“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25 NLT) In today’s devotion, we’re going to talk about the hot-button issue of confronting, motivating, and encouraging our fellow believers. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18 NLT). And while his words carry practical implications for our daily interactions with people, we need to keep in mind that peace—that is, the absence of conflict—isn’t necessarily the goal for believers. Our goal is to obey God and accomplish His will in this world. And sometimes that goal will take us not only out of our comfort zone but also out of our peaceful zone. As believers, we’re part of God’s church. We’re part of the body of believers. As with the human body, the spiritual body of Christ works best when the parts work together. But with so many moving pieces, that’s not always the case. Conflict—believers getting out of sync with one another—is inevitable. But the need for fellowship never changes. When you’re walking with God, you’ll want to be with God’s people. And often, when you find yourself out of fellowship with God, you’ll also find yourself out of fellowship with other believers. You’ll find yourself saying things like, “I don’t really know if I want to go to church today. Besides, there are so many hypocrites. When I go, I feel judged.” People often quote Matthew 7:1, which says, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (NKJV). However, the passage also could be translated as, “Condemn not, that you be not condemned.” We are not to condemn other people. But evaluation is something we should do for one another, helping one another, encouraging one another, and, if necessary, correcting one another. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (NLT). Sparks may fly occasionally, but the result is two people with keen spiritual edges. That’s why I reserve the right to confront, if necessary, a fellow Christian who is on the wrong track. As Hebrews 10 says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (verses 24–25 NLT). God wants us to be holy people—not holier-than-thou in the way someone looks down at another with condescension. Rather, being a holy person means living a life that is honoring to God and wanting to become more like Jesus every day. The people who are willing to risk confrontation to help fellow believers accomplish that should be welcomed and celebrated. They are doing a mighty work for God’s kingdom. Reflection question: What would it look like in your life to motivate and encourage a fellow believer in their walk with Christ? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest Partner Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
