Corona Devo 3093

It's interesting, we don't have to be taught how to discourage someone...when we are hurt or jealous or even feeling insecure: the digs are dished, and the gossip just gushes.  We get defensive, and the verbal daggers fly almost involuntarily.

And we've been on the receiving end of those jabs too.  When someone lashes out (verbally, online, etc) it's like a lead-weight is tied to our heart, and the discouragement is real.  Sticks and stones can break our bones, and words will also hurt us.  

It's easy to discourage someone, and (we all know), it's easy to be discouraged.

But what if...

We studied some instructions on how to be an encourager.

What if we took a shot at seeking and embodying justice today?  

Let's establish fairness in our affairs today.  

How about we react and align with righteousness today.  

What if we praised the Lord for his mighty, just, fair, and righteous example today, and then we tried to be like Him?

Today's class is: How To Be An Encourager, and our foundational text will be I Thessalonians 5:11-23.

Point Number 1: To be an encourager: Build each other up!  (Stop tearing each other down.) 

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11

EXAMPLE: Take the opportunity to tell a friend(s) something about them that you really appreciate (Tell them in person or write them a note).

~~~

Point Number 2: To be an encourager: Look around our home and our lives: Let's acknowledge those who are working hard for our care and safety.

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:12

EXAMPLE: What if we took the time today to thank a parent/co-worker/boss/pastor/coach/ministry-leader/friend for all they do for you.  How about if we told someone how grateful we are for them?  Specifically for those who have taught us about God and Jesus (and their love and plan for us): What if we told them about the positive-influence and impact that they have had on us and our faith walk?

Let's let the people who have made a difference in our spiritual life know that they have beautifully impacted our faith!  Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:12

~~~

Point Number 3: To be an encourager: Hold those in authority in high regard.

Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:13

EXAMPLE: Let’s hold back from cracking jokes or undermining our superiors or the authorities in our lives, homes, cities, teams, and Nation.  What if we showed them great respect or thanked them for how they invest in us?  Tell a leader in our life what a great job they are doing today!  (Most people in authority rarely hear compliments, but often receive criticisms.)

~~~~

Point Number 4: To be an encourager: Help the weak and be patient. 

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:14

EXAMPLE: Being a bully is lazy—and sometimes we hurt others (verbally/physically/emotionally) just to (selfishly) lift-up or elevate ourselves.  Instead--let's stick up for someone who needs it today, and take care of quieter people.  Maybe someone needs our voice to be a voice for them.  kids.  If we sense that someone is feeling down today--give a hug, a smile, or offer to pray with them (I am serious!).  

And today--let's make an effort to be patient with people who are different than us!  (Be patient with everyone.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:14)

~~~

Point Number 4: To be an encourager: Resist revenge.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:15

EXAMPLE: Instead of trash-talking/gossiping/ or planning to get even with someone who has hurt us--let's surprise them (and possibly ourselves) by doing good to them... or by just letting it go.  We don’t have to make a big deal.

~~~

Point Number 5: To be an encourager: Be joy-filled!

Always be joyful.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16

EXAMPLE: Remember that even during problems and hard times, God is always in control.  Others will see our positive attitude, and (knowing our situation)--it may change their outlook on their struggles.  People are watching to see what followers-of-Christ do when the going gets rough.    

Always be joyful.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Let's let others see that our hope (and joy) is in God!

~~~

Point Number 6: To be an encourager: Be in constant and continual prayer!

Never stop praying.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17

EXAMPLE: Have we ever grown tired of praying for something or someone?  Never stop praying for them.  God is always listening…and He always answers…but in His timing.

The results are up to the Lord, but our role is to never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

~~~

Point Number 7: To be an encourager: Always be grateful and thankful!

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

EXAMPLE:  What if we tried making a list of all the gifts God has given us and thanking Him for each one?  Okay...what if we just made a list of five things we are grateful for today?  Let's take the time to thank a friend for what they mean to us, or to just sit with God and thank Him in prayer.  

The spirit of this world is to be bitter and entitled and negative.  But this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus: Be thankful in all circumstances.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

~~~

Point Number 8: To be an encourager: Do not ignore when the Holy Spirit moves in us! 

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:19 

EXAMPLE: When we feel (the Holy Spirit) move our heart to say a kind word or do a good deed…DO IT!  Listen!  Cooperate with the Holy Spirit.  God absolutely moves and nudges and encourages us to do His will through promptings of the Holy Spirit.    We do not want to be held responsible (by God) for stifling/stunting/quenching/muffling the Holy Spirit.  When God says, "No", He means, "No".   Do not stifle the Holy Spirit today (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

~~~

Point Number 9: To be an encourager: Do not treat those who have different ideas (from us) as crazy.  

Do not scoff at prophecies, (21) but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21

EXAMPLE: Instead of making fun of someone we don’t agree with, or who believes differently than us…let's listen, and also share with them what God’s Word says.  

Let's get-to-know our Bibles and let's test everything we hear.  We will certainly learn things we did not know, especially in relation to prophecies, but we will also learn things that will help us to stand our Biblical ground as we test everything that is said. 

~~~

 Point Number 9: To be an encourager: Don't get caught up in bad stuff! 

Stay away from every kind of evil.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:22

EXAMPLE: It’s that easy to stay out of sin—just stay away from it.  Don’t be afraid of being different or standing out by avoiding situations or people that we know are bad for us.  While friends may never say it (and may actually judge us in the moment), they will take notes and will be encouraged by our Godly conviction and may even change themselves.

Keep it simple today: Stay away from every kind of evil today (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

~~~

 Point Number 10: (Final Point!): To be an encourager: Depend on God!

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:23

EXAMPLE: Whenever we are in doubt, let's ask God.  Whenever we are discouraged, let's trust God!  Realize today that the Christian life is not meant to be lived in our own strength...but (instead) through God’s strength and the hope that Jesus brings.  When we are confident in God, we will shine that confidence to those around us!  We can depend on God today.

~~~

This concludes today's class on: How To Be An Encourager..  

We have reviewed the main points and relating/supporting Scriptures (I Thessalonians 5:11-23).  Our homework for this class is: Go do it!  BE an encourager today.

Class dismissed.


Blessings,  

sarah  

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 4, 2026 at 8:16 AM

    Thank you Sarah for such wonderful words and taking the time to share this Wise teaching and lesson with us!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Corona Devo 1065

Image
It’s never too late to turn to the Lord.   And--it’s never too late to turn back to the Lord.   Do we GET IT?   King Hezekiah GOT IT.   The people in his area (Israel) had not been following the Lord, and they had fallen away from the (God-ordained) traditions that the Lord had designed to connect His people with Himself,  like going to church (Temple), and like celebrating the festival of Passover.  So they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel...inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the  Lord , the God of Israel. The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in the Law ( 2 Chronicles 30:5). Hezekiah  invited the people back to church!  But how to get the word out? He  wrote letters of invitation to the people (2 Chronicles 30:1), but letters without delivery are dead messages.  Hezekiah needed to get the letters ... to God's people! At the king’s command, runners were...
Read more

Corona Devo 1063

Image
Ever been around boys (of any age)?  They don't concern themselves with talking about   other  boys...they are not (usually) comparative that way, and would prefer to be competitive instead.  They are often contented with jokes and sounds, rather than defaming other guys or discussing their shortfalls. But...ever been around women ( of any age )?  For some sinful reason, our conversations often seem to p ick-a-little, talk-a-little, pick some more and talk, talk, talk about other women.  We  simmer into a boil as we digress and regress into unbecoming chatter about   other  women.   It's a terrible habit and yet girls in elementary school don't need to be taught how and even elderly church biddies can't quite fully withdraw.  We all still fall to condemning others  from time to time.  We have this sinful draw to make ourselves feel good by chirping back and forth and making someone   else   feel bad. It's na...
Read more

Corona Devo 1064

Image
The earth is the   Lord ’s, and everything in it.   The world and all its people belong to him.   (2)  For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas  and built it on the ocean depths.   ~Psalm 24:1-2 We belong to Him, but also…our world belongs to Him: and  everything in it .   Everything.   Every tree and flower, every person, every pelican, everything. How are we responding to that glorious Truth today?   Can we praise Him today?  Can we acknowledge and absorb (and respond!) to the awesome Truth that we belong to Him :  the Creator of all things, and our Creator?   He laid the earth’s foundation ...and (even)  the earth  knows that it belongs to him ... Do we? Are we choosing to respond to Him today?   The trees do.    Looking out my window as I read these words of God, I saw these words  proven by God as n aked tree-branch arms were raised in praise of their Creat...
Read more