Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Edify, Build Up And Encourage Your Brother



·        Pray

 Definitions of “edify”:

Edify – to build up morally and spiritually, to uplift, to instruct, encourage or 

improve. To build, establish or construct, strengthen. To inform or enlighten or

teach
  • one of the definitions for meekness = teachable,
  • how many times does the Bible mention meekness? (the meek shall inherit the world  etc.)
  • is their only one definition?
  • Do we always assume the Bible is always talking about letting ourselves get ran over?) to improve. To promote growth or happiness.
Strong’s # 6035 – Poor, needy, humble – need God – God looking for humbleness (Psalms 147:6) God uses us in this state because then we HAVE to rely on him. When we are week HE is strong
Everything about God is to building up.  He created – heaven and earth, man, all things good. He gave us His Word to do nothing but these things.
 


Fruit of spirit Gal 5:22 -
2 Tim 3:16

All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: He gives us good thins (Matt 6 :26)

God only wants to encourage, build us up and teach us so we do the same for each other. (agape)

Eph 4:11 – 15 tells us how and why God has equipped us to take care of each other or build each other up.
Eph 4:11-15
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,     (How)
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.    (why)
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love (strengthen), we will in all things grow up into him (construct or build) who is the Head, that is, Christ.     (14 & 15 = result)

·who – God
  
 how – placed pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelist, apostles  - many versions include “helps” into this list – (Christ was ALL things listed) (If you do not fall into anything on this list, you are called to helps – local church/community ; some translations list this part of the ministry  examples (class)
   
  why – to do the work of the ministry (build up the Kingdom by building up people – “do The Kingdom”)

 Rom 14:19
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

1 Cor 10:23
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
·        Account of witness by example

1 Thes 5:11 (New living Translation)
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
                 
( how can we do this? – encouraging words, help, set example)

In every believer, God, by virtue of His Free Gift (Ehp. 2:8) of salvation to each of us that ask  (Rev. 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.)

God has deposited what He calls The Fruit of The Spirit.

Paul compares in Galatians 2 for us the effects on our lives when we live by the Spirit vs. not. The NLT puts it this way

Living by the Spirit's Power

16 So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.


In this passage Paul tells us to do as God does and put other people first.
By doing that, God takes care of us – That’s how The Kingdom works (Matt 6:26)
1.    God
2.    other people
3.    all things added to us (we are taken care of all things added to us)


·        Notice these traits are called the “fruit of the Spirit” - singular not plural. Even though 8 traits, God looks at it as one quality or fruit that the believer bears.

·        Some parts of the fruit may be undeveloped, but it is still there,
·        We must develop traits ON PURPOSE
·        Do the things that are right – bear our Godly fruit on purpose
·        WILL NOT BE EASY! Most difficult thing to do is to act like a Christian and set the example that you know you should, especially when the rest of the world acts just totally opposite.  (that is one reason to be around believers, so that you can encourage each other, we will prob. Have to hang with new people)

 Christ summed it all up for us 281 times for us in The Word. Just one example of this is found in Mk 12:31-

And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Love is absolutely the hardest thing for Christians to do. Satan does not want us to be like this.

Here’s why – Love does not mean that we let people run over us. We don’t go keep going back for more when some one is ugly to us. We can stay away – love them from a distance, just treat people the way we would be treated. -  Golden rule

One of the ways we tie into treating the way we would be treated is to stay humble ourselves. (read Rom 322 - 25,)  

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