Mentoring Minutes

“Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” (James 5:9)

Love and Lordship in Focus…How do you respond to others? Would they consider you to be pleasant and encouraging…or a grumbler and complainer? God’s Word tells us very clearly that grumbling leads to judgment. Where do you stand before The Judge when it comes to your loving…or not so loving responses to others?

Christ has made it so that we can always respond with kindness and without grumbling no matter what the circumstances or the nature of the others involved. Take Him at His Word and cease grumbling.

James is one of the most practical books of the application of our faith in the works and fruit that are evidence of our salvation. As the Elder at the fledgling church in Jerusalem shortly after Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension…and as the half-brother of Christ, I can only think that his practicality, led by The Holy Spirit, was borne out of real-life situations and relationships.

In our previous “one another” from James, he commanded believers not to slander or say anything evil about others. The next practical “one another” is found in James 5:9 where again his pragmatic instruction to us is, “Don’t grumble against each other…” Hmm, you think that Christians were and are prone to grumbling against each other?

Of course we are! Because, as Paul stated in various ways, even though we are saved and have the new identity in Christ and The Holy Spirit in us, as long as we are alive and breathing, we must still contend with this fallen, sinful flesh of the old man or woman. That means our natural tendency is to complain, grumble, slander, cut others down rather than build them up.

We can only follow through on these commands consistently as we continue to mature in Christ and His Holy Spirit maturing us in the new nature He has imparted and imputed to and in us!

Remember that latter part of this verse states that if you grumble and complain against others, your will be judged accordingly because The Righteous Judge Himself is observing how you are handling things…and especially your relationship with others.

Paul echoes this in Philippians 2:14-15 and it also echoes in my ears and mind often as my dear Mother used to quote this to me and my siblings whenever we would begin to grumble or complain about anything. She and my Dad would add, “doesn’t do any good and only makes matters worse so it’s up to you.”

How are you doing when it comes to grumbling against others… not on your good days but on your worst days? That’s the real test. How do you handle it when others grumble against you?

Christ has made a way as we walk with Him as Lord…not just as Savior…to be able to mature in His Spirit as we become more and more like Him allowing His Spirit to have His way in and through us. That’s how others can see Jesus!

Let’s thank The Lord for making it possible for us to die to the old person of our flesh and selfish desires and live in the new person that we are in Christ by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. This is the only way that we can truly live out these “one another” commands to love others and maybe even especially those like today’s exhortation to not grumble against each other…even when things don’t go my way or others grumble against me. Let’s thank Him for helping us exhibit the love of Jesus by the power of The Holy Spirit so others can see and know Him and build His Kingdom and bring Him Glory! (Philippians 2:14-16a)

Food for Thought…Have you become a grumbler by your thoughts and habits…the way you think and react to others when things don’t go your way? In line with James, and of course they’re in line because The Holy Spirit is the uniting Author of all Scripture, Paul tells us in Philippians 2:14, “Do everything without grumbling or complaining,” and then v.15 reminds us why…so we can shine like stars in the universe…that would be shining His light. Where are you when it comes to this command to be like Christ and ultimately to shine His light to a lost and dying world? How would those closest to you answer that question?

Love in Action…

1. Spend time with God and in His Word, prayer and listening every day…begin with the Scriptures in this episode.
2. Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
3. Pause to consider whether others, especially those closest to you, would consider you a grumbler and complainer. If so, begin to allow The Holy Spirit to change you.
4. What and whose light are you shining by how you respond to others? If it’s your light, be willing to stop the grumbling and make it His!

Once again we’ve got a “negative one another” that tells us to stop doing what our flesh naturally and generally tends toward. Know that only in Christ and His Holy Spirit can we truly accept others with all their quirks and warts and do so without grumbling against them. Thank The Lord for those in your life who’ve helped you realize and grow in this and help others follow in this same path to be more like Jesus.  

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, forgive me when I allow myself to become a complainer and grumble against others when things don’t go my way. This only makes things worse for others…and for me. Help me to remember Your commands are for my good so help me to not grumble against others or any time. In Jesus Name. Amen.

“not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)

“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sisteror judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.” (James 4:11)

Love and Lordship in Focus…Positive encouragement is a great part of loving others but there is also the refraining from negative actions and reactions toward others that strengthens our love for one another.

I shared in last week’s post about the form of encouragement known as “spurring one another on,” that encouragement comes in many forms…one of those is in the form of a negative command that The Lord calls us to not simply encourage each other but to be sure that we are not slandering or tearing others down. How are you doing when it comes to encouragement vs slander? 

In this message we’ll look at 2 “one anothers” as one of them is a continuation of last week’s command and a repeat of several others, showing its importance. Paul reminds us, as He exhorts us to not forsake our assembling together in loving fellowship, that we are to once again “encourage one another” in Hebrews 10:25. So let’s look for ways to encourage other believers especially when it comes to gathering together in order to build up the loving fellowship of all believers…we need this now as much if not more than ever!

This is not just meeting for weekend services, although that is certainly an important part of it as the writer of Hebrews reminds us. This also includes, as it would have in Biblical times, gathering in small groups, homes and other fellowship meetings to encourage one another and build Godly relationships that lovingly hold us accountable to The Lord and to each other in His Love. Be constantly looking for opportunities to do so…and then make it happen.

Whatever you do don’t get caught up in being guilty of ignoring our second “one another” in this post…

This “one another” is from James, the half-brother of Jesus and elder of the Church at Jerusalem. In James 4:11 he instructs us under the guidance of The Holy Spirit, “…Do not slander one another.” You think maybe as the head of the young church in Jerusalem that James may have encountered the human nature found in all of us that tends to pull and tear others down…even among believers? This is the antithesis of encouragement…which is why I’m sharing these two “one anothers” together…what we are called to do and what we are called not to do.

My precious late Mother, along with my recently passed Dad, used to say to my brother, sister and me something we’ve likely all heard, “If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.” This would certainly help us to not slander or tear others down, especially other believers.

This does not mean we avoid speaking hard Truths that must be shared or we are not loving but it does mean we never intentionally speak harm to or about others but as we’ve been commanded elsewhere we build one another up in Christ.

I find it very compelling that this text comes right after James 4:10 in which we are instructed to humble ourselves before The Lord. Without humility we will find ourselves slandering and tearing each other down under the guise of “pointing out faults” or “for prayer.” May we humble ourselves and choose not to slander our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Have you ever been the target of slander from other believers? Did you respond in kind or did you humbly pray and forgive? Do you find yourself in weak moments saying things that tear others down (slander them)? How can we intentionally choose to encourage rather than slander?

I doubt there is one of us that has not at some point been guilty of slandering someone else. I know I have. We need to seek forgiveness when we are caught in those moments when we choose to tear someone down because it has been done to us or we fail to lift and build them up…encourage them…as we are called to do. This requires humility to lift someone up and not slander or tear them down…or bring them down to my level. Let’s seek The Lord and His

Spirit to help us once again as a powerful way of loving others to encourage and build them up by Your grace and for Your Glory!

Food for Thought…When has someone encouraged you and others to help build up the group or community of believers? What do you do when given the opportunity to encourage others? Slander only serves to destroy or tear down others and the Body of Christ? What’s been your experience with slander…and the outcomes?

Love in Action…

1. Spend time with God and in His Word and prayer every day…begin with the Scriptures in this episode.
2. Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
3. When have you seen the results of encouragement and slander on the community of believers? How have either or both impacted you?
4. What can you do in your fellowship of believers to ensure that you’re encouraging others and refraining from slander even when others do so?  

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, encouragement is so powerful and essential not just in our lives as individuals but in the community of Christ’s Church. Help me to encourage at every chance that I can and choose not to slander even when it seems natural or others may be doing so to me. May I choose humility in Christ in all things. In Christ’s Name. Amen.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” (Hebrews 10:24 NIV)

Encouragement can come in many forms…as any parent, teacher or coach will tell you. Some are gentle reminders, some are a little more firm and still others may actually sting a bit. The point is that we all need encouragement and just as The Lord encourages us in different ways we are called to graciously and discerningly do the same for others…and be willing to accept when they “spur us on.” 

We’re going to look at another one of those slightly more difficult “one anothers” today. In Hebrews 10:24 the writer under the power of The Holy Spirit tells us to “…Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

The word “spur” here in some translations is “encourage” (which we’ve heard over and over again and is very “encouraging”) but it is more often interpreted to: “stir up”, “incite” or “provoke.” These latter interpretations give a little more kick (pun intended) as we all know from cowboy movies that a spur is a bit more than just an light, soft encouragement.

The Greek word here implies more than just encourage as it carries with it the force of those latter words to act in such a way that it causes us to move in the way that we should. “Spur” or “provoke” to right action may very well be the best interpretation and we need to be willing to both give the extra push as well as receive it when we need it.

The context of this verse was that the writer was encouraging the Hebrew believers (and us today) to stand strong in our faith and it would take some extra pushes and provocations toward love and good deeds to remind us of and help us be solid in our walk of faith.

We need each other and we need to love “one another” in all the ways that we’ve been exploring and studying in these commands of Scripture that grow us as disciples and together as His Church. So don’t be afraid when someone gives you the extra “spur” and remember it must always be done in love to keep you/me/us strong in our belief and walk in Christ. Also, don’t be afraid to graciously, and as needed, firmly “spur” others on to strengthen their faith walk.

Do you have someone that “spurs” you in your walk in Christ? Are you “spurring” others along? We need this so that we will continue in love and good deeds to one another and build up the fellowship of loving believers that is His Church!

Much like the horse who at times just needs a word, at other times needs a slight pat and yet there are times when what is needed is the spur in the side to prompt them to move. And just like the horse, there are times when I don’t respond to the gentle word or slight pat and need the spur and just like the horse, I don’t always like to be “spurred on” but God’s Word tells us we need to do so.

I need to be willing to properly receive it when needed by The Lord and by others and be willing to gently but firmly apply it when others need to be “spurred on.”   

Food for Thought…In what ways have others encouraged you and it made a positive difference in your life? What about the times you spurned the gentle encouragement but someone loved you enough to spur you on and it made all the difference? Are you willing, as needed, to graciously apply the “spurs” in order to truly instill courage in another? God has called us to do so. May we do so when it is called for with wisdom, grace, mercy and love.

Love in Action…

1. Spend time with God and in His Word and prayer every day…begin with the Scriptures in this episode.
2. Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
3. Can you remember a parent, teacher or coach who spurred you on and it made a huge difference in your life?
4. Spend time specifically seeking The Lord and His wisdom whenever there is a need for you to spur someone on in love.  

Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.

Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, when I see a horse getting spurred I don’t think of it as loving…and yet You tell us in Your Word to “spur one another on” to good deeds. I realize in my selfish flesh that I need this and I need to lovingly spur others on. May I do so in Your Love and for Your Kingdom and Glory! In Christ’s Name. Amen.