This Month's Challenge (#4)

This Month’s Challenge (#4)

Alex D. Ogden

For the past three months we have been issuing challenges in this bulletin designed to help you better yourself and your service to the Lord. We began with the challenge of spending more of our time checking on and ministering to those of this congregation who are unable to be with us for a particular worship service because of illness. Then we challenged you to pray one time more per day than you have been accustomed to praying. Last month we challenged you to do all you could do to make this congregation more like the spiritual family our Lord wants us to be.

Having put forth the effort to meet these challenges I know you feel better about yourself and your relationship to the Lord. In the process of meeting these challenges you reached out to your brothers and sisters in Christ as well as to your Heavenly Father. By so doing you have helped yourself to mature, spiritually speaking.

Remember to continue to exercise yourself fully in the areas of previous challenges as new ones are issued. This is the only way to make permanent changes to your character and your service to the Lord.

The challenge we wish to issue for the coming month is simply this:

Involve yourself in every activity Paul mentions in 1 Thessalonians 5:14

1 Thessalonians 5:14 reads, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men” – KJV. The ASV renders it, “And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all.”

“Warn them that are unruly”

During this month make careful note of those in the congregation who may be unruly – that is, those whose lives do not conform to the Lord’s will in some way. Go out of your way, if necessary, to warn them of the wages they will receive for their sins (Romans 6:23). Fulfill your responsibility to save them from their sins (cf.James 5:19,20).

Pointing out the error in another’s life is not an easy thing to do. The task should be approached with genuine concern and love in our heart for the erring brother or sister. A “spirit of gentleness” is what Paul says we must have in restoring them to the faith (Gal.6:1). Show them in love where they have gone astray, pointing out specific passages they may have lost sight of. Plead with them to correct their ways. Offer to help them as they rebuild their faith and relationship with the Lord.

“Encourage the fainthearted”

It seems every congregation has those who are disheartened and discouraged because of something which has happened in their life. The fact is we all face circumstances at different times in our lives which discourage us. Having come through those down times with even greater faith in the Lord we should use those experiences to help those who are facing similarly discouraging times. We should encourage them to look to Jesus for strength (Phil.4:13; Heb.12:1-3). If they are discouraged because they face opposition from those in the world, remind them that one person plus God always makes a majority (Rom.8:31). As we see those among us who are discouraged realize a few kind words can go a long way in building them back up.

“Support the weak”

There are those whose spiritual strength is not sufficient to keep them from giving in to temptation. Such need the spiritually strong to help them stay on course (Rom.15:1; Gal.6:2). Search for any that are weak in the congregation and offer them a helping hand. It may be that a simple phone call from time to time will be sufficient to strengthen them. Remember how much you appreciated a helping hand during times when you felt spiritually weak? Well, others may be feeling the same need now.

“Be longsuffering toward all”

All to often we are unwilling to suffer long with others. I suppose this comes from the fast paced society in which we live. This unwillingness to suffer long is especially tragic when it comes to spiritual matters. We must learn to patiently endure one with another. This means we will patiently endure with the new convert who has not yet learned that certain things in their life must cease now they are in Christ. We will be patient with our brethren as they grow in the Lord’s service. We will suffer long when others try to do us wrong. We will be patient as we try to share the gospel with a lost friend. There will, no doubt, be many opportunities to exercise ourselves in this area.

There are four weeks in each month – one week for each of the things taught in 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Utilize your time wisely and grow as a child of God.