EDIFY ONE ANOTHER. Any weakling can hurt others, be offended or offend. So many people think they are supposed to be like angry Old Testament prophets, speaking the ‘truth in love’ but there is no love, and really, no truth when talking about politics or the news. We just look for news that agrees with our personal philosophies and politics, with no way of vetting the already dubious sources. Are you really loving that person you are speaking to? (That’s what speaking the truth in love means). Nothing good comes out of speaking what we really don’t know for a fact, and definitely not without genuine love. Fortunately we are not called to be Old Testament prophets, but we are called to be New Testament prophets.
1 Cor 14:3… he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
People in this world wide ‘lockup’ are stir crazy. They say horrible things on FaceBook, on the phone and in emails things they would never say face to face to a person. People are tense. No one believes anything anymore, but we as Christians believe what the Bible says. Use this period of crisis and uncertainty to be that guy that confidently edifies others, not tearing them down. I am trying to edify whoever reads this. How we treat others reveals how much we esteem God. Do we want to impact others for good or for bad? Paul is talking here about us as Christians edifying one another. This isn’t about witnessing to the lost, but even so, many of these tips will go a long way to winning someone to the Lord. But this is meant primarily for the family of believers. Putting down and destroying other denominations is absolutely baffling to the non-believer. It’s confusing (which isn’t from God, so it’s satanic) and it causes strife (which is satanic as well). God didn’t save us to be Satan’s pack mule. We are to be racehorses for Team Jesús, spurring each other on.
(PART#5 of the 7 `E’s” that lead to ESTEEMING God, ‘EDIFY’)
1 Sam 2:30 for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
ed·i·fy. instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually
TO EDIFY IS TO INSTRUCT. Teaching isn’t only done in classrooms. We teach one another constantly. We teach others the same way we teach our children. By example. As Christians we should be teaching everyone we come into contact with about the goodness of God and how to follow Christ’s examples. How to be led by the Spirit of God. Very rarely do we truly teach just by opening our mouths. We, as Christians, should model morality, temperance, kindness and love. When we repeat Jesus’ teachings, we should do it in the way Jesus would teach. The talk without the walk, and giving unsolicited opinions are worthless.
We are to instruct, (teach) in order to help each other to do things in a better way, as it is mentioned in the New Testament. Teaching by example. To encourage one another to spend more time in the Word and in prayer. To be doers of the Word, not just church goers. To share new revelations that we have had, as we dig deeper into God’s Word and spending time alone with Him. We are to be a happily flickering light in this world, sharing joyfully what we learn. That’s God’s way of edifying. People on their own lean toward being a black cloud of hurt feelings, being full of contention. When they are like that, they can not teach anything worthwhile. Teach one another a better way, from a good place, from a God esteeming place. Be like Aquila and Priscilla. Teach them the better way, the Jesus way.
Acts 18:26 “And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”
TO EDIFY MEANS TO IMPROVE. You will never improve anyone by being negative. People remember how you made them feel, not by what you said to them. They only want to know that they care about them personally. First step is to take a sincere interest in an individual. Second step is to establish a real relationship with someone after knowing that you actually care for them. Third step is to help them to improve, only when they realize they need improving. There are some ways we can gently improve others without them asking for help. It always helps to do so gently, and with a smile on your face. I once told Roger Wing (the Calvary Chapel Overseer for my ministry) that I had to go somewhere. He smiled and gently said ‘no, you get to go some where’. That really improved me. We want other believers to be running on all cylinders, as I said, like a thoroughbred race horse. We have to have a united front now, more than ever. We are passing through this hostile world with one purpose, to help one another, so Jesus will be glorified. That is our desire because we esteem the Lord. We have to work together, edifying one another. As we edify one another, we esteem God. Strife in any form does not edify anyone and doesn’t please God. Its not Godly, its satanic. Strife creates disharmony. It has no place among the saints. Edified saints are on the same sheet of music, esteeming the Lord, as they esteem one another.
Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
SO, WHAT’S NEW AT PUREHEART?
We are registering new students. Teachers are back preparing lesson plans. Daily discipleship and English class is in full swing. English class we are focusing on pronunciation. There is nothing worse than being grammatically correct, and not being understood. Discipleship class we are going through Proverbs. (conforming to the date). Hopefully they develop a lifetime habit of reading the proverb of the day (conforming to the date, for example on Feb 2 we studied Proverb 2. 31 proverbs, so it works out.
COVID 19 UPDATE-NOT ONE CASE-PSALM 91
PRAYER REQUESTS, all in all the same.
- Government wise, everything is in a paid state and redone, we are just waiting for the next step.
- NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR OUR OWN HOME APART FROM THE MINISTRY. IT WILL BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO DIRECT AND OVERSEE EVERYTHING, BUT NOT INSIDE THE MINISTRY’S WALLS. IT’S NON STOP HERE AND WINNIE’S NOT WELL. SHE NEEDS A HAVE. I FOUND A HOUSE FOR 29K, we have almost 10k towards it.
- FOR THE ORPHANAGE THAT I KNOW IS IN OUR FUTURE. NOT ONLY AN ORPHANAGE, BUT AN OLD FOLKS HOME AS WELL. I THINK THE TWO CAN BE SIDE BY SIDE ON THE SAME PROPERTY, IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF MONEY. IT WOULD BE A BLESSING TO THE OLD FOLKS TO HEAR KIDS PLAYING, AND IT WOULD BE A BLESSING FOR THE KIDS TO HAVE ABUELAS AND ABUELOS.
- AMERICA!
- WINNIE`S HEALTH
PRAISE REPORTS
- Teachers are back, all is well- the outreaches in the dump and the communities never stop.
- FINANCES ARE GOOD, thank you! I have been praying for even the durability of the buildings and vehicles, everything has been going better. Not as much breakage nor wear and tear. Prayer works. God is on the throne.
- Issues and angst have been disappearing, all pressure is gone. I don’t know how I stood it. Our prayers (yours and mine) are working. There is Victory in Jesus!
- We are relaxed, ministry is thriving, all is well.
PLEASE KEEP ON DOING WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU`RE DOING, IT’S WORKING!! pray, donate, and spread the word about us, what we are doing and the needs here!
Please share this letter on FB and with your friends, churches & civic groups! Thank you!!!
Dean and Winnie Peters
Joyfully serving the ‘least of these’ in Nicaragua for the glory of God