Want Help with That?

Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].
Galatians 6:2 The Amplified Bible

Have you ever had a difficult season in life? Yes, I know... stupid question. Every living being has had at least one. What do you do in those times? To whom do you turn? Yes, of course, Jesus. He's our only true hope. But do you have anyone to help you pray when you can't? Someone or several someones to help you when your burdens are perhaps more physical than spiritual?

What's your definition of "burdens"? We definitely need to help carry spiritual burdens - moral struggles, addictive sin, matters of an eternal nature. What about helping when someone is moving from one house to another? What about during an illness or a long recovery? Meals? Mowing? Cleaning their house when they can't? Are we as willing to walk through the truly tough times - death of a loved one? Loss of a job? Providing groceries? Caring for children or the elderly?

These are just a few examples of being Christ's hand extended - the law of Christian love. Also in the Amplified Bible, John 13:35, Jesus instructs us, By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another. 

Take a moment and think about those God has put within your sphere of influence. How can you help?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for the times we have missed the opportunity to be Your hand extended to fulfill the law of Christian love. Open our eyes to see as You see. Open our hearts to feel for others as You would. Grant us the wisdom and the wherewithal to help those around us. Help us to live so that we are known by Your love and unselfish concern for others. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - Our Reputation

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important…
Galatians 6:1-3 NLT

What’s our reputation say about us? Are we good at what we do? Are we accessible? Are we a team player or are we shooting for celebrity status? I just love how Paul cuts to the nuts and bolts of a matter, don’t you? It doesn’t matter how high up we go on the proverbial ladder, we are never to be farther above than what it takes to be able to extend our hand to help another believer.

That’s not to say that we are not supposed to continually “come up higher” – you certainly can’t get any higher than Christ Himself- and yet He was never so far that He couldn’t reach us. In fact, quite the opposite. He laid it all down so that He could reach us.

Philippians 2:1-8 tells us, Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

So… which reputation are we working on?

Prayer:

Father,
           Strengthen us to take the encouragement from belonging to Christ, the comfort from His love, the fellowship together in the Spirit and keep our hearts tender and compassionate. Lord, we want to follow You by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

A Helping Hand

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Luke 22:31-32 NKJV

I am often surprised that we (myself included) allow ourselves to be deluded into believing that since we are Christians, nothing is supposed to touch us. That we can be shocked and confused when something less than wonderful comes our way… or when we fall down… Let me encourage you in the Word because after all, we are supposed to encourage one another while it is called Today.

Proverbs 24:16a - The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.

Job 5:19 - From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you.

Selections from Psalm 37:
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
25 Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.

34 Put your hope in the Lord.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.

39 The Lord rescues the godly;
He is their fortress in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in Him.

Jesus said, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.

Prayer:

Father,
          I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that we will be strong in the power of YOUR might – that we will lean on Your arms and not trust the strength of mere man. Let that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and that now resides in every follower of Christ RISE UP and cause us to be the overcomers You intend for us to be! You’ve done Your part – the shed Blood of the Lamb. Give us Your strength to do what You have planned for us to do. I pray for everyone reading this, whether on the Promise list or forwarded by a friend, for a renewing and a reviving of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Pour in, Father. We need more of You. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen