Love One Another - How to Lift Up Those Who are Down, Part 2

Do you know someone is about ready to throw don't let them they need you to jump in the ring with them and double-team the and and you know what that's called it's called encouragement and today you will learn how to be an awesome encourager how to lift up people that are staying with.

Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping Living on the Edge features the Bible to Chip Ingram on this international discipleship program. This program Chip continues a series blood-borne by sharing how you can become world-class encourager after the teaching triple wrap up with some personal words of encouragement, so be sure to stick around what's joining now for part two of his message.those who are down chapter 10 three and let us consider literally give attention to ponder examined with regard to the spiritual where welfare one another in the body. Let us consider how to stimulate or provoke one another to love and good deeds. Get your focus at work have relationships in the body of Christ when we motivate one another to look outwards. That inward is when you're discouraged where you and we do that analysis of the naval oh my poor me. It really is hard.

It's harder than anybody else get spiritual in my spiritual naval you know it's terrible.

He says provoke one another is a strong work only here used in the New Testament in a positive way literally means to ignite one week of night one another to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves. The idea close relationship but being motivated.

Why so much the more as we see the day approaching the reference there is to return of Christ and the judgment. This can come. So you see the structure you examine the structure. There's two facts out of those two words sense since, in the two facts are very very simple one. We have access into God's presence because of the unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance provided by Christ back to since we never go to God's presence alone. We never have to be afraid. Now let me when he play something out for you that's all the data sit back relax from it. We Lemmie played itself out works on the Jew denied my faith on a Jew and I know what the story is in.

I've already gone back to my old ways and I get this letter in God can never accept me right. I've already blown it in some of the things I promised I never got all my friends have Artie reneged on my commitment to me. I'm born again. It really happened. Life got hard.

Does this mean that when you blow up in anger and when words come out of your mouth. Are you thinking in your heart that cut and hurt and put down and crush others that for you, entrance into God's presence is hundred percent available hundred percent of the time. Yes yes what it means and when you get there you will have a counselor to plead your case that shipper you tell me that this means that when right after the moment after I give into a temptation to lust. Right after I lied to business associate right after I passed on information about someone else that was unkind, immediately afterwards right after that. At that moment. Are you telling me that if I would choose to. I could come right before the presence of God telling I'm sorry and he would be 100% available and when I get there. There would be Christ to negotiate my case and explained to the father how that was actual sin. And I'm sorry for it, but he's done the ledger account and all the sin on my side of the ledger has been moved over to Christ, and been forgiven, and all the righteousness on his side of the ledger has been appropriated to me.

So the father will look at me as I come in prayer right after doing that and forgive me.

That's exactly what say are you really saying that the right after you failed to speak up in class when your faith was attacked right when you get home and feel that deep sense of guilt when you've gone too far sexually with your date immediately right then sitting on your bed feeling like the worst, lowest, most terrible person you promised you wouldn't do that you made a commitment as a couple he wouldn't do it right there that night at 130 in the morning sitting on the edge of your bed that you can enter directly into the presence of God and he is hundred percent available hundred percent of the time and is ready to forgive and to restore and when you get there, you won't be alone exactly what the Scripture say are you actually saying that we haven't read your Bible in days, maybe weeks. When praying is been a struggle revolt shop a few when life got really hard when your priorities are so online when you have fallen back into patterns of lying when you feel like in your heart of hearts you're so far away from God and you feel like dirty, worthless, guilty and hypocritical God could never accept me when you feel all that very moment after that kind of lifestyle are you actually saying that the Scripture is teaching that if we would confess that sin that we could come right before the presence of God and have 100% access to the throne hundred percent of the time and be met by a friend who would say what you did is wrong what you did violated and broke my heart and but what what I did on the cross is paid for it. I love you. I accept you and we can go. That's exactly what this passage is teaching see a lot of us grew up, probably a lot like me. Maybe it's American culture.

Maybe it's just how human beings are but when I early, my Christian life and enters degrees now. I always felt like you in a little since you had feel bad for like 1015 minutes. Nonie wrote that but I mean the biggies. The habitual ones, the ones you promise got me the real I mean you break one of the big top 10. Those are like 2 to 3 day feeling bad about since you don't read your Bible, you don't pray Kevin Fridley I don't be around Christians you know you superficial getaway get along be depressed, feel guilty. Get down on yourself really down on yourself is sort of a form of pens that persons all punish myself to make me feel like a bad person and of course are you moving closer and closer to God are farther and farther away, just not how it works. See, the sooner we confess our sin. The sooner we draw near to God. Immediately after we have sinned, the closer and the better and more please God is, why don't don't get me wrong, I do sound like a good formula. This can gotten live like absolutely wild manner while woman as soon as I get done I'll say God forgive me. I know you promptly giving future. So while I'm sitting over here hope what to say how do you draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith God doesn't cut deals God doesn't play games.

He knows when you're repentant. He knows when you really come say all men, I'm sorry. I know I broke your heart. I didn't want to do it but I did it again. But when you come honestly, you're forgiven. You have access to have to wait two days three days and so what's one of the biggest things you think we need to do here is the first principle of encouragement. Biblical encouragement restores perspective. See what happens is when we sin, we draw away from God.

The old adage we send them behind them we run right and was I do if I'm a member of a small group and I send and really blown it about you but I want to go when I'm involved in sin have done something that I know the wrong you just get up on Sunday morning or Saturday night and say wow I can't wait to go to church and worship God here. All the songs and hear someone talk on the Bible Nikki feeling really can't wait to go, what you do.

You blown off an ex-wife you're a member of a small group and they really know who you are sort of blessings. It happens to his village through that love you, except you, but you know that you know what if you if you get something you need to do is is amazing how human minds work. If you have some to do better get this taken care of if you don't what you spiral down down down down down far away and so on. The number one things we do. Biblical encouragement restores perspective, the number one thing were we need to restore perspective is letting people know the truth. What's the truth, whatever you did last night whatever is in your past whatever's in your closet whatever you done in any way to anyone or every you are right now God says entrance. If you're a believer in Christ, if you're born again. If you're part of this family entrance into the very presence of God is 100% available 100% of the time for you and this minute and when you get there you will not get a God whose arms are crossed, toe tapping in your facing shame on you. You will get a God who will let you know what a price he paid for you and if you come with a sincere heart full assurance of faith, you will experience peace, you will experience forgiveness you experience restoration.

This may come at least emotionally and psychologically is news to you, God is not he's really not. He's for you. He made you he died for you he loves you so one of the major ministries and encouragement we need to restore perspective for one another to remind one another that access before God is available. How often hundred percent of the time how much of his attention. We get hundred percent of it when we get there, you'll never get there alone.

Christ is there waiting to restore. Can you imagine what would happen the body of Christ that would happen more and more to one another. Had incident just recently with my wife and were teaching this per class together and were learning a lot in the boy just been the needs in the class are just amazing and overwhelming and pushes really discouraged and we got talking and she made it simple statement. My perspective was just getting you like this is happening.

This is happening.

This is happening. This is having him get all ticked off because I have this other very un-biblical view that you know if you're walking with God if you're obeying him and you're doing what's right as far as you know, the bill would just be blessing. Things will go well it's interesting little theory, but Jesus obeyed the father didn't go well for him. Paul obeyed the father didn't go well for him.

Stephen obeyed the father and not real good at all for him. That was their joy.

Great blessing. Those means absolutely in my life turned to me as we were talking. She said you she said honey maybe were just experiencing the price tag of the privilege to get to teach on an area that has such potential transform people's life. Maybe it's just me. Maybe this is just what it cost, and you know what I just like this.

Okay you get there if you get to gain 8 yards and a linebacker gets an open shot on your phone okay Dana yards is the price tag you want to gain 8 yards. If you do get hit by linebackers in open Johnny immediately. That may not help you all to help me a lot. Tell me a bunch.

If that's what because that's what caused what I get perspective. Notice the second thing here. Second thing here though is that he goes on, let us hold fast.

We explain what that means means not wavering. See these things, they go to progression. Don't think when you don't draw near to God. You can always tell people when were struggling our spiritual life pretty soon load dust on the Bible prayers get shorter superficial. We don't want to be around you find Christians you really connect with you. Avoid them with only so we need perspective restored. But then the next level. Notice it says hold fast hold fast your confession live out what you say you believe and see when we get discouraged when you start losing hope with this marriage is aware that I not fulfilled this.

Can you know what we tried and tried and tried just letting go of cares, we see what else is cheating somewhat. You know what all pad lines to wait instead of enduring instead of hanging tough instead of walking integrity instead of keeping our committee and read the Bible, answering my prayers of taken steps toward God steps were got into the heart heart heart heart heart entire this I quit I give up on wanting more. This welcome to life and so what we need.

We need to step in one's life to say hold fast don't give up. Don't give in every marriage goes through those seasons. Every parent has ups and downs and some very severe with kids and you know what the ones that hung in there. Once it did it God's way. The ones that trust in you know what what's it say what the second verse let us hold fast what to say.

He who promised is faithful.

Not on your timetable, not in your way, not in my weight, he is faithful you keep your marriage commitments you keep your integrity you keep your sexual purity you keep getting into the word and pray and ask and seek annual fine, but maybe not as quickly. Maybe not in the way and maybe not the way you got a picture in your mind. And so one of the second ways we must encourage one another is to endure, to remind each other. God is faithful, and I see the sort of in the body will have sort these ebbs and flows, and some of the year up and encouraging and God's doing these great things in answering prayers and he's being faithful what you been selling for a long time and some of us are hidden down here right now. What we need is for you to say don't give up now.

Don't give up is to syndicate, don't give up. Sometimes the difference between success and failure in a marriage parent walk with God and integrity is a simple word of encouragement who in your world needs a word of encouragement. Who do you know that is leaning away from God right now who is drifting away from God. Is it you a friend, a mate, what they need.

They need perspective and they need to know sometimes you hold on that cannot bottom of the rope and just enduring is great member sitting in a classroom and maybe one of the most discouraging days of my life working full-time and going to bed about 12 or one morning getting up at five.

In doing this crazy Greek and Hebrew, and I was in my third year and now I felt like you know I came here on doing what you want me to do God and given it my best on you not working full-time and going to school full time involved in this college ministry. We don't have two nickels to rub against each other. I never know everything get a bill to pay the bills and just.

Each month, yet you're faithful that's right but I'm tired and you know what I don't need this member sit in the class and I am get one. Sometimes we just get numb. I can tell you what happened in class and I couldn't tell you that everybody got up and left and I was left alone in the class. I just got Bob's have this conversation I came about this close to Canon seminary are putting three years of just liking is man I need this more committed now. I remain committed like any money. I'm tired and worn out is more more more more more of you know what okay what you know they have these conversations went on check and you can have my home you can have my jersey getting them.

I showed patching the limits on what you know not real good time. All this is in my mind and I guess I looked around finally and people can't no sums wrong: when you walk around with this body knows that and so I must sit in there and Dr. Ira came up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

He said that Chip get a couple good nights sleep get at least two or three good meals and don't make any important decisions in the next two or three days On the shoulder walk when the guy wrote the Bible is to listen to him the right restudy and you know what I did cancel couple things I went home, got a couple good nights sleep. I splurged and got a couple good meals, you know, three days later I was really thankful I was in seminary. What a privilege. See the difference between success and failure. You simple word of encouragement who needs that from you encouragement is taking the truth in the context of the meeting and careful relationship and restoring someone's perspective, it's encouraging them to endure in third. It's inspiring spiritual growth. Notice versus 24, 25 also and let us consider great word. Let us be sensitive.

Let us have our spiritual antennas up and no spiritual welfare of people. Therein is how we inspire spiritual encouragement look on the back by stimulating one another to Christlike attitudes and actions. Love and good works. Love is the outward agape unconditional focus of concern for other people.

Good works are specific acts of kindness. You don't do that naturally and I will do that.

Actually we need one another to do what they're dinner focus out there. See left to yourself, you will analyze your navel and I'll analyze my and will make this case how hard and how terrible is not really going good and I'm not fulfilled and there's this. And there's this and then I watched two movies, seven commercials read to magazines continually convince a bail and you wake up one lonely hurting destroyed person with fragmented relationships and kids going between houses economically unsound, emotionally bankrupt and one day you wake up as a fellow I talked to this week is that I've been away from God for a long time, and I'll tell you what. When you are. The bill is very high.

Forgiveness is always available, but the bill the price is very high. We need to encourage to stimulate to provoke each other to what the next level. Get your focus outward. Can you love the more you get it back or not be like Christ and in giving what did Jesus promise you will receive the same amount now good measure, pressed down, back give way to provoke each other to do that inspire one another to grow spiritually.

Secondly, by refusing to allow one another to drift from regular attendance at worship and small group times, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves who do you know drifting go get go get in love, go get go get him dressed because there just like you in there just like me doesn't mean they're godly. Not only doesn't mean they're not great people.

It just means left to ourselves when you are moving this way instead of this.

When relationships the body of Christ you're on a bad trail going bad direction. Bad things can happen were commanded level give McCall write him a letter meeting for lunch. Finally, by reminding one another of the certainty and the accountability involved in Christ's return.

When Jesus comes back we get a report card reference here to the bema seat work. Christians will be evaluated. Please can I come back stimulate one another. What two things love and good works well don't let us drift from our relationship with each other. Why because he's coming back as you see the Day approaching.

Help other people be winners help other people finish well.

God I want to finish well.

I don't know. I don't know on probably both hands number of people that I know the finish well.

I know a lot of people have good spans a decade here 15 years or 20 years to really walk with the Lord and I know a lot of people that need of a minute in the summer back off.

I don't know many people to call for an enemy go for an end going for. I want to be like that on finish well. Don't you I can't do that on myself. I need you.

We need one another.

Let me give you some action steps that we take the theoretical the concept and the truth and put into practice number one.

Who do you know that needs some encouragement reply depend if you got, you know that need some encouragement right there named enough to show to anyone you know who's leaning away from God whose starting to drift his way out there. Second, what truth for biblical passage would help restore their perspective. Maybe they need to endure adversity. Or maybe they need to be stimulated to spiritual growth.

What truth pray that through his when you get with them.

You don't just sympathize you when you want to pull and then you want to give them perspective on helping door third.

What would be the best way to communicate your encouragement letter by person phone call in a group.

Maybe it's an act of kindness or maybe it's meeting a need, but what what needed to this week to become God's agent of blessing to encourage if every one of us come up with one name and little stones going to the pond of God's blessing and people get encouraged generously will happen by awesome things Jesus said love one another. One of the great ways we doing my encourage each other, restoring perspective, promoting endurance and spurring on spiritual will be right back application for just a quick reminder this message how to lift up those who are down is from his series love one another. It was easy to lose sight of the bubble. We live, it becomes clear that when Jesus challenges us through Scripture and the status quo's disturbed a little but what if we overcame the fear that rises and made the decision to love one another like Jesus loves us what would happen within our homes or families and/or neighborhoods. If we took his commitment seriously and really do love one another like that in this series chip explores the powerful possibilities of lives lived according to Jesus radical one another's to take a look at the resource options for love one another, including chips, message notes, check it out online at http://livingontheedge.org or tap special offers on the app.

For more information just give us a call a triple late. 333-6003. Now here's chip you know I get letters, emails and Facebook messages from people every day who tell me how Living on the Edges impact of their life.

People of all ages from I mean every walk of life.

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Thanks for a message they've heard, or resource. They been using were you notes seeing God work through his word and they understand him and the Holy Spirit is beginning to work in their life like never before. They aren't only thanking me your Living on the Edge there thanking you always viewed that invests in this ministry and walk alongside us by praying for its daily giving every month to keep the doors open were giving to our matches once or twice a year to develop new resources and reach more people. These folks there thanking you to and so I just want to pause and thank you for your financial investment in all that we do right here Living on the Edge and if you're listening and you've never given her didn't realize that we rely on contributions until just now. Would you prayerfully consider giving financially to the ministry that we could keep creating new resources keep helping people to be the kind of Christians that lived like Christians and let me say just thank you in advance for whatever God leads you to do. You don't need to do more or less were just asking everyone do your part and will see God work if Living on the Edge is ministering to you not yet partnered with us financially. Would you consider doing that today. It takes a team to do the ministry God called us to do it.

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On behalf of all of us here. Thank you for your prayers and your financial support will now here's chip with his application for today. Did you know today as we close the program.

We can have an awesome impact together. Are you ready we learned that encouragement restores perspective, promotes endurance and inspire spiritual growth. Are you ready let's end this program with you asking God right at this very moment to bring someone to your mind that needs to endure or need some perspective or needs a shot in the arm for spiritual growth to really occur if you got that person and mine. You might be related to might be one of your kids might be a friend might be an office worker. I ready, let's think about it now. What did you do to encourage and what act of caring, loving response. Could you wrap around some truth that would help restore this person's perspective could be a phone call. Could you right now as this program ends jot a note to someone. Could you give an anonymous gift to someone with the verse that they need to hear to trust God and keep pressing ahead. Could you go home from work early and just say some words of life to your wife and express your appreciation to her or to your husband. What would it look like for you to lift up someone who's down, got a new mine. Let's do it.

Make a commitment that you to do that and as you do.

I want to pray Lord Jesus, you know the people you brought to our mind.

We know the encouragement by the power of the Holy Spirit as we would share the truth and may be due to an act of kindness and Lord all over. We you use us to lift up those who are down for your glory and for their good amen. Let me know how it goes.

Go for just before we close. I want you to know that as a staff we ask the Lord to help you take whatever your next faith step is. We'd love to hear what's going would you take a minute to send a note or give us a call either one is easy. Just send a quick note to chip@livingontheedge.org or give us a call at triple late.

333-6003 why hope you'll join us again next time when chip continues a series love one another to live. This really saying thanks for listening to this edition of living all the