ENCOURAGEMENT

I. The word encouragement comes from two root words.

A. "Para" means along side.

B. "Calav" means to be called.

C. Encouragement means to be called to walk along side.

II. Four reasons to encourage others.

A. Encouragement is greatly needed in this world.

1. There are more problems now than at any time in history.

2. The growth of problems is exponential.

B. Encouragement is the ministry of the Trinity.

1. The God of encouragement. II Corinthians 1

2. God has given us eternal encouragement and good hope. II Thessalonians 2:16-17

3. The Holy Spirit or the Comforter will guide us in truth.John 14:16

C. Encouragement is an underlying theme in the Bible.

1. The Old Testament was given to us for comfort or encouragement. Romans 15:4-5

2. The New Testament speaks often about encouragement.

a. A preacher is to rebuke and encourage. II Timothy 4:2

b. We are to encourage one another with these words. II Thessalonians 4:13, 5:11

D. Encouragement is the ability to start something which may never end.

1. My encouragement causes others to encourage. II Corinthians 1:6

2. I must start the chain of encouragement even though I may never know how far it will go.

Be back tonight at 6 PM for our evening Worship. Tonight our speaker will be Tommy Thompson. He always has an interesting sermon .

  Wednesday Bible Study At 7:00 pm. Our instructor this week is Be Hayden . The subject will be “How We Got The Bible”, a movie we will show in the auditorium..