Are You an Encourager?

I have noticed this and had to deal with this more often lately. We have individuals within our congregations and the Christian community that try to build you up by pointing out what you are doing wrong. Now this is not always a bad thing ... but it can be if this is all these people ever do ... if they are constantly pointing out the negative and never giving any positive encouragement ... never pointing out what you are or have done well. I truly feel that some of these people do not even know how damaging they are being... rather they think they are being very helpful ... while others seem as if they are getting some joy out of it. However, the people around them, especially those who see them quite often can find themselves becoming discouraged, frustrated and just down right bummed out because they start to feel that no matter what they do they can never do it good enough! Do you know anybody who is like this? ... Are you one of these people? ... Am I?

As a Church and as Christians I feel it is more important that we spend our time building each other up with positive words, encouraging words, words that edify rather than breakdown. We are all human, we all make mistakes, we all sin, we all have our faults ... and I bet most of us know what these are without having to have them pointed out to us each and every week/day. I for one am going to try and make it a point to use words of encouragement in my conversations rather than words of negativity ... I challenge you all to do the same!
(Ephesians, Chapter 4:Verses 1-32)
Unity in the Body of Christ
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."
(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Living as Children of Light
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

In Vain? ... or ... In Christ?

(1 Corinthians, Chapter 15:Verses 1-11)
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
(1 Peter, Chapter 2:Verses 4-12)
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

"See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame."
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.
But to those who do not believe,
"The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone," and,
"A stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall."
They stumble because they disobey the message—
which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

POINTS BY PETER & PAUL:
a) We are nothing without God.
b) Christ is the Cornerstone for those who believe & a stumbling block for those who don't or whose faith is weak.
c) Through the scriptures we are built up.
d) Through Christ we are saved --- Ours sins forgiven.
e) Hold firm to the Scriptures, Live by the Word and live in Christ!

HARLEY'S THOUGHTS:
When we are baptized, we are baptized in Christ because of our faith in him --- not because we want to please man --- otherwise our baptism is in vain.

When we live our lives, we are to live a life of faith by the example put forth for us in the scriptures. We are to live a life pleasing to God, pleasing to Christ. If we are living our lives to please man, we are living our lives and faith in vain.

Today I challenge you to look at yourself, your faith, your life and truly ask yourself --- ask yourself if you are living a life that is pleasing to God ... pleasing to Christ ... worthy of the sacrifice Christ made for us ... worthy of being saved?