CARRY EACH OTHER'S BURDENS

Galatians 6:2

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Regarding teamwork, Christian author Virginia Whitman wrote that when the South Asian Weaver ants build a nest, “a column of them lines up on the edge of a tree leaf, clinging to it with their hind legs while reaching for another with their front limbs. With team work they bring the two leaf edges together. Meanwhile, another team of them have lined up in readiness on the underside of the leaf. Each ant is holding a live larva of his own breed that he proceeds to use as a squeeze tube source of threads to fasten two leaves together. Successive leaves are woven together in this fashion until a nest has been completed.” It's interesting how Biblical principals can be used by even the smallest of God's creations. If Christians could sincerely carry each others burdens, all sorts of problems could be solved instantly. Challenges big and small would be dealt with as a shared load, without judgment from our brothers and sisters. And ultimately, huge things could be accomplished in the name our Father in heaven.

ACCEPTABLE ON THE INSIDE AND OUT

Genesis 4:5

But he did not accept Cain and his offering. This made Cain very angry and dejected.

Gifts are the types of things that are typically reserved for special occasions like Christmas, birthdays, and weddings. The first instance in the Bible of gift-giving is found in Genesis 4:5 where Cain and Abel bring their gifts to the Lord, and God finds Cain's gift unacceptable. His reaction begs us to ask ourselves the question, "Is there such a thing as unacceptable gift?" After all, gifts are meant to be sincere, right? Well, I can recall a Christmas party where someone received a gift and responded to the giver by saying, "Wow! This was the gift that I gave to you last year!" Getting caught "re-gifting" can be pretty embarrassing, and it's certainly a picture of giving an unacceptable gift. 1 Samuel 16:7 teaches us that, "The Lord doesn't make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions." Knowing this, make sure that when you give an offering to the Lord, whether it be time, work, money or actions, that it's acceptable on the inside and out. After all, the Lord is looking at both your thoughts and intentions.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Romans 1:25

Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.

So often we trade our Creator in for the creations made by Him. We give more time and attention to those creations that He has blessed us with and allowed us to have. What we need to understand, instead of chasing illusive items that can't ever truly fulfill us, is that we need to go to the Creator and recognize who He is in our lives. We need to be with Him in fellowship and a personal relationship. On Christmas Eve in 1968, the crew of the spaceship Apollo 8 broadcast a familiar message to earth: "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." The astronauts then relayed to earth a sublime picture of the enormity of outer space, a vast unexplored creation of God. Be careful to put God before His creations. He's still the Creator and we need to worship Him.

BEATING THE TEMPTATIONS

Luke 5:16

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Why is it important to note that Jesus prayed in the wilderness? Well, it was in the wilderness where Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights, after which the devil tried tempting Him. Despite Jesus' hunger and His frail physical state from fasting, Jesus was actually at one of the strongest points of His spiritual life because His resistance would be solely rooted in scripture. The main thing that Jesus leaned upon during His fast were the scriptures, and He made sure to feast upon them while in the wilderness. Jesus would even quote Deuteronomy 8:3 saying, "Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people need more than bread for their life; real life comes by feeding on every word of the LORD." So, why is it important to note that Jesus prayed alone in the wilderness? Simply, Jesus did this as an example for the faithful believers that would follow after Him of how to live a powerful prayer life every single day. When we withdraw into prayer, temptations just aren't that powerful anymore because we're entrenched in scripture and held closely by our Father in heaven for support and wisdom.

THE POWER IN SUBMISSION

Colossians 3:18

You wives must submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.

When a wife submits to her husband, it doesn't make her less valuable than her husband and it doesn't make a husband more valuable than his wife. Maxwell Droke once wrote a story about a very young girl who was taking an exam. Question 1 asked her to very simply, "Give an account of the creation of man." The little girl thought it through and then wrote her response: "First, God created Adam. He looked at Adam and said to Himself, 'I think if I tried again I could do better.' So He created Eve." It is unfortunate that the battle between the sexes rages on as marriages and relationships struggle. Ultimately, God created men and women to be equal, but with differing roles. Submission is something that we all must do at some level to complete what is lacking in any type of relationship. When two become one under a relationship, the individuals involved become stronger because one person's strengths should offset the other person's weaknesses and vice versa. We all need to keep in mind that in order for us to make any kind of relationship strong and successful, everybody has to realize to whom they must submit and then make the proper submissions.

FIND THE WAY

Psalm 25:4

Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow.

King David, even with vast resources available and experienced counselors to advise him, still knew that He was lacking and limited without God. Ultimately, people's futures are uncertain because we don't ever really know for sure what's going to happen. Like sheep, our foresight is very limited. The only One who truly knows all that is past, present and future is God. David learned that the best person to gain counsel from is the One who knows everything, so David would counsel with God for almost everything. Sir Walter Scott once wrote of the Bible that:

Within this wondrous volume lies the mystery of mysteries; Happiest they of human race, To whom their God has given grace, To read, to fear, to hope, to pray, To lift the latch, to find the way.

If you're looking to make a good decision, or if you're looking for the best counselor, always remember that Jesus is the way and that if you read His Word and follow Him, the best choices will become very clear to you because God Himself will be showing you the way.

TOUGH CHALLENGES BRING THE GREATEST REWARDS

1 Samuel 17:25

"Have you seen the giant?" the men were asking. "He comes out each day to challenge Israel. And have you heard about the huge reward the king has offered to anyone who kills him? The king will give him one of his daughters for a wife, and his whole family will be exempted from paying taxes!"

Inevitably, we will face challenges everyday. We must wisely choose, however, which challenges to expend time and energy upon. It's important to know that 1 Samuel 17:25 teaches us how to choose our challenges. The basis for our selections begins with choosing the challenges which offer the greatest rewards, not with choosing the simplest among the challenges. History tells us that when Roman General Titus attacked and destroyed Jerusalem, the soldiers were rewarded with the allowance to take the gold overlay of the temple. Needless to say, the greatest rewards typically come from taking on the toughest challenges. Be sure to carefully choose your battles by considering the spoils of victory, however complex or difficult the challenges may be. You'll find that your victories will be sweet and fruitful, and that your experience levels will grow exponentially preparing you for even larger spoils down the line.

PRAYING WORKS

Ephesians 2:19

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.

A lyric from a Bill Gaither song says, "I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God! I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood. Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I’m part of the Family, the Family of God." Gaither was inspired by Ron Garner, a mechanic working double time to pay for his young daughter's heart surgery. Garner was seriously injured one late night in an explosion at his shop and he wasn't expected to live through to the next morning. Fellow church members and Christians in his community were alerted to pray for Ron through a chain of telephone calls. The church building was kept open and there was even an overnight prayer meeting. Ron survived the accident through what many felt was God answering His people's prayers. Don't ever underestimate the power of prayer and what God can do when His people get down on their knees and sincerely ask in prayer. Don't ever underestimate what God can do for you if you would just get down on your knees and sincerely ask in prayer.

STORING UP REWARDS

Luke 16:9

I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.

British General Charles G. Gordon, who was a renowned and faithful servant of God, received a distinguished gold medal for his military service in China. In an act worth mimicking, he had the gold medallion melted down and sold off, just so that he could buy bread for the poor during a long famine. He entered the following into his journal: "The only thing I had in this world that I valued, I have now given to the Lord Jesus." The world would certainly be very different if there were a few more people like General Gordon. He lived out the lesson taught to us from Matthew 6:20 that most people have difficulty applying, "Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves."

BEND BUT DON'T BREAK

2 Timothy 2:10

I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

One of Aesop's Fables is about a reed and an olive tree that argued over each other's strength and endurance. The olive tree claimed that the reed was weak because it could easily be bent by the wind. The reed said nothing in response and just let the argument pass. Later in the day, a strong storm came along and the wind gusts tossed the reed all about, bending it in every direction possible. At the end of the storm, however, the reed was just fine and still intact. Taking a very different approach which garnered a very different ending, the olive tree tried to fight and withstand the storm's heavy wind gusts. The olive tree, however, couldn't hold strong against the unseen winds and it eventually split and was broken. In much the same way, your life's endurance will grow if you couple it with meek humility. Pick and choose the appropriate moments to leave arguments where they are, and to bend without breaking. In life, you'll find that the most challenging situations are typically uncontrollable and the best way to get through them isn't to stand toe-to-toe and test your strength against the unseen, but rather to exhibit humility, bending as much as you can without violating your faith, hope, morals and ethics.

GOD'S WILL REMAINS UNCHANGED

1 Corinthians 15:22

Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life.

Believers are members of two different families: the family line of Adam, to which every human being belongs, and Jesus' family, the church. Under Adam, we're all are subject to sin and death, but under Christ, family members are blessed with redemption and everlasting life. If you're wondering what life is like in Jesus' family, Christ describes it in Matthew 12:48-50:

"Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"

Even though Jesus' family might seem a little different, or maybe even a little odd, it doesn't change the reality that the will of God to redeem you from sin remains unchanged. No matter what you're going through or where you've been, you can be a member of Jesus' family. All you have to do is accept his graceful invitation and you become a member of a family touched by grace and blessed with eternity.

HOW TO HANDLE THE RESISTANT

2 Timothy 2:25

They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will believe the truth.

When a person knows about a subject with absolute certainty, there's a really good possibility for a "know it all" attitude to set in or, worse yet, a condescending pride. Christians are no different especially when it comes to the issue of salvation. I've often found Christians bragging pridefully about the surety of their salvation and how righteous their beliefs are. We need to remember that sharing the Word's truth is the real goal once we come to know the Truth, not necessarily basking in the sunlight of salvation. We have to constantly ask ourselves if we're sharing the Gospel with people we know and meet, and whether or not those people received the truth. When sharing the Gospel with the resistant, we need to be gentle and apply the teachings of 2 Timothy 2:25. If we're not gentle with the resistant, there's a risk of leading someone away from Christ because of what people will feel is a bad attitude or condescending pride coming from a Christian.

SUPPORT MISSIONARIES

Philippians 4:18

I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

The church at Philippi financially supported the Apostle Paul's missionary journey and in Philippians 4:18, Paul defines the deeper meaning behind their collective sacrifice to spread the Gospel. He tells them without hesitation that their support, "is a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." To be even more clear about it, a church's collective support for a missionary spreading the Gospel is a picture of what Jesus did on the cross, as we learn from Ephesians 5:2, “Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” If you want your life to be an "acceptable sacrifice to God," learn from the lessons left to us by Philippi and become a part of the spreading of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Live in this way and your life will be blessed, and more importantly, souls will be saved for generations beyond your involvement.

FAITHFUL TO THE CREATOR, NOT THE CREATION

1 Corinthians 4:2

Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.

From man's very beginning, we were given the task of managing God's creations as we learn from Genesis 1:26 when God said, "Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life — the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals." All these creatures were given to us by the Lord to manage and to "master" over. So often, however, faithful believers give more honor to the things that they have been blessed to lord over, instead of honoring their Lord. We put work, money, relationships and a variety of the Lord's blessings over the Lord, Himself. The key to this responsibility, and to any kind of responsibility, is to be faithful to the Creator and not to His creations. Be a faithful manager, making sure that you honor God above all.

ETERNAL IMPLICATIONS

Philippians 4:14

But even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

In Philippians 4:14, the Apostle Paul gave recognition to the church at Philippi for supporting him while delivering God's message of saving grace. It's amazing to know that when we share our money to support missionaries who preach the Word of God, we take share in their successes. Christians before us invested their money and time as a group to leverage their influence just so that we could hear the saving message of Christ today. We who have benefited from those blind investments made long ago in the distant past can learn from the Bible that we must do the same and continue the efforts learned from the Philippians. Investing in God's work has eternal implications because saved souls will forever be in heaven. Take share in the work and support those that deliver the Word. It's the best investment you'll ever make.

BE A SHREWD MANAGER

Luke 16:8-9

The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the citizens of this world are more shrewd than the godly are. I tell you, use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven.

The parable of the shrewd manager teaches us about a manager that squandered all of another man's wealth  that had been entrusted with him. Just as the manager was about to suffer the consequences for his errors, he leveraged all of his influence and collected debts at a discounted rate from people that owed the rich man money to rebuild the lost wealth. Amazingly, the rich man actually admired the shrewd manager for preserving himself (and his lost money) with such tactics. The moral of the parable is that Christians need to be very shrewd managers when leveraging their money, influence and authority. We need to wisely and strategically operate in this way so that souls can be won to Christ to benefit His kingdom.

LEAD OTHERS TO CHRIST

Acts 20:24

But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus — the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love.

A preacher and a Christian lawyer were having a conversation when the preacher asked, "Are you bringing other men to Christ?" The lawyer responded, "No, that's not my business." The preacher said, "But that is your business." The lawyer very coolly responded, "Look, I'm not called to do that, I'm called to practice the law. I'm an attorney." The preacher very kindly asked his Christian brother to read Acts 8:4 aloud: "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." Without any hesitation the lawyer argued, "This verse is describing the duty for the apostles, not for regular followers." The preacher smiled and then asked the evasive lawyer, "Would you be kind enough to read the first verse of the chapter, Acts 8:1?" The attorney read from the Word of God, "And all except the apostles were scattered abroad." It's such a silly anecdote, but it clearly displays some common thoughts within the church. The Word of God is nevertheless clear - all Christians have the responsibility of leading people to Christ.

HOPEFUL, HAPPY AND FULL OF PEACE

Romans 15:13

So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Just because one has a happy and peaceful demeanor doesn't necessarily mean that there's an absence of problems, challenges or issues in that person's life. The Bible teaches us that even though we're going to experience tribulations, we still have Jesus' assurance found in John 16:33, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." If you believe in God, and you faithfully understand that you are clay in the Potter's hands, then you probably understand what hope really is. You know that you're safe even in the midst of dangers, trials, problems and inexplicable difficulties because while in these troubling situations, your heart and mind have a mysterious peace and happiness. The kind of peace and happiness that can only be provided by the Holy Spirit.

NOT BY MIGHT, NOT BY POWER

Romans 14:17

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the trinity of God, a composite unity. The Holy Spirit isn't some kind of power or might, but rather a person as we learn from Zechariah 4:6, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." The Holy Spirit tells us of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ leading our lives to goodness and peace - if we allow Him control in our lives. Ephesians 4:30 gives us some specific instructions to bear when the Word says, "And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption." Let the Holy Spirit into your life, let Him have His way and it's guaranteed that you'll have a life of goodness.

YOU NEED MORE THAN FOOD TO LIVE

Matthew 4:4

But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God.'"

Before Jesus started implementing the redemptive plan of His Father, He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. That's right: 40 days and 40 nights. I recently read a story about a mother whose children had gone on to become very successful and well-rounded who was asked, "What was your secret to parenting kids that would become successful adults?" With complete humility she responded, "In the morning when I washed my children, I prayed that they might be cleansed by the Savior’s blood. When I put on their clothes, I prayed that they be arrayed in the garments of salvation and God’s righteousness. When I give them food, I prayed that they might be fed with the Bread of Life." If you're looking for the secret to a successful life, you need to look no further than the source of complete nourishment which is the Bread of Life: God and His Word.

GIVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND FREELY

1 Chronicles 29:7,29

For the construction of the Temple of God, they gave almost 188 tons of gold, 10,000 gold coins, about 375 tons of silver, about 675 tons of bronze, and about 3,750 tons of iron. The people rejoiced over the offerings, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD, and King David was filled with joy.

There's a story that I'd read about a poor little boy who while at church, saw all the people putting their tithes and offerings into the offering plate. The only things that he had to give, however, were marbles in his pocket. Without thinking twice about it, he put all of his marbles in the offering plate. Several people saw what he did, and after the worship service one of the ushers asked the little boy if he wanted his marbles back. He replied, “Oh, no. I gave them to the Lord Jesus.” Inspired, and a little embarrassed, by the generosity that this little child displayed, a wealthy church member pulled the usher to the side and said, “I’ll give a hundred dollars for that boy’s marbles.” It's so amazing how giving wholeheartedly and freely can bless the giver.

IT'S A SIMPLE MATTER OF TRUST

Luke 16:11-12

And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people's money, why should you be trusted with money of your own?

Many wealthy people are self-employed, self-made, entrepreneurial owners of businesses. Stanley and Danko's The Millionaire Next Door found that these people, despite their wealth, consciously chose to live below their means although they could afford more. Also interesting is that only 20 percent of those that participated in the study came from wealthy families. These people displayed a virtue of frugality which had been built up not by textbook lessons, but rather by lessons derived from their life's experiences. A great test to see if you'd be good at being rich would be to see if you're any good at taking care of your possessions or, better yet, someone else's possessions under your care. This is the basis of the lesson from Luke 16:11-12. If you can't be trusted with someone else's money, don't expect the Lord to trust you with something big.

YOUNG LEADERS, BE AN EXAMPLE TO ALL

1 Timothy 4:12

Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

Many years ago as a young pastor, I found that it was difficult for people that were older than me to receive and accept my leadership because of my age. General Douglas MacArthur once said that, "Youth is a state of mind, it is not entirely a time of life, not wholly a matter of ripe cheeks, red lips, or supple knees. It is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a freshness of the deep springs of life. It means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of an appetite for adventure over love of ease." Let no man stop you from serving God at any age. Always remember that it is always a great privilege to serve God whatever age you might be.

IF YOU'RE INTO PARTIES AND GETTING DRUNK, THIS ONE'S FOR YOU

Romans 13:13

We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy.

We all need to be aware that who we are as people is a reflection of how strong or weak our faith is in Christ. Christians need to put some real effort into behaving like Jesus. We put this effort in because we are children of God, not because we're trying to pay or earn our way into God's blessings. We can only gain salvation because it's only by His grace and mercy that salvation can be received. Thomas Paine once wrote that a, "Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and the angels know of us." Let your character be a reflection of the strength of your faith and the decency of your life's walk. Don't participate in things that are obviously wrong, and for things that may not be clearly right or wrong, always try to stay with that which is safe and decent. Your life's walk is important and it should be a walk that you would be proud to have Jesus Christ see you living.

YOU'LL KNOW WHO TO FOLLOW

Hebrews 13:17

Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

The spiritual leaders mentioned here are the elders or ministers that correctly teach the Word of God. That said, not all religious leaders qualify because some are a counterfeit that would knowingly, and sadly sometimes unknowingly, lead people away from salvation in Christ and toward destruction. Obey those spiritual leaders that lead you to take Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Salvation can only be obtained through Christ according to the Bible as taught in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Salvation is something that we can't earn, obtain through our own personal efforts, through a religion, or even through a spiritual leader. This is why we need to take care to properly identify those spiritual leaders that teach people to follow Christ. If a spiritual leader is teaching correctly and you obey the teachings, you'll find yourself often in the Word, in prayer and in blessings.