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Endurance and Encouragement

Words of Faith Final

Endurance and Encouragement
Words of Faith 12-1-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Romans 15
    [5] May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, [6] so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

     Paul talks about endurance and encouragement. The two are closely related, actually. Endurance is perhaps the one quality that most determines long-term effectiveness in Christian life and ministry. Effectiveness is rarely measured in the short term. Effectiveness is not about the flash. It is always measured in the long term fruit and endurance can be elusive and rare.
    But what makes for such endurance? Encouragement is the key ingredient. Or better put, the lack of encouragement-- discouragement-- is the greatest deterrent to endurance. Most that fall away do not do so because of greed or temptation; they do so because of discouragement.
    Studies repeatedly show that Christian leaders and pastors often live under a burden of discouragement, and this, more than anything other thing, causes them to quit or fail.
    So what is the greatest source of discouragement? Among pastors, is it a small turnout or meager gathering? A low offering? A small building? No. Almost always, it is disunity. Many pastors will tell you that the one thing in the church that saps more energy than anything else is disunity. Such discouragement often comes from well-meaning people who cannot come together in Jesus. It is rooted in cities filled with churches that ignore one another. It takes hold among Christians who do not speak, much less cooperate. Where there is a spirit of unity, offerings, crowds, and buildings do not matter much.
     The same is true among many believers. When the hoopla dies down, and they discover that many believers behave in ways that are divisive, the discouragement factor can take the wind out of their sails. Discouragement then leads to disillusionment.
    Paul speaks to the weary and burdened, the tired and discouraged, the divided and estranged. His powerful words breathe blessing and hope-- May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Wow. These words of blessing need to be spoken over the Body of Christ everywhere. The answer is not in beating ourselves up or trying harder. The answer is not in contrived efforts to appear more united. The answer is never in anything that we could possibly DO. The blessing is from God.
    God gives endurance. You can't muster it up. You can only receive it. God gives encouragement. You can't reach down deep and pull that up either. You can only receive it. Unity is not a natural happening; it is a miracle that only God can give. But we can--we must-- receive it when the blessing comes. And oh the joy that we might glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one heart and mouth.

   Lord, I want to receive. I need Your endurance. I need Your encouragement. I need the unity that only You can inspire. Breathe into my life the joy that will glorify You in the unity of Your Spirit. Speak Your blessing among Your people. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2021 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.