But none made my heart leap like reading the list of spiritual gifts in…
Romans 12
“6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
And when I read verse 8 “if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;”
My heart leaped; it felt the same as when you can feel a baby kick in its mother’s belly.
See Got Questions.org article on the gift of encouragement.
https://www.gotquestions.org/gift-of-encouragement.html
And I quote…
“The gift of encouragement or exhortation differs from the gift of teaching in that exhortation focuses on the practical application of the Bible.”
“one with the gift of encouragement focuses on the practical application of the Word.”
“Teaching says, “This is the way you should go”;
encouragement says,
“I will help you go that way.”
A person with the gift of encouragement can help another person move from pessimism to optimism.”
YES! That is me! The Emerging Man, writing to ENCOURAGE, EQUIP & ENGAGE with a practical application of The Word!!
LETS GO!!!
Note: the difference in walking with Jesus while sinning is a very different experience than when the sin has gone through its life cycle and has been put to death.
For reference see my article at…
In our active sin we don’t allow Jesus to help us, that’s why He says, “In this world you will have trouble” because in our active sin our pride says, “I can do it by myself,” but if we are with Jesus… yes, troubles still come, but they become light, surmountable mole hills, instead of insurmountable mountain ranges.
What is easier… dragging a refrigerator into the house by yourself OR using a nice dolly cart and having your strapping 27 year old son help you with it?
One scenario is actually enjoyable, still heavy, but enjoyable… and the other is a cuss filled struggle all the way from the garage to the kitchen.
With Jesus the whole affair is just lighter, yes, you may get stuck at some point… but that just exposes a learning opportunity, and you and your son can laugh at each other about it, like… “Duh dad you should’ve seen that coming.”
Without Jesus everything is just stress filled heaviness and nobody better laugh.
And here is where I want to encourage you, as God says it precisely here…
Walking in the Light
Found in 1 John 1:5-7
“5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Jesus has cleansed me of the sin of “not asking Him first”, and HAS taught me to, “first seek the kingdom and all this will be added unto you.”
And for a real world/Godly example I offer this as a picture of the difference between being with Him vs. plowing ahead as I did with my auto shop.
My lease was up on “my Blue truck,” and I go through my sister who works for a local Ford dealer to take care of things.
She said, “Your certificate is up, come in and run your numbers and we can be ready in case something pops up we can take advantage of.”
Me: ok (showing due diligence, right?)
Upon arriving at her office she says,
“You might be leaving with a new truck… TODAY!”
Me: What? Thought we were just running numbers?
Her: “Ford has added additional rebates for October so if we have one you like we can get it done today.”
Me: ok
Her and her team run the numbers and there are 3 I can choose from… 1 is too cold; 1 is too hot; and 1 is just right (and comes with running boards, all weather mats, and dual exhaust).
And upon running the final numbers… and all I had to do was show up and make a few choices/decisions… which were simple to make… the truck also reduced my payment by $50 bucks and they handed me a check, for the equity in my old truck, that was for $1300 bucks… and a full tank of gas!
I always wondered what He meant with this… found in Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Look what He poured into my lap!
I’m not one of those “prosperity preachers” by any means, because I don’t believe I “gave” anything… God dropped this on me outta the blue… and the thing I will witness to that this blessing is attached to is… my wife’s remodeled kitchen.
Crazy right!?!?!
We decided to do a full updated remodel of our kitchen… that takes cash… we budgeted out a payment we could live with and went to the bank for a home equity loan.
Things were going to be tight through next spring when we would be done paying on some other things… but now God freed up some cash so that my wife won’t be feeling stressed out every time she uses her new kitchen.
He really loves her, it’s fun to tell her that when there are hiccups in the remodel… and I have to talk her away from the edge by saying, “Hey, God loves you, it’s going to work out.”
And if I can encourage her… I can encourage anybody!
And for all practical purposes, with my experience with God, I would much rather “walk in the light” than “walk in darkness”, as I have experienced the darkest darkness that darkness has to offer… and it literally cannot hold a candle to the light for what it professes to offer…
Every single thing the darkness professes to offer comes with a hangover attached…
The light comes with joyful anticipation, calming peace, true love and an amazement at a God who would do such things for you!!!
All because “you are precious and honored in His sight”.
The Emerging Man writing to ENCOURAGE, EQUIP & ENGAGE!!!
Amen
theemergingman.com 