Jesus said to Peter: “You are … You shall be … ”  (John 1:42)

He says that to us as well.

Each of us currently have specific 

            Levels of Christian growth

            Habits

            Character traits

            Customary ways of dealing with issues

            Etc. 

Jesus knows this!

But, just as He said to Peter, He says to us:  “You shallbe…”

God’s word promises Christians that He will continue His good work in us. (Philippians 1:6).

And! God tells us we WILL be conformed to the image of His Son. 

We SHALL BE!

Rejoice!

The Bible tells us to encourage others. 

Encourage one another and build up one another.  (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Encourage one another day after day.  (Hebrews 3:13) 

The Bible also tells us to think about how to encourage. 

Consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.  (Hebrews 10:24) 

How to be Intentionally Encouraging

One:

We are commanded to encourage others. 

The first step is to decide to encourage others.

Two:

We are to consider how.

The second step is to develop a plan.

Encouragement may or may not be something you do routinely. If encouragement isn’t typical for you, develop a plan. (A plan also helps those who often encourage others to be more thoughtful and systematic.)

Pray about how. 

Would a calendar reminder help?

Pray that the Lord shows you who to encourage and what to say or do.

Perhaps note cards on top of your desk would make it easier to send a note.

Three:

Press On!

It might not be easy at first. But Press On.

Four:

Obedience always brings blessing.

When you encourage others, you become encouraged yourself.

Decide and Plan to be intentionally encouraging!

Q. When the disciples were in a great storm on the sea, the boat was being covered with waves, and they thought they were perishing, where was Jesus?

A. Jesus was in the boat with them.  (Matthew 8:23-27)

Q. When Simon Peter, James, and John had been fishing all night without catching anything, Jesus got into Simon’s boat to teach the crowd. When Jesus had finished speaking, He said: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” They caught so many fish their nets began to break and their boats began to sink. Where was Jesus?

A. Jesus was in the boat with them.  (Luke 5:1-10)

Jesus promised: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”   (Matthew 28:20)

For believers in Christ, those who trust Him for salvation and have received Him as Lord, Christ is always with us. The Holy Spirit dwells in us. We are never alone. 

To do:

Remember His promise.

Look around (and up): Jesus is in your boat with you.

Be encouraged!

Do you have a list of goals for this new year? How confident are you that you will be able to achieve your goals?

Of course, you may have set unreasonable goals, or too many goals, or goals that aren’t consistent with the Lord’s plans for you.

But for a goal the Lord has given you, do you feel adequate to meet it?

We can use feeling inadequate as an excuse not to try.

Too young or too old?

God told Jeremiah not to use his youth as an excuse.

Do not say, “I am a youth,” because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak.(Jeremiah 1:7)

Old age isn’t an excuse either. Daniel was in his 80s when God gave him the vision of the end times. Moses was 80 when the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush. 

Failed in the past?

Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ and became a fruitful apostle.

Questionable skills?

Moses tried to get out of what the Lord wanted him to do.

            Moses asked“What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?” (Exodus 4:1)

            Moses: “Please Lord, I have never been eloquent … for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)

            Then Moses got frank: Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will [but not me!]. (Exodus 4:13). And the anger of the LORD burned against Moses.(Exodus 4:14)

An excuse can be disobedience in disguise.

What to do If you think the Lord has given you a goal, an order, and you give reasons why you can’t:

• Remind yourself that God has prepared the good work for you, and has also prepared you for the good work.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10) 

For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.(Philippians 2:13) 

• Remind yourself that of course (of course!) you are not adequate in yourself but that God makes you adequate for what He asks. 

And who is adequate for these things?(2 Corinthians 2:16)

Not that we are adequate in ourselves…but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant.(2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

• Pray! Acknowledge your own weakness and ask for the Lord’s wisdom and ability in tackling the work. 

~~~

Father, please help us know which goals are Yours for us. Please help us rely on You and Your almighty hand to do whatever it is You want. Please help us get going and keep at it in Your will.

See also You Are Adequate

Do you feel that God has put you on a shelf?

Do you wish you could be of service to Him?

If Godhas put you on a shelf, there is a loving reason for it. For example, you may need a rest or you may need more time in the Word and prayer. And you are probably of more service than you realize.

It could be that you need to follow Isaiah’s experience in getting orders.

How Isaiah was Put into Service

Woe is me

Isaiah saw the Lord, and realized his sin. 

Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”  (Isaiah 6:5)

We must be followers of Christ in order to be put into service for Him. 

We also must confess our sins after coming to saving faith. We must be in fellowship with Him.

Forgiveness

When we confess, agreeing with God about our sin, He forgives.

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”  (Isaiah 6:6-7)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9)

Routinely recognizing our sins and confessing them are essential to a fruitful life in the Lord.

Hear the Lord

When we have confessed, and therefore forgiven, we can hear the Lord. We must pay attention!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” (Isaiah 6:8)

Volunteer

When we hear the Lord, we must make ourselves available. Volunteer! 

Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”(Isaiah 6:8)

~~~

Father, help me recognize and confess my sins. Help me understand and follow Your instructions to become closer to You. I want to hear Your voice and get Your instructions. I long to be of service to You. 

If I were God, my life would be easy. I’d be satisfied with my relationships, my resources, my activities. I would be spared trouble.

But I’m not God (duh!) and an easy life would not be good for me.

The Dangers of an Easy Life

Self-Sufficiency

Did you catch the use of “my” in the first sentence? If “my” life were easy. “My” relationships, “my” resources, “my” activities. I would think I had it made and that I didn’t need God. 

Pride

If my life were easy, I would think my easy life was because of my talents, my behavior, my wonderfulness. I might look at people having a hard time and be smug about my own life. God hates pride.

Lack of Growth

If my life were easy, I wouldn’t feel the need to grow. “Why bother? I’ve got it made.”

The Benefits of Trouble

The Bible details a number of benefits of trials. (See, for example, Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4, and 1 Peter 1:6-7.) Right now, though, look at the three dangers of an easy life and how trouble affects them.

Less Self-Sufficiency

Trouble takes us out of our comfort zone. The worse the trouble, the more we know we can’t rely on our own resources, and the more we need God.

Less Pride

Trouble breaks down pride. If we were perfect, after all, we wouldn’t have this trouble!

Growth

Trouble requires us to behave differently, to learn. We can’t do everything like we’ve always done it. God uses trouble to make us more like Christ.

~~~

Father, thank You for trouble. Thank You that You love us so much You don’t let us stay in a comfortable rut, but push us out into rough water where we learn to rely on You. Thank You for helping us see our worth in You, and also our need for humility and reliance on You. Thank You that You are making us into the image of Your Son, and that You wisely use trouble as a tool.