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Encouragement Isn’t Enough is unavailable, but you can change that!

It’s happened to you many times before: your friend just seems down about everything, nothing’s going right, and even the weather is dreary. You rack your brain trying to think of something to say, but words just won’t come. Finally you mutter something like I’m sure it’ll work out, or, Just keep on smiling. Pathetic. Lame. And not remotely encouraging to your friend. So, what can you say to your...

be warmed and filled,” but he doesn’t give him the bodily necessities to do so, what good is that? So also, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (James 2:15–17). James’ words remind me of the problem with much so-called encouragement. The words of those who offer it sound good, but they offer no help to back up what they say. They speak hollow words. Hollow encouragement is like false faith—it has no works and so is “dead.” Perhaps, where such words are not joined to works but stand alone,
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