Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.
“Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,
2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
3 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.
4 For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.
5 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.” 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.
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What can we do to strengthen and encourage others as to their faith?
We can preach and teach others.
We can invite them to church, Sunday School, or Bible study.
We can visit others as we see in today’s Scripture where Paul sent Timothy.
We can call them on the phone.
We can write to them.
We can tell them their specific good qualities. To this day, I still remember that my best friend’s father called me “tenacious” while in high school and that comment still encourages me to continue to be so.
We can introduce them to other Godly people whom we know will likely strengthen and encourage them.
We can provide donuts and coffee at fellowship hour after the worship service, working behind the scenes, to promote the type of fellowship that we know will likely strengthen and encourage them.
We can write articles and books and blogs.
We can give them books and forward inspiring emails to them.
We can send them flowers or a beautiful encouraging “Hallmark” card.
We can give them a hug.
We can formally lay our hands on them for installment to ministry as a new minister, elder, deacon, or Sunday School teacher.
We can simply share a favorite verse or more Scripture.
We can give specific detailed praise reports.
We can more generally consider our own life testimony of what God has done for us and share it with others.
We can credit God for our good works and our patient endurance through sufferings.
We can praise God and give thanks, shouting and singing for joy in the Lord.
We can patiently tolerate their infirmities and provide a helping hand to bear their burden.
We can pray for others.
In addition, there are others ways to strengthen and encourage them as to their faith, and hopefully, this devotion will spark your own “custom-tailored” ideas by the specific needs of your own circle of family and friends and your own specific gifts and inclinations.
Here are verses which directly exhort us and which provide examples of what some people did to strengthen and encourage others as to their faith.
Deuteronomy 3:28
“But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’”
“But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’”
1 Samuel 23:16
“And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”
“And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”
2 Chronicles 35:2
“He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.”
“He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.”
Isaiah 35:3
“Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.”
“Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.”
Isaiah 41:7
“So the craftsman encourages the smelter, And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil, Saying of the soldering, “It is good”; And he fastens it with nails, So that it will not totter.”
“So the craftsman encourages the smelter, And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil, Saying of the soldering, “It is good”; And he fastens it with nails, So that it will not totter.”
Daniel 11:1
“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.”
“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.”
Acts 4:36
“Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),”
“Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),”
Acts 11:23
“Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;”
“Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;”
Acts 15:31
“When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”
“When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”
Acts 15:32
“Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.”
“Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.”
Acts 16:40
“They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”
“They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”
Acts 27:34
“Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”
“Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”
Romans 1:12
“that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
“that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
Romans 15:4
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:5
“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”
“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”
1 Corinthians 16:12
“But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.”
“But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.”
Philippians 2:1
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,”
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,”
Colossians 2:2
“that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,”
“that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,”
Colossians 4:8
“For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;”
“For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:14
“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
Titus 2:4
“so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”
“so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”
Hebrews 3:13
“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Luke 22:32
“but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
“but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Acts 14:22
“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 