Exhortation

In Romans 12: 6-8 it states “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheeriness.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary exhortation comes from the Latin word exhortari. It is defined as an act or instance of exhorting or language intended to incite and encourage. The Strong’s dictionary defines exhortation as to call near, invite, invoke, beseech, call for, or to comfort. It also states that the Greek word for exhortation is parakaleo (verb). Para means from, of, at, by besides, or near and kaleo means to call, to call aloud or to invite. In the prophetic God has called us to exalt, exhort and encourage. 1 Corinthians 14:3 says “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort.” In Hebrew 3:13 we are told that we should exhort each other daily. Throughout the bible the word exhort occurs 14 times and exhortation 2 times. In Luke 3 we read about John the Baptist giving words of exhortation. Luke 3:18 says “And with many other - When John the Baptist was in the desert the word of God came to him and he began to travel and tell people about the baptism of repentance.” He exhorted people to repent for their sins, be baptized and there was one coming that would be greater than him. Another example of exhortation in the Bible is in 1 Thessalonians 4: 1 were it says “Furthermore then we beseech you breathen and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to live a Christian life and walk worthy of God. It is urgent and imperative that we not only we life a Christian life but we walk worthy of God. In