Bear burdens.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:19

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Gal. 6:2-5

What a long way we have to go brothers and sisters. Imagine for a second all the comparing that gets done in this foolish world. We are constantly thinking foolish thoughts about this and that, comparing things that we should not be, and wondering what if. God is busy all day, every day, bearing our burdens with us. Then He counsels us to bear one an other's burdens. Without bearing one an other's burdens we are not fulfilling the law of Jesus. The next sentence tells it all and exposes us for who we are. We think we are something when we are nothing. We are totally deceived in this. We are so important in our own minds. What we think, feel, and do is so important to us that it taints our vision and enslaves us within our own vain thoughts.

Let us take heart and be encouraged to stop looking within and start looking without. Grab a brother or sister that is close and put your shoulder into their burden. Push with all your might and pray to God for help. Follow the good counsel given long ago from a burden bearer. May we be found bearing one an other's burdens when our Lord Jesus returns. Grace and peace all you servants of the Lord.

Leia Mais…

What?

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Phil. 2:14-18

This is one of my favorite scriptures. Praise God for this advice to do everything without complaining. Notice it doesn't say do some, or most things, do everthing without complaining. Let us take this advice and enter into the very difficult work of doing all things with a positive mind, heart, and word. Blessings.

Leia Mais…

Difficult Teaching?

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Luke 9:57-62

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matt. 11:28-29

These two sections of scripture help us learn a difficult lesson. In our perspective we think that to say, "I will follow Jesus", is a great thing for someone to say. Jesus' response was very interesting. He did not get emotional and excited, but suggested to them the cost of their decision. He didn't say no, but neither did He say yes come along. The response discerns the motive of the followers heart, which is the point. Works like following, are not the point Jesus is trying to get at. He is getting to the motive of the following. Jesus did not coddle these possible new followers, because the heart of their decision needed to be discerned. There is a huge and valuable lesson here. Not all things that are done are done from a right motive, when the motive is faulty the result can be disastrous.

Take heart all you children of God. Jesus' call is still come all who are heavy laden and find rest for your souls. When we come to Him like this there is no questioning about motive, we are received and find rest. If we are quick to strike out with a saying like, "Lord I will follow You where ever you go", be ready for a response to discern the motive. These are two very different ways of approaching Jesus. Let us learn together from these scriptures and come to Jesus with our burdens to find rest.

Leia Mais…

Freedom?

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. Psalm 119:45

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners... Isa. 61:1

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 1Cor. 8:9

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2Cor. 3:17

This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. Gal. 2:4

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Gal. 5:1

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love. Gal. 5:13

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Eph. 3:12

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 1Peter 2:16

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Freedom is important. To be free from serving sin and serving law are central themes in the New Testament. The thing that freedom shows most vividly is the nature of the heart. Freedom is not in question, what we do with our freedom is. Not using freedom as an excuse to sin and not accepting freedom from the yoke of law are two sides of the same coin. Let us embrace this freedom offered by Jesus to live the life of service that He lived. Let us exercise our freedom from sin and law to freely serve as our Lord did. We have been set free from sin and law so that we can freely offer up the sacrifice of love.

Leia Mais…

A personal word.

What an awesome blessing it is to get to share this christian walk with others. I just want to take a minute to be personal. God has shown us His love in the real life of His Son Jesus. We have been given that testimony by the pen of His followers in the form of gospels. The life of Jesus shows us first hand the living, active heart of God. His ways are not the ways of the world, as a matter of fact, the world hates His ways. God is so loving and patient that He permits this opposition. He is so confident in His Son Jesus that He facilitates the existence of His enemy. He literally loves and sustains His enemies. What an indescribable God.

Brothers and sisters it is not enough for us to analyze and scrutinize the life of Jesus in the scriptures. We need to literally adopt His life as the model for our own. So much effort is put into trying to live a life that is in accord with this world, but that ends up in the Kingdom. This is wasted energy. What Jesus is trying to get at is not a better us, it is a totally recreated us. He wants to make us new, not a little better. He wants us to walk and live in the fullness of Himself. I get that this sounds crazy, and is totally scary. I feel the same way at times, but I have also experienced enough of this walk to know that it is the only way.

Be of good courage there is company on the journey. Jump into the abyss of faith, it is the way that God has purposefully designed for His children to travel. Don't be afraid, or hindered in any way any more. If there is anything that is hindering you, let's grapple that out together in love, here for us all to grow in grace. Take heart the life of faith in Jesus is full of grace and hope. Share with us here if you have experienced Him this way, and feel free to ask any questions if you haven't.

Leia Mais…