others feel good • show love • show them an understanding

Acts 15:32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. • used many words to encourage

Acts 16:40 So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. • often people who have recently been through dark times themselves offer the best encouragement to others

Acts 28: • Paul is now the one to be encouraged • Paul had gone through a lot • they went to see him

Colossians 4:7-8 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts... • was sent by Paul to be an encouragement • support • lend a listening ear

1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. • so their faith may not be shaken • they were being afflicted • given perspective to their situation • being an example

1 Thessalonians 3:7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. • to let them know they were being thought of

2 Chronicles 32:6-8 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. • be strong and of good courage • reminding them of God and His power

1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

1 John 3:13-14 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

1 John 3:16-18 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. • we are to encourage the ones we love • love allows us to encourage much more effectively with 'doing' not just in words

Encourage one another daily!!