Shofar Stellenbosch | Godly CommunitySample

 Encouragement Part 1

Let’s face it, sometimes life is just tough and we don’t always have it easy on any standard. And as Christians we are called to live a certain lifestyle that is different from the world, sometimes it just feels like we won't make it. This would be true; we wouldn’t be able to make it… alone. That is why we have a spiritual family/community that is there when things get tough, to encourage, to love and to exhort you. Yesterday we spoke about family and that through the Holy Spirit we gain an identity into the spiritual family of Jesus. Today we want to cover family and a base of encouragement and support.

In this spiritual family we learn to cultivate, grow and also protect our beliefs. 

‘Week in, week out, life-on-life, non-negotiable Christian community covers a thousand threats in our lives. Make fellowship in your community a habit. 

Read: Romans 15: 5-7

• What does it mean to live in harmony with one another? 


• What is the outflow of living in harmony with one another? 


• Write down a couple of ways in which I can apply encouraging others and living in harmony with my spiritual family. 


• How would our community look if we lived in this way? 

Three notes that we want to add. 

1. The time for spiritual community is now, not later


2. God calls us to provoke one another for good. Partnering under Gods word and prayer with a brother or sister who knows me for me and being able to speak the truth in love specific areas of my life.


3. Healthy Christians make fellowship a habit. 

Habits free our focus so we can give attention to, and be more fully aware in the moment while carrying out regular tasks and actions. The art of being present. 

Prayer

'Lord thank You that You are the God of endurance and encouragement. Help us to see what it means to live in harmony with one another and help us to stir up good works in one another.'