Have you ever thought much about the ministries each of us Christians have to our fellow members of Christ’s church?
We are meant to edify them, encourage them, build them up, contribute positively to their lives, and benefit them in some way.
Edify – to instruct especially so as to encourage intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement.
We should, with every encounter, make it our aim that people are better off for having been in your presence. Try to give something to the other person.
Everyone needs edification and encouragement, and we are free to offer that when we have hearts filled by God.
Take Time to Be Filled
Take time to sit at Jesus’ feet and be filled by God’s Spirit as you study the written Word.
Focus on overcoming internal obstacles to doing God’s work.
Ministry and service to others is stimulated when we take the time to develop our skills and overcome our weaknesses.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. – Luke 10:27
You have more to give to your neighbor if you regularly place yourself before God and let Him grow you, strengthen you, and transform you!
Memorize Scriptures of Encouragement
If you are faithful to commit to memory selected gems from God’s Word, you’ll suddenly find them adding real substance to your conversations.
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. – Colossians 4:6
You will never fail to better the lives of those you encounter if you put this scripture to practice.
Your life will offer refreshing encouragement to all who cross your path.
The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. – Isaiah 50:4
Remember that we cannot give away what we do not possess, so it is good to memorize some pertinent words of encouragement from the Bible to share with people in need.
Knowing scripture gives you “a word in season,” something timely and appropriate to the situation.
Start with learning a verse or two and then you will have filled your heart with a source of encouragement to many!
Make Phone Calls to Encourage
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. – Proverbs 12:25
An easy way to encourage and make a heart glad is to reach out and touch someone by phone. A simple, quick call can do much to gladden the heart of the recipient.
Write Notes of Encouragement
Writing a note by mail or email to those who need encouragement is another way to share a good word that makes the heart glad.
Set aside a certain time in your day or week to jot a few personal notes or letters. This is an awesome ministry!
This doesn’t have to be a lengthy and detailed letter. Three simple sentences can convey a lot.
Sentence 1: conveys you miss or appreciate them and are thinking of them.
Sentence 2: conveys that they are special to you and why.
Sentence 3: conveys that you are praying for them. (include a scripture).
Encourage Others Through Three Spiritual Gifts
Serving, Mercy, Giving
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. – Romans 12:7-8
Serving – helping or ministering. It is the basic ability to help other people, and there is no reason why every Christian cannot have and use this gift.
Mercy – showing mercy is like the gift of ministering and involves helping those who are sick.
Giving – the ability to distribute one’s own money to others, and it is to be done with simplicity which means with no thought of return or gain for oneself in any way.
Commit now to kindle your efforts to serve, show mercy, and give and therefore fulfilling the law of God and encouraging His people.
Live Your Priorities
By living your priorities you will teach and disciple many women, without saying a word.
Proverbs 31:11-31.
This is a portrait of a woman living out her priorities. Her words are not recorded, but her works are.
Concentrate on being who God wants you to be and doing what He wants you to do.
Being what God wants you to be – a woman after God’s own heart – is a powerful ministry.
Everything you do and don’t do teaches:
Gossip, planning, witnessing, obedience, etc.
Ministry is always a matter of the heart. If your heart is filled with a watchful concern for God’s people, you will be privileged to refresh many souls in need of encouragement.
Others can simply watch you and be encouraged in their own quest to follow God.
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