Bear one another's Burdens

Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

In this life we all have burdens. Life is full of problems. Those problems that we can handle we handle. There are other times when the burdens are too great, the need too large, and its then that we call on one another.

It is such an encouragement to have someone to call on. To have friends or family who will listen without judgment. Whose care goes beyond their opinion; who are lead first by the heart.

Equally just as encouraging are when you are called upon for help. When someone trusts you enough, needs you enough to call for help.

Or just to talk… Folks don’t sit down and talk like we once did. We are simply too busy--too busy at times for one another.

And yet if we are honest with ourselves and with others it is relationships that mean so much in life. The game or program on television will probably show up again but the moments for relationships come rarely and must be seized—must be embraced.

Times of struggle bring us together. Trials make our relationships stronger if our heart is to help, if our heart is for someone else’s benefit. If we are willing to carry, to hear, to help with someone else’s burden.

Heavenly Father, you’ve surrounded many of our lives with people who care, family who share, and burdens that help shape and build our relationships. Thank you for your wisdom, your mercy, and your ever growing presence in our lives—with the help of others…

The Goodness of God

O taste and see that the LORD is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8

There are times in this life when it is simply good to stop and consider; ceasing from activity and reflecting on the goodness of God. From morning to evening He blesses us and keeps us. His loving-kindness pulls at our hearts to be like Him—to be good.

Yet, in our everyday lives; when the rubber hits the road and the stresses of over-commitment, the to-do list that is not entirely according to his daily plan for us, and our own stubborn and willful ways we find that his love for us is mixed with mercy.

Our Father’s goodness and mercy helps us each and every day. When we find ourselves in trouble we call on our Heavenly Father and he delivers, he keeps, he shelters us and protects us.

How good and merciful is our loving Father! How kind and merciful are His ways towards us! We are a blessed people because of God!

Father, thank you for your goodness; your goodness that forgives our mistakes, that watches us while we sleep, and that delivers us when we are in rough-spots—typically from our own wrong doing. You are good and great and this morning we praise you!

Be pure love God's Word

Your word is very pure, Therefore Your servant loves it. Psalm 119:140

You know there are a lot of things in this life that are bad for you. For example: eating too much chocolate, drinking too much coffee or soda-pop, or taking in too many sweets. Now, most of us take in these substances everyday… I know I try… J but in the final analysis we find out that their taste just cannot compare with the purity and goodness found in the Word of God.

God’s Word is pure and righteous and clean and good. We can take part in it everyday, all the time, and in the greatest of qualities. Too much of it won’t make you sick or give you pimples or even expand your waist-line.

No, the more that we take-in God’s Word the better we are. His Word has a way of purifying our thoughts, cleaning and refining our intentions and molding our motives. We become better people because our minds are filled with the principles and thoughts of a loving and good Creator.

For let’s face it. We really are a sorry and miserable lot. Left to our selves we do the must cruelest acts and stupidest things. That’s why God gave us these instructions. All to clean us up and make us children that he is proud of and that we can be proud of whom we’ve become.

We cannot change on our own. Our strength is not great enough, our intentions not good enough, and our determination not stout enough to change the raw carnal nature that we possess.

So is there hope? Yes, and double-yes… we have the greatest hope for our hope is in God. He will not leave us in the condition that we first learned of him but his love and word will change us daily.

Take in his word today and find peace, contentment, joy, love, and the best of yourself--transformed by the awesome power of God’s Word!

Father, thank you for your Word! Thank you for your love towards us! Thank you for caring so much that over the centuries you preserved your Word to teach and guide us into truth, your truth. Help us and remind us to lean on your Word for in it we find joy and peace and contentment in this life and hope for the life to come in you.

Encouraging One Another

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to (A)the heirs of the promise (B)the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which (C)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of (D)the hope set before us. This (E)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which (F)enters within the veil, Hebrews 6:17-19

Our God encourages our hearts and gives us hope. A hope that strengthens us to continue on in this journey; a journey of the soul that he’s provided.

Just yesterday I received a letter in the mail. The letter was from a classmate that I ‘met’ in an on-line history class. At the time this young person expressed how her world was seemingly falling apart in one of her class responses. I responded with a few words of hope and encouragement from the Bible. I was the only person who responded. Her note told me of her prayers and of how God had seen her through her rough-patch. She simply wanted to write and tell me ‘thanks’ for the encouragement—encouragement that she said helped rekindle her hope and with that she began to seek God more earnestly. Over a short span of time she was able to see how her rough-patch actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Now, unknown to her—her little note in the mail encouraged my heart. For I had felt that my little ministry of encouraging others was not helping others much. Of course this thought was a lie.

What a difference a little encourage can bring to our lives and to the lives of others…
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Father, remind us to encourage one another. The days are evil and unsettling yet your Word gives us comfort, hope, and encouragement. Encouragement that touches our hearts and gives us the strength to face another day. Thank you for encouraging our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!