Be an Encourager

1 Thessalonians 2:19,20
19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

Background:
The Thessalonian church was a church that Paul shared the gospel with and they received the message and were moving forward with it. This was very encouraging to Paul in light of some other places that hadn't grown or moved ahead with Christ. There's almost a sense of fearful hope in the heart of the Apostle Paul. Sending Timothy to the Thessalonian church to find out that they are doing great! I believe he's very excited about the way God was blessing the Thessalonian church.

The Words for encouragement appear 59 times in the Bible and we see a very high concentration of the word here in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.

Proverbs 11:25
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Get the focus off of you and refresh someone else and see what happens to you.

Points about encouragement

1 Thessalonians 3:2
We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,

1. Sending someone to you to who spreads the gospel.

1 Thessalonians 3:7
Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

2. Other people's faith. Especially of those who you've shared the gospel with. It is very encouraging for a teacher to share a message with the students and the students assimilate the information with understanding and practical application.

1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore encourage each other with these words.

3. Our Words -

Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.


1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

4. Anyone can encourage anyone else and their should be a atmosphere of encouragement around you.

1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Warn - Lazy People

5. Encourage - Timid People

Should you encourage a brash and bold person who's going in a direction that you don't agree with? Encourage those who need it, the timid
Help - Weak People
Be Patient - With All People
Different People need different things. Everyone needs patience.
2 Thessalonians 2:16
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

6. We can receive encouragement directly from Christ and God the Father.

Maybe you're looking for approval from man. A person who doesn't need the approval of man is free to do the will of God without being susceptible to many of the enemies snares. A person who's working for encouragement from God and not man can't be offended if his work isn't noticed or appreciated.

2 Thessalonians 2:17
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

7. Our hearts can be encouraged and strengthened so we move into good deeds and words.


Jubilee Family Church

Motivation from Heaven; Faith, Love and Hope

There are several times in scripture where faith, love and hope appear together.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

• Colossians 1:5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel

• 1 Thessalonians 5:8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

Our Main Verse

• 1 Thessalonians 1:3
– We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Faith Produces Work
2. Love Prompts Labor
3. Hope Inspires Endurance

What is Faith?
• Hebrews 11:1
– Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

I hope the Lords definition for Faith hasn’t become cliché in our lives.
Faith is believing in what you do not see.
Part of the definition for faith is the concept of visionary leadership.
– Many people have sight but they don’t have vision. They can’t see a better, brighter future and take the necessary daily steps to make it a reality.

1. Faith Produces Work

• 2 Corinthians 10:15b Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand,

Paul knows what every minister knows who’s leading people. He only has as much influence in the lives of the people he’s leading as they will allow. Faith in the hearts of the people in Paul’s ministry gives him more influence as God’s man to work and perform in the ministry.

• Even Jesus could be limited by peoples lack of faith.

– Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

• As faith Grows, ministry activity or ministry works also greatly expand.
– This applies on a personal level and together it applies on a corporate level.
– More hands come on board to shoulder the work of the ministry. More gets accomplished when we’re all walking in an increasing faith.

• James 2:22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
• Completed works are the fruit or expression of faith!

2. Love Prompts Labor

• 2 Corinthians 5:14a 14For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, (sunecho)

• Controls - to exercise restraining or directing influence over

• Urge - to undertake the accomplishment of with energy, swiftness, or enthusiasm

• Impels - to urge or drive forward or on by or as if by the exertion of strong, internal moral motivation.

A fuller understanding of 2 Co. 5:14

• For the Love of Christ exercises a restraining or directing influence over me, His love causes me to undertake the accomplishment of his Will with energy, swiftness, and enthusiasm. Christ’s love urges and drives me forward and drives me on by the exertion of strong, internal moral motivation.

• Constrain - sunecho"to hold together, confine, secure, to hold fast" (echo, "to have or hold"), "to constrain,"

• Luke uses the word 9 times out of it’s 12 occurrences in the New Testament

Constrain
• Acts 18:5
– 5When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively (sunecho) to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
Constrain
• Luke 19:43
– 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. (sunecho)

Constrain
• Luke 22:63
– Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody (sunecho) were mocking Him and beating Him,

Hope
• Hope – a favorable and confident expectation, hope has to do with the unseen and the future, hope is the happy anticipation of good.

3. Hope Inspires Endurance

• This makes sense because if you have an anticipation of something brighter and better going through challenges can kill your hope if you don’t have a strong determination to see it fulfilled.


• Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.


Endurance + Scripture = Inspired Hope

• Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

• Maybe you’re not seeing what you want to see in your life, in your family, in your job or in your ministry. Hope will carry you through the difficult times so you can endure them until your vision comes to pass.

• How many fights does a fighter have to fight and win before he gets noticed by big fight promoters?
• How many fights does he have to fight and win before he becomes a contender?
• How about before he gets a shot at the champ.
• How many hours does he spend in the gym? How many punches does he receive to his face and abdomen?
• He does all this because he hopes he can be the champion!

• God has made you to be successful in your God ordained endeavors! God has called you to be a champion for Him!

• Deuteronomy 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

• The “secret” is getting into the Lord’s presence.
– The Word
– Worship
– Prayer

Let's take some time today to pray and seek the Lord to infuse into us His faith, love and hope.

Eye Opening Prophecy

Dr. Sharon Stone:"September Will Convince You that You Must Connect to His Economic System"

The following is a prophecy given by Dr. Sharon Stone in Glasgow, Scotland in the summer of 2008. The notations in red italics are fulfillment of the word, but are not part of the word given.

September is a Turning Point

"September is a turning point and a sign of the times. It is all about those who have made Godly alignments in this season being blessed with revelation and information in the midst of world crisis.
"I see more banks will suffer: a USA world bank's shares are in trouble (Lehman Brothers files bankruptcy, September 15, 2008). I see government in the USA bailing out mortgage giants (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - Federal takeover, September 7, 2008) and the government in England cutting house purchase taxes for the sagging housing crisis (Stamp Duty Tax change announced, September 2, 2008) to no avail.
"I see a European airline failing with no notice (XL files bankruptcy, September 12, 2008). I see the eyes of the world looking to see, 'Who is this coming out of Alaska?' (Sarah Palin announced as McCain's running mate, August 29, 2008). And I see smoke coming from the Chunnel (Fire in the Chunnel, September 11, 2008).

"As I see these things, I hear the encouragement of God to His Isaacs in the earth who sow in the times of famine and reap 100 fold in the year. I'm not a prosperity preacher, I'm a prophet. And God is saying that September will convince you that you must connect to His economic system. There are always the few that are greatly blessed when the majority are shaken, threatened and fearful."
God says, "Have you positioned yourself for THE NEW? Your storehouse is not an earthly bank. Hold on and I will bail you out of your mortgage issues. Am I not better to you than any government? I will not leave you stranded on foreign soil, and I will carry you above the circumstances better than any plane or jet. And your hope is not an Alaskan saviour, but Me." I know that sounds strange, it does to me also.
"England, the smoke I saw coming out of the Chunnel is a warning for your intercessors to arise and cut off the enemy's plan to sabotage and siege England's favour in trade. Let him who has ears hear....
"God, I release an Isaac anointing upon us now!"
Dr. Sharon Stone
Christian International Europe
Email: cieurope@aol.com

About Sharon Stone: Sharon is the founder and senior minister of Christian International Europe. She is widely recognized as an Apostolic Prophet to the nations and has traveled to over thirty nations. By the age of nineteen, Sharon was an Intern Pastor and within twelve years she had pioneered and planted two churches and was the president of a Bible college. In 1996, Sharon and her family relocated to England to pioneer Christian International Europe with the intention of developing and mobilizing prophets and apostles to unlock harvest in the nations. Sharon has three grown children and is married to Greg Black.

Content taken from the Elijah List e-mail.

Overcoming Fear in Times of Uncertainty

Part 1 of Sunday's video on Overcoming Fear

Part 2 of Sunday's video on Overcoming Fear in Times of Uncertainty

If both videos start simultaneously you'll have to press (pause) on the bottom video until the top one finished. Then play the second video.

Notes from Sunday Sermon 9-28-2008

There are many things to be afraid of in today's world.
Terrorism
Nuclear
Biological
Chemical
Conventional Weapons

Instability in the Middle East
August 2008
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
"We will witness dismantling of the corrupt regime (Israel) in a very near future," said Mamoud during World Mosque Week. He went on to say that Israel is "the main cause of all corruption and wickedness in the contemporary era." He has likewise described Israel as "a dirty microbe," "a wild animal," and "the West’s scarecrow."

• 
  A Quote from Adolf Hitler
  "The struggle for world domination will be fought entirely between us, between Germans and Jews. All else is facade and illusion. Behind England stands Israel, and behind France, and behind the United States. Even when we have driven the Jew out of Germany, he remains our world enemy.

A resurging Military presence from Russia
August 17th 2007 Russia continues to reassert itself on the world stage, announcing today that it has resumed the Cold War practice of sending strategic bombers on long-range patrols beyond its borders.
"We have decided to restore flights by Russian strategic aviation on a permanent basis," President Vladimir Putin.

Natural Disasters
Floods
Tornados
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Asteroid Strikes
Tsunamis
Super Volcanoes

Accidents
Automobile
Falling
Trains
Airplanes

Economic Collapse
National debt of 10.5 Trillion dollars = $37,000 for every man woman and child in the USA.
I owe $185,000 for all the members of my family.
The good news is that half of the National debt is money the government has taken from itself. From organizations like social security.

Crime
Robbery
Violent Crimes

Sickness
Many different ways to get sick.

Controlling Fear
If you don’t get a grip on fear it will dominate your personality and keep you from apprehending the promises of God. Some fear is healthy but other fear is downright demonic and designed to control and manipulate you, keeping you in your box.

What to do to overcome fear

Pray
Ask God to speak to you what you are to do about your fears.

Use Wisdom
Read up on the situation
Know the possibilities
Have a plan prepared in advance for various scenarios.
For example, decide if you are going to stay or go and where are you going to go if you go?

Understanding God’s Nature
Exodus 8:22" 'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people.
The Reason Noah was spared.
1 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.
Noah was considered Righteous in his generation
Righteousness is right standing with God and is established by faith
Romans 3:21(Amplified) But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets,
22Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe.
Most translations translate the underlined section with one word, FAITH!

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Conditional safety recognized in part by rest
dwelling in the shelter of the most high will bring rest regardless of your circumstances.
Not dwelling in the shelter of the most high will not bring rest.
No Rest=A person who’s not Dwelling in the Lord

Jesus perfectly illustrates rest in the midst of difficult circumstances
Matthew 8:24
Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

Emotional stress means you’re not dwelling in the shelter of the Almighty God.

How do we dwell in the shelter of the Most High?
Taking Communion Properly is one ways we dwell in the shelter of the Lord
John 6:56
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
Do this in remembrance of me
Recognize the body of Christ
Forgive offenses and make things right with people
1 Cor. 11:28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

The results of dwelling in the Lord
John 15:4
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

• The Fruits of the Spirit
  The fruit of converted maturing people
  Fruit production takes time

Abiding in the Lord gives us powerful prayers
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
We know we’re abiding when…
We declare because we believe "he is my refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust."
When fear controls you, you don’t say or believe the above.

• 
  Refuge- shelter or protection from danger or distress; a place that provides shelter or protection
  Fortress- a fortified place : stronghold ; especially : a large and permanent fortification sometimes including a town
  Trust- assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; one in which confidence is placed

Love and acknowledgement are the conditions to the promise

Ps. 91:14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Love=Rescue
Acknowledgement=Protection

Do you Love the Lord?
Love = Obedience

John 14:21,23-24 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Do you acknowledge the Lord?
Luke 9:26If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

God will deliver us from…
The Fowlers Snare- The Devil’s schemes
Deadly Pestilence- 1: a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating ; like the bubonic plague

God will Deliver us From…
3. Fear of gun fire, terror and fear of the unknown.
Ps. 91:5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

God will Deliver us From…
4. Mass death due to pestilence and plague mentioned in v.6
V7&8 You will stand while those around you who aren’t dwelling in the Lord die by the thousands.

God will deliver us from…
5. V 10-12 harm and disaster, you will not even strike your foot against a stone.
He will order the angels to protect you!
God will deliver us from…
6. V. 13 Animal attacks
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

His protection is like a large angel that gives shelter under His wings. HIS faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

What’s a Rampart?
1 : a protective barrier; a broad embankment raised as a fortification; a wall-like ridge (as of rock fragments, earth, or debris)

Free Pass?
Sometimes we don’t get a free pass.
Hebrews 11 talks about a great group of righteous individuals who died in faith without seeing the manifestation of the fullness of their faith in this life.

Difficulty from ungodly people
John 15:18"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
Matthew 24:9"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

Prepare the Best you Can
Most times trusting the Lord means listening to his word and taking action. Had the Israelites not put the blood over the door post when the death angel came their firstborn would’ve died also.
Had Noah not built and entered the Ark he would’ve perished in the flood with the rest of the world.

Use what you think God’s telling you with wisdom to prepare for the future.
Then ABSOLUTELY move on the information you have.
Remember
Romans 8:15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Love and acknowledge the Lord and the promises of Psalm 91 are yours!

Jubilee Family Church

Creative Solutions

A pastor concluded that his church was getting into very serious
financial troubles. While checking the church storeroom, he discovered
several cartons of new bibles that had never been opened and distributed.

So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the
congregation who would be willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for
$10 each to raise the desperately needed money for the church.

Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task.

The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmen and were likely capable of selling some bibles. But he had serious
doubts about Louie-who was a local farmer, who had always kept to
himself because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment. Poor
Louis stuttered badly. But, not wanting to discourage Louis, the
minister decided to let him try anyway.

He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked with Bibles. He asked them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday.

Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately
asked Jack, "Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our Bibles last
week?"

Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied, "Using my sales prowess, I was able to sell 20 bibles, and here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church."
"Fine job, Jack!" the minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. " You
are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you."

Turning to Paul, "And Paul, how many Bibles did you sell for the Church last week?"

Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied, "I am a
professional salesman. I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the church, and
here's the $280 I collected."

The minister responded, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You are
truly a professional salesman and the church is indebted to you."

Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, "And Louie, did
you manage to sell any bibles last week?" Louie silently offered the
minister a large envelope.

The minister opened it and counted the contents. "What is this?"
the minister exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in here! Are you
suggesting that you sold 320 Bibles for the church, door to door, in
just one week?!"

Louie just nodded. "That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul said in
unison. "We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10
times as many bibles as we could."

"Yes, this does seem unlikely," the minister agreed. "I think you'd
better explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie."

Louie shrugged. "I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for
sh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.

Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tell
us what you said to them when they answered the door!"

"A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied, "W-w-w-w-would
y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this b-b-b-b-bible
f-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks---o-o-o-or---wo-wo-would yo-you
j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here and
r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??"

Jubilee Family Church