Let's stop talking negatively and let's encourage one another and lift each other up!!!

Hebrews 10:24-25 New International Version (NIV):

"24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

In Hong Kong many residences are very small.  Families share a small space for many years.

I have found that it is not easy for people to live together.  I remember spending holidays with my uncles and aunts and I would learn about  family life is like from their stories.  However, I would also learn that they would argue and not always get along.

I think the best thing I loved about my family is they would always give a telephone call when they got home after leaving a family gathering at another relative's home.  They might argue or disagree, but they would always give a courtesy call that they made it safely home.

I pray for many people here in Hong Kong,  I know it isn't easy to live in close quarters.  I know it isn't easy to become a Christian as a young person and then have family members disagree with what a person wants to do.

This Bible Verse is a very important verse to me since I was a boy!  Why, one reason is that I was told that I had a gift of encouragement.

Another reason why? When I was twenty-four years old, a pastor told us that we should be with the people that lifts us up. We should lift up one another and encourage each other.

Today I just listened to a sermon by Church On The Way pastor Tim Clark.  He mentioned this topic in his July 27 sermon http://tcotw.lightcast.com/

I find that I love his sermons, as he was a childhood friend.  His sermon encourages us to encourage one another and lift up each other.  He encourages us--like the writer of Hebrews--that we should keep meeting together and fellowshipping with each other. We should separate from one another for WE ARE ONE BODY OF JESUS.

He also ended his sermon with a passage from the Book of Joel that God will restore what the worm has eaten, what the Enemy has tried to destroy in our lives.

I am glad I listened to his sermon tonight.

Father wants us to encourage one another.  He wants is to lift up each other.  Don't just gossip and talk about how a person is unlike-able.

Rather, pray in the morning a little bit and say, 'Good Morning' to someone and give them a smile.  When we have a bad day and our head is splitting,   a kind word and a hopeful smile makes quite a difference!!!

Remember, Father will restore what we have lost and what The Enemy has tried to take from us.

We also have more than we realize through JESUS and we never have to fear or worrry, no matter what challenges we face this week or today or next week or tomorrow!

God Bless You!

Pastor Ken Harley :-)