Burden Bearing

Who cares?

This may be the question that you are asking as you are in the middle of a struggle.  This may be the question asked by the person you casually passed by.  Do we care enough to help others?  We are designed for relationships and can benefit as well as be beneficial to others when we are open to helping others.  It’s not uncommon for us to quickly step up and help someone with a bulky item, it is a good feeling to help bear the burden.  Maybe we are quick to do this because we instinctively know what needs to be done. 

How do we expand our ability to share burdens that aren’t intuitive to us?  We need to have a solid understanding that we don’t know everything.  Maybe the best way we can help someone who is hurting is to simply listen, to be a shoulder to cry on, to simply be present.  Caring enough to care is a solid first move for those willing to help others with their burdens.  An investment of time, energy and emotional strength is needed to help others, so it is imperative that a person is prepared in order to be effective at sharing the load of others.  Much like the instructions on an airline flight regarding the oxygen masks that may drop down in case of pressure loss in the cabin, secure your mask first, then help others.  You cannot give what you do not have, so be certain that you enrich your life with positive emotional and spiritual substance to have your tank full.

In the days ahead, prepare yourself to help others, look for opportunities and step up when the opportunities arise.  You were designed to make a difference, don’t miss your chance to lighten the load that those around you might be carrying today.

Commitment – A Path to Effectiveness

In today’s world of loose commitments, Christians are to certainly be counterculture in our approach to life.  Our society seems to thrive on attempting to be free of anything that ties them to anything that could bring clear definition of who they truly are.  The danger in cloaking the real person we are is that it can quickly spin out of control to the point that we really do not know ourself.

Why do we avoid being defined as a Christian?  Our Quest Class discussion this weekend brought up things like the restrictive nature of the workplace and the social backlash that could be aimed at us by non-Christian influences.  On a personal level we each need to determine which side we are going to affiliate with because on Judgement Day there will be a clear definition of who will be entering eternity with Christ in Heaven and who will not.  Approaching eternity as a “double-agent” is not a good plan, you cannot serve God and Satan, it’s One or the other.

When considering the “cost” of being clear of who we are as a devoted follower of Christ, doesn’t it make sense to sell out completely to Him?  Worst case scenario, you live a long life here on earth and everyday you face opposition to your faith, you’re not invited to the booze-fest, or to the fancy social gatherings.  Try calculating what lasts longer, 100 years here on earth or eternity in Heaven, then decide where to invest your days.

Serious consideration must be made by those who want to take a casual approach to their salvation.  We believe that salvation cannot be lost which is an absolute truth from the Bible.  However, it is imperative that we KNOW that we are saved as the Bible also tells us that there will be many who cry out, Lord, Lord, and He will respond, “I never knew you”.  Here’s some help with this scenario, complete the ABC’s of salvation.  From my observation most folks quickly accept the A & B of salvation as it is easy to see where we have sinned and can admit to it.  Acknowledging and believing the Christ paid the price for our sins with His death on the cross and subsequent defeat of death through His resurrection and ascention to Heaven, takes some faith but can be nailed down in our soul.  It is the “C” of the ABC’s that will be the missing link for folks come Judgement Day as Confessing Christ as Lord of our life requires a complete submission to His control in our life.  The C can also be approached as our “Commitment” to Him, anything short of 100% means that we are operating under “Co-Lordship” in our life, Christ and self or something along those lines.  Co-Lordship isn’t an option for Christians because we were completely bought out of the slavery of sin when we accept His salvation.  If we do not turn over our life to Him, we essentially short change Him and will miss Heaven.  Be certain that your commitment is to Christ and Christ alone.

Here are some practical ways to be certain your are committed to Him.  Evaluate your life, are you producing fruit?  Are you plugged in to the church?  The church is His design and offers many ways for you to engage your spiritual gifts for the good of His Kingdom.  Understand this clearly, I am not saying you’ll earn salvation through works but that works prove out your salvation.  Christians are those who are desiring to grow into Christ’s likeness, through devoted study of His Word, engaged in communicating with Him through a robust prayer life and serving the world through the work of His local church.  He has provided all the tools necessary to enjoy a successful life here on earth and assurance of eternity with Him, take advantage of these and grow into the person He designed you to be.

Wrapping Up the Relationship Principles of Jesus

How do we love like Jesus loves?  In our own capacity we don’t have what it takes to love everyone the perfect way that Jesus does but through His power we can come much closer.  He didn’t have to buy expensive gifts or put on a facade to express love, He loved genuinely.

During our study we picked up on some principles that make the difference.  First we make relationships a top priority by investing time and energy in them.  We should love others just as Jesus loves us, unconditionally.  We need to communicate honestly and be brave enough to allow others to communicate honestly with us.  It is imperative that we understand the danger of judging others because we will be judged in that same manner. Finally, we need to understand that when we focus on giving or serving instead of being served we help the relationship get stronger.  The very best relationship would be where both parties practice the principles listed above.

The question now is, “Will we practice the principles we have learned in order to do my part in strengthening our relationships”?  We cannot wait for others to make the first step toward a better relationship, so it is important that we get started right away.  Choose to begin now and you’ll be on your way to loving more like Jesus does.

Getting Your Needs Met

In this world we are driven to take care of ourselves, to make sure we get all we deserve.  From the time we are big enough to express our demands, we are looking out for number one.  As we get older, we develop ways to hide our selfishness but when exposed our ability to manipulate relationships to get our way is pure selfishness.

The example that Jesus provided for us is much different than the method the world works by.  His example showed us that we receive all that we need and more when we focus on serving others needs.  When put into practice the method accomplishes two things, serving others puts our mind on doing for others so we don’t have time to worry about what we need and we receive the blessing of joy when positively impacting those around us.

Using the Biblical example, to get our needs met we must be focused on serving those around us.  Whatever our specific need is, it may prove effective for us to serve others in that same way.  If we need friendship, then we need to serve as a friend to others.  Find ways to do for others and you’ll find that God will meet all your needs and more.