Strengthen The Weak! 🧵
How do we treat the weak among us? Do we belittle them because they are weak? Or rather do we encourage them in their weakness?
Encouragement doesn’t mean we don’t exhort them and instruct them in God’s Word, but it means we are patient with them as God works in their lives!
1 Thessalonians 5:14-24
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly (insubordinate), comfort the feebleminded (faint-hearted), support the weak, be patient toward all men.
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.
The LORD through Isaiah speaks about the restoration of His people and the land He gave them! He instructs them to encourage those who are weak and fearful of God’s faithfulness; of His promises, and of His deliverance!
Isaiah 35:3-4
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you.
Strengthening the weak, doesn’t mean we water down the Word of God so that sin is not spoken against.
As the LORD works in a life we understand that God can transform any life, no matter how sinful we were in our past!
God takes us as we were, and changes us into who we are to be in Him!
I love how Paul reminds the church at Corinth about this! Notice he both warns them that they can’t stay who they were and inherit the kingdom of God — but that they are made knew by the blood of Jesus — “such were some of you.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals),
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such WERE some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the LORD Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Beloved, let us remember as we speak to others to exhort and warn of the consequences of sin, not to forget to strengthen, and encourage them in their weakness!
Colossians 1:9-14,21-23
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
That ye might walk worthy of the LORD unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
[21] And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.
As the LORD is patient with us as He calls us to live holy lives, and be transformed — may we also be patient in strengthening the weak among us, remembering that such were some of us! May we extend the mercy we have been given to others!
2 Samuel 22:26
With the merciful Thou wilt shew Thyself merciful, and with the upright man Thou wilt shew Thyself upright.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Luke 6:36
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Jeremiah recalled what he had been through and was discouraged, but then he was reminded of the mercy of the LORD in his life! Let’s close with these encouraging Words!
Lamentations 3:19-24
Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.
#EyesOnHim
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