What if...


1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

What if...we became encouragers? What if...by God's grace we were able to do this everyday? What if...this "encouraging" was a part of our everyday conversation--wherever we went this was our attitude and focal point for every conversation. What if...we lived life to be a encourager and lift up build people up! What if...it became a thread of our life fabric and we went beyond just a daily thing but it became a moment to moment thing? What if...we searched out ways to be an encourager to our co-workers, spouse, children, friends, relatives? What if...it became a way of thinking--encourager would be our new name. What if...it became our reputation.

What if... this became viral in a compromising-sarcastic-negative society?

Father, help us go beyond the "What if.." and be the encourager that You have called us to be, even when life is frustrating and difficult, give us the strength to still be an encourager to all those You have brought into our life. May we always remember the life and death of Jesus for each of us to level us when we feel less than an encourager and may that fuel us to honor You in all we say and do. Amen.

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 6, 2011 at 9:40 AM

    There are SO MANY What ifs in life that it begins to get difficult to tell which ones would help us or hurt us but irejoice tahtI have a god of not what if's but I will's. A god who will love me if im sarcasrtic who will love me if i fall. We all will fall short of the glory of god. But i feel encouraged that I have a GOD who doesent promise smooth flying but a safe landing.
    Eric

    ReplyDelete
  2. Experience Missions International, IncJanuary 6, 2011 at 12:20 PM

    Greg, I love this, especially the scriptures at the beginning! It is a solid reminder that we are not only in need of community, but we count on each other to stay focused and sharp. I also believe if we did this we would actually be making disciples without even knowing it. I love it!
    Brent

    ReplyDelete
  3. Greg BearssJanuary 6, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Agreed Eric! We live under grace no doubt, how it must please the Father when we give witness to this grace by encouraging those struggling by loving our neighbors! I love what you said Brent how cool would it be to be making disciples and not even know it! To God be all glory.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Using Mixed Martial Arts Share The Love Of Jesus?

Image
It's been about 3 weeks since the 2nd Annual Spa City Stomp Out! This is the second time LakePointe Church has hosted this MMA Fight in Hot Springs, AR. Last year through this event we handed out 4 cases of Bibles and had an opportunity to pray with many families. We saw many people, including several fighters, begin to follow Jesus that day! It was a no- brainer when we had the opportunity to host the event again this year. The big difference, as our team recapped this event, was that we would be more prepared for those who needed prayer and didn't have a Bible. Last year we were prepared for people who would come drunk, high, or just ready to pick a fight. The only person we had to escort off the premise was some guy who was slamming people over the head with his Bible telling them that they were going to hell! A turn or burn talk, which we don't condone. When this man was asked to leave by one of our pastors, letting him know we had the teaching covered, he wo
Read more

(BE) Salty...

Image
Matthew 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Our team is reading through Matthew this month correlating the day of the month with a chapter. I just read Matt 4 & 5 as I watched the snow fall to the ground. I know that we are not at chap 5 yet call me an overachiever but with everything happening in the Middle East particularly Egypt (which is now only Christian ally of The United States ) it seems the following verses really apply to us today: Salt and Light 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others,
Read more

In Greed We Trust?

Image
We talked about GREED yesterday and how it is this intense selfish desire of wanting more. The desires take over our hearts and minds and cause us to get lost chasing the "things" from "StuffMart." I received an email where someone gave me this definition for GREED: "get all you can, can what you get, and sit on your can." That certainly falls in line with what Jesus was talking about in Mark 14:3-11 with the Foolish Rich man. It is evident that "In Greed He Trusted!" Today, studying the book of Numbers I'm wondering if there isn't a more subtle GREED that plagues our lives, especially those who are following Jesus? I've read the story before, as I'm sure you have too, in Numbers 20 where Moses faces the grumbling people of God again for the umpteenth time. It seems like they have run out of things to complain about so they are back to an old complaint of no water. Moses and Aaron do the right thing in crying out to G
Read more