Encourage One Another- Be Encouraged

Introduction

How many of you love when someone encourages you?

I know I do.

this morning we are going to talk about encouraging one another.

Definition:

Encouragement is the act of providing support, motivation, or reassurance to someone in order to help them achieve their goals, to help them overcome challenges, and to help them cope with difficult situations.

We all need to be encouraged at times in our lives, don’t we?

The reality is that We live in a broken world a world that leaves many people hurting and feeling overwhelmed and alone.

We all need encouragement at times, we all need a friend to step into our lives and say “you can make it. your not defeated, keep going, its going to get better.

Look at what Paul says to the church in

1 Thess. 5:11

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Paul tells the Church in Thessalonica that they have great reason to encourage one another, and that reason is because they are not left with out any hope like the world. They Have JESUS and Their eternity is completely secured in Jesus.

Look at what He says to them in verse 9

1 Thessalonians 5:9–11 ESV

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

As the church today- We have that same blessed hope and assurance of Christ Return as the church in Thessalonica, and because of our hope We can encourage one another and build each other up just as we are doing.

I want you to know church family that as your pastor, I am so excited by the way that you have been encouraging one another and building each other up these past couple of years.

And I believe that God has been blessing us in many different ways as a result of our love and encouragement for one another.

We can encourage one another in many different ways

We can encourage one another....

With speaking kindness and gratitude towards one another.

Dont be sparing on your words of kindness and gratitude towards one another

through providing practical advice,

.Dont hold back on giving godly wisdom to one another

By showing empathy when someone is hurting

Dont assume everyone else is stepping in when someone is hurting , be ready to offer an encouraging shoulder to cry on.

By giving our support to others who are doing well,

When someone is doing well- t them know, encourage them to continue strong.

SKIP STORY Examples - Mrs. Gutwein

- When I was in Jr High school - A starting hanging around some kids that were a little bit on the trouble maker side. and the longer I hung around them the more I started to behave like them.

My teacher Mrs. Gutwein pulled me aside one day during a study hall and encouraged me to look at my life. She said Jason, I know you have a heart to follow after Jesus but your actions dont seem to be in line with that desire. I want to encourage you to look at your life and make the changes you need to make in order to get back on track with where my heart desire to be.

I dont know about you but I bet you are just like me, When I get encouraged it causes me to want to do even more.

When my teacher stepped into my life It encouragement me so much that I made a commitment to live for Jesus no matter the cost.

When we encourage one another - it builds up the body of Christ. We spur on another on to live for Jesus Christ, and we remind one another that it is all worth because we have a hope in Jesus Christ.

Transition: This Morning If you are a follower of Jesus, I want to encourage you today by reminding you of the hope we have as His followers

This world is tough. There are so many things that cause us pain and discouragement in this life.

There are so many things that can bring us down to the point of giving up.

Maybe you are going through some financial difficulties that seem overwhelming

Maybe your marriage is on the brink of destruction

Maybe you have children that have walked away from Jesus

Maybe you have lost someone that you desperately loved in this life

Maybe your struggling with health issues that just keep getting worse,

Whatever it is in your life that seems to way you down, I want to encourage you remember the hope we have in Jesus as His bride.

Turn with Me to psalm 103 and listen along as I read our text for today,

Psalm 103

Psalm 103 (ESV)

Of David. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

This morning I want to encourage you by remembering together all of the benefits we have in Christ.

Lets jump into this text together....

David takes us straight to the source of all encouragement -to the Lord.

He Begins with a heart of worship.

In the first 2 verses by saying “Bless the Lord oh my soul and ALL that oiss with in me bless His holy name, Bless the Lord oh my Soul and FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS “

David says if you want to be encouraged today just remember all the benefits you have in the Lord.

and then you goes on in the next 17 verses to remind us of all the benefits we have in the Lord.

This morning I want us to remember all that we have in The Lord as His followers.

The first benefit we have in the Lord is that

He Gives us Unconditional Salvation for our lives

Look at our text in verses 3-4

Psalm 103:3–4 (ESV)

3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

David lists 3 benefits that God’s Salvation brings mankind

God Forgives all of your sins (verse 3)

Sin is anything that goes against God’s divine law.

And it doesn't take any of us too long to realize that we have all broken God”s perfect law.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote about this dilemma we all have

Isaiah 59:1–2 (ESV)

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

understand church, it is Our sin that separates us from God,

and even though we sin against God God still loves us even more.

in 1John 1:9

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Church - we can be encouraged today because your salvation -through Christ -has restored your relationship with God.

You’re no longer the enemy of God deserving of His wrath, but are now the recipient of His love

Trans. not only has your salvation restored your broken relationship with God, but it also gives you an inheritance in heaven with God.

Look again at verse 3 as David describes this eternal home

Psalm 103:3 (ESV)

3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Be encouraged because..

God will heal all of your diseases (verse 3)

Our salvation puts us under the care of the one who has the power over all sickness,

and there is coming a day when we will live with him in perfection without any sorrow,, sadness, or disease.

Revelation 21:4 ESV

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Church be encouraged because God saved you and gave you an eternal home where no sickness or sorrow will ever come again.

In Verse 4 David tells us that not only are we forgiven and given an eternal home but we are also rescued from the pit of Eternal Fire.

He redeems you from the pit (verse 4)

Psalm 103:4 (ESV)

4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

When we were without Christ we were condemned to the lake of Fire because of our sin.

God didn't just forgive your sins he wiped your debt of sin clean.

He paid the eternal penalty that you owed because of your sin.

Colossians 2:13–14 (ESV)

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

God redeemed you from the Pit of Hell and brought you into His steadfast love and mercy.

Find encouragement today because of the great salvation God has graced upon your life.

You were sentenced to die because of your sins, but God in His steadfast love and mercy chose to bring you salvation in place of your condemnation.

Trans; The 2nd benefit we have in Christ is that

He Renews the Strength of our Lives

God doesn t just save us He also Sustains us

Psalm 103:5–6 (ESV)

5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

verse 5 says that He Satisfies your desires with good things

Everything that is Good Comes from the Lord, And it is His goodness that brings satisfaction to our desires.

God gives us his righteousness His mercy, his forgiveness, his kindness, his love, his compassion, his generosity, his security..

We can be encouraged today because our strength to continue through this life that is hard is renewed through our relationship with Jesus Christ

and this is why Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4

Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

We can rejoice because our strength to endure the trial of this world does not come form with us, but it comes through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Transition: the 3rd Benefit David tells us that we have in Christ is that

God Shows us Continual Mercy and Forgiveness Despite our Lives

Psalm 103:8–12 (ESV)

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

When God saved us, He paid the debt of all our sins in Full.

We are no longer condemned by our sin but are forgive in Christ.

But undestand just because we have accepted Jesus as our savior, Just because His mercy and loved Saved us and paid our debt, We still continue to fall into sin.

And our sin still drives a wedge between our relationship with God.

But notice what we have in Christ.... We have a God who is quick to forgive us again and again.

understand church that your pool of sin could never be deeper than Gods pool of Mercy and forgiveness for your sins.

This means that even as God’s children He continues to pour our his mercy and compassion on your life. He Is is low to get angry with you as His redeemed but he is quick to give you his abounding love. And the way avid says he does this is by forgiving and forgetting our sins against him for ever.

Quote vs 12 “ as far as the east is from the west....

I hope this is as encouraging to you as it is to me.

When I sin… and ashamedly it’s too often, I have a God who doesn't hold my sin over my head, but who willing forgives me without question, and a God who takes that sin and throws it as far away from himself as possible- So far that he will never bring it up again against my account.

be encouraged because You have a God who is slow to get angry with you even though you continue to disobey his law.

Be encouraged because you have a God who is quick to forgive you and forget your trespasses against him.

Not only does God continue to show us mercy and forgiveness but also continues to pour

God Pours Out His love upon our Lives

Psalm 103:13–16 (ESV)

13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

God doesn’t view us as his subjects- He views us as his children.

and as our father, he wants what is best for our lives.

STORY: When I was kid I wanted to be like my dad and be a wrestler. and so I started wrestling.

My dad loved me enough to want me to be successful at wrestling, but He also knew the sacrifices it would take from himself and from me if I was going to succeed.

And because of his love for me He was willing to go all in.

He got up early every morning to run with me , He was my lifting coach, He drove me to all of my matches and tournaments, He encouraged when I was down on myself and he challenged me to go even farther that I thought I could.

Understand thats what a loving father does, He pours out himself for the good of his children.

Ans this is what God does for us as His children. In his great love for us there is nothing He would not do to help us grow in our walk as his children.

He knows our weakness and he knows our limitations.

He knows that even with our best efforts will will still sin against Him, and yet he still pours our his love upon our lives.

Be encouraged because you have a God who is always there pushing you to become the best you can be, Pushing you to live a life like His Son Jesus Christ.

Finally David says that we have another benefit in our lives as Followers of Jesus.

God Rules Sovereignly Over our Lives

Psalm 103:17–19 (ESV)

17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

We should find great comfort and encouragement knowing that the plan for our lives is not up to us but it is part of Gods sovereign plan.

The God of the universe is sovereign over all of his creation.

He is the ruler over all things.

He is the one who gives life and takes life.

He is the one who keeps all things in their natural order.

and its this sovereign God who chose to save you and to adopt you as his own child.

and this should bring you encouragement today knowing that the one who controls all things has steadfast love for you that will last for all eternity.

I’ll tell you what- I’m thankful to be the recipient of the sovereign Gods love and not condemned by His wrath.

The God who saved us and the God who loves us is the God who is over all things -This is encouraging me!!!

Because we serve a sovereign God we dont have to worry about our tomorrows, We dont have to let the burdens of this world fall on our shoulders because God is still on his sovereign throne and He is in complete control of all things.

Do you want to be encouraged from God’s sovereign rule over your life today?

look at what Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us as God’s Children

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God has a plan for your life and that plan is live in accordance with His word. when we live our lives inside His sovereign plan we can be encouraged knowing that no matter what happens God planned for our Good, and that he is in complete control even if it seems to be chaos to us..

Bring it Home

Christians, I hope you are encouraged today.

There are so many blessing we have in Christ.

Some of you may not be in Christ Some of you have never accepted Jesus As your savior. I hope that as you listened to all the benefits Christians are given by the creator of the world That it would cause you to want to His love in your life too.

If that is you this morning dont wait- talk to God let him know that you want him in your life. let him know that you are tired of trying to find happiness on your own. Ask Hi to come into your life and pay your debt of sin in full and rescue you from the pit of hell and give you a home in eternity with Him.

Dont wait any longer- Let Jesus into your life and experience the benefits that only come through a relationship with him.

I love how David structured this psalm of Praise.

He opens up with Praise Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is in me bless his holy name -, and then he lists for us all the benefits we are given through Christ.

As David reflects on the benefits of Following the Lord it drives him to an even deeper Heart of Worship.

Look with me at the last 3 verses of our text today.

Psalm 103:20–22 (ESV)

20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

When we remember all that Christ has done for us It should drive us to worship- We should cry out like David - BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL because of all the benefits I have been given in Christ.

Brothers and sisters in Christ- I want you to be encouraged today....

Be encouraged because all of your sins have been forgiven

Be encouraged because you have been rescued from the pit of hell

Be encouraged because You have been given eternal life with Jesus

Be encouraged because you are chosen by God

Be encouraged because you are loved by God

Be encouraged because you are an adopted child of God

Be encouraged because God is Sovereign over all your trials

Be encouraged Because God will never leave you nor forsake you.

Be encouraged because God will never give you more than you can handle

Be encouraged because God is using your trials to Grow your faith

Be encouraged because God’s Grace is greater than all of your failures.

Be encouraged because your salvation is secured by Christ’s perfection and not your imperfection.

be encouraged because God wants to use you despite your failures

Be encouraged because God is fighting your battles for you

Be encouraged because God hears all your prayers

Be encouraged Because God does all things for your good

Be encouraged because joy comes in the morning

Be encouraged because you have a living hope

Be encouraged because you have freedom form the bondage of sin

be encouraged because you have been given the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you in this life

Be encouraged Because Jesus is coming back

Be encouraged Because you are part of a community that is called to encourage one another.

~~Church Family- Don’t waste the encourage you have been given through Christ, but use it to encourage One another

PRAY