Hi.
Welcome to the fe2 Women’s Mentoring Network.
Welcome to the fe2 Women’s Mentoring Network.
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18. Are the commands in these verses active or passive? Who are we supposed to encourage?
Read Romans 15:1-7. Look at verse 4. Why were the scriptures written and recorded?Typically when you see quote marks in the NT, it is referring to a passage being quoted from the OT. Did you notice the quotation in verse 3? If you cross reference that passage with the verses in your Bibleʼs footnotes, youʼll see it comes from Psalm 69.
Read Psalm 69:9-20. Does it sound like David could use a little encouragement? Who is he crying out to in his despair?
When you are discouraged, fearful or stuck, who do you cry out to for help? Do you find encouragement in the scriptures? Why or why not?
We need to turn to Godʼs Word for wise counsel and encouragement, but we also need each other. Who in your life could you turn to that would know how to point you to Jesus through the encouragement of the scriptures? Who could you help encourage in that way?
Read Acts 4:32-37. What was happening as the good news of the gospel spread? Were people helping each other? Who was specifically mentioned?
An ordinary man named Joseph was such an encouragement to his friends that he earned the nickname, Barnabus, meaning son of encouragement. Barnabus is recorded throughout the NT as one who encouraged and assisted Paul on his missionary journeys. He is also known to be the cousin and source of encouragement to Mark, the man who wrote the gospel of Mark. What nickname would your friends and family give you?
Barnabus comes from a Greek word, parakaleo. It is the same word used throughout scripture to describe comfort, refreshment, supplication, a summons for help, exhortation, and admonition. Do those words sound like a simple compliment given to someone in passing or something more direct? This root word is from parakletos which is the same word used to refer to the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).
Biblical encouragement is coming alongside someone to strengthen them in practical ways but also to challenge them with what they need to hear, not always what they want to hear. It is encouraging them while teaching them. It is intentional. This is also what the Holy Spirit does for us. He encourages us and convicts us. We are not intended to be someone elseʼs savior, but rather to point them to their need for the Savior and help them on that journey to the heart of God.
Read Ephesians 4:1-3. Depending on what version you read it from, verse 1 will say urge or implore, but either word is the Greek word of parakaleo. What are we to encourage others in our sphere of influence to do? Walk in a manner worthy of what? How is that done? This type of encouragement is only found in pointing others to Jesus using the encouragement of scripture to help us walk in a worthy manner.
Where do you go to in scripture for encouragement to help others? Letʼs practice. Where would you point a friend dealing with anxiety? Fear? Frustration with a boss?Discerning next steps?