Encouragement

Hebrews 3:12-13 - "See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."

We see here that we are to encourage one another daily as long as we live. I want to look at why we need to encourage one another daily.

The main reason that encouragement of one another is important because it keeps our hearts from being hardened and them turning away from God. This talking of one who has become discouraged or disillusioned about his faith.

We fail at something or something doesn't work out and we blame ourselves. We become discouraged and don't press forward. We often will blame others and even God. This where we as believers come along side of the one discouraged and disillusioned and build him up.

The word encourage here in the Greek is "parakaleo". The same word used for "the comforter" when in used in relation to the Holy Spirit. The word that means "a calling to one's side to aid another". This can be done by exhortation or consolation. 

 Let us look at  Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

 In Hebrews 3:12-13, we see encouragement as a prevention. In this passage we see encouragement as a motivation to love and good deeds. We are not only called to encourage the discouraged but stimulate people to love and good deeds. Both of these can happen as we come together as believers. This is why we are not to neglect the assembly of believers because it there that we can be encouraged and encourage others. Not only on Sunday morning but through out the week on small group settings, formal or informal.

If you look at I Corinthians 12:17-26, you will see two more reasons why we need to each other and each others encouragement. We need to be encouraging each other because we are different. We have different strengths and weaknesses. We need to encourage ach other because we are the body of Christ, and in order to function properly and effectively.

Let us look at one final and underlying reason. We need each other that we might be stronger.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - "Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Let us stop thinking of ourselves only but begin to encourage one another that we the body of Christ might be stronger.