Build Up One Another

 

Daily God Walk for Sunday, June 12, 2011

 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.  – 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

 In any context the instruction to encourage one another to build up one another is good teaching, but this teaching is being given in the context of reminding people of the coming of the Lord and warning them to be prepared for that event.

“We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words” (4:13-18).

Paul goes on in his instruction concerning the coming of the Lord and tells them that they should live in such a way that they will not be surprised at the coming of the Lord (v4-10). Then he gives one of his famous therefore s. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”

He is telling us that in view of the fact that Christ is returning as a thief in the night we must be diligent about our walk and we must be encouraging one another and building each other up in the faith. It is not the time to find fault with our brothers and sisters.

 It is time to use words of faith and hope to encourage those who are discourages and build up those who have been torn down by the circumstances of life. I challenge you to think about who you can encourage today and make it your goal to build them up in the faith.

 Prayer: Lord, help me to encourager the brethren. Amen.

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