Devotionals from Dad

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When you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior the Holy Spirit comes to live in you. I find that truth simply amazing,.. that the Spirit of God who is eternal, perfect, holy, all-powerful, and all-knowing actually lives within me! I also find it a bit humbling,.. scary even! Think about it! The Holy spirit is within me both physically and mentally. He goes everywhere I go and the knows all my thoughts. Knowing this worries me, it scares me even! Am I taking the Holy Spirit places that makes Him uncomfortable? I must be because at times I hear His voice in my mind saying Jeff really,... what are we doing here again? Why is you mind going to this place again? You know what you are thinking or doing does not bring Glory to God! When Jesus was with us in person He was confined to a body. When He physically lived on earth, He could only be in a single place at a time. But the Holy Spirit is in every place around the globe where a believer is found, because when you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell with you and in you.

John 14: 16-17 ESV And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 

We make the Holy Spirit sad, distressed even when we disobey the Lord. God’s own people can make the Holy Spirit sad by some of the things we do, even the things we think, causing the Spirit to mourn or grieve. To grieve the Holy Spirit is to make Him lament. What does it mean to make the Spirit lament? To lament is a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. To lament is that moment in life when your sorrow is so great that you cry uncontrollably, your grief is so great that you can barely breath! I am confident I have done this to the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30 ESV And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

God's word definitely tells us that we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 4 verses 17 thru 19 God's word tells us that we grieve the Spirit by living as we used to before our salvation. We grieve Him when we don’t speak truthfully to our brothers and sisters in Christ, Ephesians 4:25, when we let anger control our actions, Ephesians 4:26 and 27, when we steal from each other, Ephesians 4:28, when we speak foul and abusive words to one another, instead of uplifting and encouraging words Ephesians 4:29. We also grieve the Spirit when we don’t get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior, Ephesians 4:31, and when we fail to be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you, Ephesians 4:32. The Holy Spirit of God lives within every Christian. We are His temple, and when we don’t walk in the holiness and love of Christ and in harmony with fellow believers, we grieve the Spirit of God with our sinful thoughts and behaviors! When we do not allow God’s Spirit to be seen in our behavior, in our lives, when we do what we know is wrong, we grieve, lament and suppress or quench the Holy Spirit. We do not allow the Spirit to reveal Himself in our lives and do what He wants to with , with “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. So how do avoid grieving the Holy Spirit? The only way is the one that leads the believer closer to God and purity and farther away from the world and sin. Just as we don't like to be grieved, we should not quench or grieve the Holy Spirit by refusing to follow His leading!

1 Thessalonians 5:19 ESV Do not quench the Spirit.

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Samson was God’s chosen man during a time when the judges ruled Israel. From birth, he was destined to liberate Israel from the Philistines. While Samson was incredibly strong in body, he was very weak in character. Time and time again, the Bible tells us that the power of God came upon him. Samson killed a lion with his bare hands, caught 300 foxes and tied their tails together and slaughtered a 1,000 men with a donkey's jawbone. Somewhere along the way, Samson began to believe his own press release! He began to believe his strength was his alone. He could rely on his own muscles and power. So coming up against Delilah, a woman no less, was a joke to Samson. He’d been able to conquer anyone else who had gotten in his way. He was certain he could make quick work of Delilah, too. Samson became great in his own eyes!

Proverbs 11:2 NIV When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. 

This reminds me of myself. Sometimes my opinion of myself pretty high and mighty. Samson did many feats of powerful strength in his life. He snapped the ropes that bound him as though they were little strings. He tore off the city gates of Gaza and carried it to the top of a hill. Far to often I find myself doing things in my own power. Making my own plans and then later inviting God to come join me in my plans. It seems Samson didn't learn from his mistakes and sometimes I don't learn from my mistakes. I know it may be hard for you to believe but I am just a bit hard headed and from time to time I repeat my mistakes, just like Sampson did! Satan knows just what my greatest weakness is and that is the tool he will use against me, causing me to stumble and sin.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

Modern believers are continually faced with worldly temptations that can divert them from their faith. Samson's story serves as a reminder to remain vigilant and faithful, resisting the seductions of the world that can weaken your spiritual resolve. It is an illustration of the dangers of spiritual compromise. Samson decisions, demonstrate how disregard for God’s commands can lead to downfall. The pride of life is a weakness we all succumb to at times. Satan tempts us with the desire to be our own gods, and he is adept at stroking our ego. In the beginning Eve’s desire to be wise led her to sin. She rejected the Lord’s right to rule over her and chose instead to make her own decisions to be her own god. Samson’s final act of calling upon God for strength serves as a powerful testimony of the power repentance. Even when believers fail, there is always an opportunity to return to God and fulfill His purposes. 

 Judges 16: 28-30 NIV Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. 

God’s grace is available even in the midst of failure!

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Why do you go to church? Is it because the service makes you feel uplifted? Maybe it is because you need someone to bear your burdens. Do you go to church to get something for yourself? "Consumer Christianity" is a term used to describe an Americanized version of Christianity that focuses on the individual. Consumer Christianity can be debilitating for a church congregation because it encourages people to go to church for what they can get rather than what they can give. If everyone attending church is there for what they can receive then no one will receive anything, because there is no one serving the needs of others, everyone is taking and no one is giving! Consumer Christianity encourages people to be consumers of Christian goods and services, rather than contributors to Jesus' mission and ultimately is is at odds with God's plan for the church. A consumer approach to church life favors pragmatism, in other words what is useful or makes good sense in the moment, over true theology. The consumer approach focuses more on marketing, over evangelism and large crowds, over devoted disciples.

Matthew 20: 26-28 CSB It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

So what are some signs that you may be a consumer Christian? First you stop attending small group bible studies, Sunday school and maybe even don't attend Sunday service as often as you once did. You have a negative attitude towards the activities of the church and you become more critical of the church as a whole. You decrease or stop your financial support of the church, and finally you become critical of the sermons offering much criticism, rather then listening with a prayerful ear! A pastor leading a consumer-Christian church doesn’t issue threats of Hell or calls to salvation, nor preach for hours on end; instead, he (or she!) makes placid, gentle, easy, funny, and most of all short sermons that make congregations smile and nod along. Such a pastor makes no demands on their congregation. Consumer Christians pick their churches according to the perks those churches offer to members, how nice the sermons are, and a variety of other feel-good perks. They leave if a competing church opens up nearby with programs and preaching that they like better. My hard question to you is this, how can we call ourselves Christians if we are not servants? The Bible has a great deal to say about servant-hood because the central theme of the Bible is the one who is the greatest servant of all—Jesus Christ! 

Mark 10:45 CSB For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

What was one of the greatest examples of servant-hood in the bible? The moment when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, even the feet of the one that would betray him! Walking in sandals on the roads of Israel made it imperative that feet be washed before a communal meal. The dirt roads were used by both people and livestock. The heat of the day would have caused your feet to sweat and that combined with the manure that was in the streets would have created a very pungent and undesirable task... of washing of the feet! People ate, reclining at low tables, and feet were very much in evidence. Your neighbors feet would have been inches from your face. When Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, He was doing the work of the lowliest of servants. When He washed the disciples’ feet, He told them (and us) “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” As His followers, we are to emulate Him, serving one another in lowliness of heart and mind, seeking to build one another up in humility and love. Being Servants and not Consumers!

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When we have an especially wet spring there is a creek in between my home and town that floods and occasionally covers the highway. This creek strangely enough is named “Big Creek.” One time the flood waters of the creek covered the highway. I pulled up to the highway and there was department of transportation trucks flagging people down. The road was hidden beneath the water. The workers told me that I could cross at my own risk. The water was only a few inches deep, but you couldn't see the road for about a quarter mile. I was told to pick a point on the other side of the water and keep my eyes focused on the other side. If you look at the rushing water your eyes will follow the current and you will drive your car off the road. Did you know that 6 inches of rushing water can cause your tires to lose traction and slide, and can reach the bottom of most cars, leading to loss of control and possible stalling. 12 inches can float many cars. 18 inches will float SUV's and pickups. 2 feet will carry away most vehicles. If you have ever tried to swim or even wade upstream into rushing water you know that it is very difficult to fight against the current. You can apply the same theory to your spiritual walk. If you don't keep your eyes focused on the truth of God's word it is very easy for you to loose you way to be swept away by the current of culture.

Proverbs 4:25 ESV Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 

In our culture, the only wrong is saying something is wrong. Tolerance is held as the world’s moral standard. In world today, Christianity and culture are colliding constantly and some Christians are giving in to the pressures. As they immerse themselves into the culture in the hopes of leading some to the Lord, they themselves are being led astray. As Christians if you try to change the culture of the world you will find yourself swimming upstream. You can’t get flowers by pulling weeds. If you want flowers, you have to plant flowers. If culture is to be redeemed, it will not be because we remove evil, but because we grow the kingdom of Jesus. If we really want to redeem culture, then, go and make disciples. Tell people about Jesus and demonstrate His transforming power in our lives. If making disciples is the battle plan, then what is our weapon? Jesus did not say, “All men will know you are my disciples if you win the culture war.” Rather, He said they will know you children of God “if you love one another.”

John 13:35 ESV By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

When it comes to the culture of the world we live in, as Christians we don't embrace. However we don't withdraw either. We don't try to overthrow, we engage. Jesus means for us to live our lives right where we are, in the midst of the sinful world. The only way for Christians to win a “culture war” is to grow the kingdom of Jesus, and the weapon of choice must be love. 

John 13: 34 EZV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 

How we treat others is the living example of the love God demonstrated to us on the cross. To be a disciple of Christ means to love others unconditionally, forgiving the inexcusable sins of the past, showing mercy, and loving unconditionally with eyes focused on Jesus, so that the we are not swept away by the current of the culture of the world!

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Do you ever feel tired of waiting, weary of fighting to find your joy, and exhausted from hoping for better days? Do you push down feelings of despair and hopelessness because you don’t think a Christian is allowed to struggle with such “faithless” feelings? Well, let me assure you – you aren’t alone! For the most part I am a person that is optimistic and I often see the glass as half full and not half empty. However, I have known a time in my life when I felt defeated, despair and loneliness clouded my view of life and left me wondering if I would ever find love again. I had been a single father of 3 girls for 4 years and I was tired of going it alone. I thought I would never find a good Christian woman to share my life with. God’s word says that it is okay to perplexed, but don't be led to despair. 

2 Corinthians 4: 8-9 CSB We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 

Why, then, do I feel such a sense of hopelessness and despair? Almost without exception we all have seasons where it feels as if darkness is closing in around us, creating confusion and doubts. We cry out to God – but He seems silent. We plead for relief, but the pain only intensifies. Suddenly, the God we thought we knew is at odds with the circumstances of our life. How do we fight for hope when we begin to despair of life itself? Recognize earthly despair for what it is, temporary. If your feeling hopeless because your life isn't working out the way you had hoped, your not alone, even Paul felt despair and a loss of hope.

 2 Corinthians 1: 8-10 CSB We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed, beyond our strength, so that we even despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again.

Christian, when suffering leaves you feeling hopeless, convinced that you will never know anything but the pain that aches within you, fix your eyes on the promises of God and trust that he is faithfully working in and through you for his good purposes. Allow yourself to grieve the disappointments, pain and the loss of those we love in this world, be honest with the Lord as you wrestle with your emotions and sense of hopelessness. Ask God to give you his strength to endure when you’re strength has dried up, remember what appears hopeless to us is never beyond the redeeming power of our Savior. One day, the darkness will be no more, and your faith will become sight.

 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 CSB Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

Standing on the promises that cannot fail. When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail. By the living Word of God I shall prevail. Standing on the promises of God. Standing on the promises I shall not fall, Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call. Resting in my Savior as my All in all, Standing on the promises of God. 

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My wife and I share many household tasks. My wife does the laundry, cleans the house and we both cook meals. The only difference is when I cook, she does the dishes and when she cooks, she does the dishes. Don't know how it works out like that but is always does. On the other hand I take care of servicing the vehicles and mowing the yard, because I am confident Joyce could not mow the grass correctly, or at least not the way I want it done. It is also my job to get rid of the garbage. Since we live in the country, I have a burn bin and periodically I have to dump the trash cans into the bin and set it on fire. There is nothing more disgusting then dumping the trash can on a hot summer day and having trash can juice dribble out of the can onto your pants or shoes. Once in a while when it is really hot and I have left the trash to accumulate a little longer than normal, the trash can will have maggots in it. They are disgusting and repulsive little creatures and so I cover them with a little used motor oil and diesel fuel and then I set them on fire. I probably use a little more fuel than usual because I want nothing to do with the disgusting little creatures I want them gone as soon as possible.

That’s how God feels about our sins: Repulsive!!! Disgusting!!! We treat sin like it’s not really that bad. Maybe it’s more like regular old household garbage. You can let it pile up for a while, right? Wait until it stinks. Wait until the can gets completely full, then pack a few more things in it, then finally think about doing something about it. Isn’t that our attitude with sin? It isn’t that bad. A few sins here and there aren’t that big of a deal! But to God they stink to high heaven! Our sin is like a garbage can full of maggots. God can’t stand it! God knows our sins. He can see all the maggots crawling around and in our hearts and in our lives. We deserve God’s anger and wrath! We deserve to have God get rid of us. Our hearts convict us. God’s Word convicts us! We need someone to take our garbage out. How? Who can take out our garbage? Jesus. Jesus put himself in our place. Jesus took on himself all our sins. When Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened,” in Matthew 11:28, he wasn’t just talking about us being tired. He took onto himself our guilt and the burdens or our sins, and He took them to the cross. He took them away. God doesn’t overlook sin. God doesn’t say, “Hey, no big deal!” God forgives sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

Whatever sins you’ve committed, Jesus has taken our garbage out. Whatever junk is weighing you down from the past, Jesus has taken our garbage out. Whatever smells from your past seem to cling to you, Jesus has taken the garbage out. Jesus has taken your sins away!

Psalm 103:12 ESV as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 

As Christians we should never be content to live in our sin. Some people use God’s name in vain in almost every phrase. “Oh my God.” As if God were nothing. Over and over again. But they go to church! Two men refuse to talk to each other. They can’t stand each other. But they go to church! Being a Christian doesn’t mean we have an excuse to sin more. It means Christ’s love compels us to turn away from sin. This “getting rid of sin” is an always thing. Like the garbage that needs to be taken out every day. Christ’s forgiveness doesn’t make sin okay. Christ’s forgiveness is what motivates us even more to rid sin in our lives. Give God your Garbage!!!

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If you have ever paid attention to the roadsides in Missouri you have seen a Teasel weed. Teasels grow in open, sunny habitats, in wet or dry conditions. Teasel weed flourish in the summer months because they have a very unique and hardy design. The plant can grow to be more than 8 feet tall and the taproot may be more than 2 feet long and 1 inch in diameter at the base. If you look closely at the plant you will discover that coming up from the taproot the the stem splits into 3 branches that are surrounded by a cup shaped leaf. This cup will hold rain water for extended periods of time making the plant able to withstand extended droughts. It is an invasive weed that can be very difficult to manage because once established it pollutes the soil with its durable seed that can germinate throughout the growing season. The dictionary defines the word invasive like this: “tending to spread prolifically, undesirably or harmfully, to intrude a persons thoughts or privacy!” The Devil can be like an invasive weed in your spiritual life. So you need to ever watchful, for the Devil is on the prowl looking for any weakness he can find. 

1 Peter 5:8 ESV Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

 The scriptures tell us in John chapter 8 verse 44 that the Devil is a liar and the father of lies. Revelation chapter 12 verse 10 tells us he is the accuser of the brethren, who accuses them before God day and night. He wants to steal souls from the Lord. The Devil uses our weaknesses against us in order to cause us to sin, in hopes that we will stray from God and continue to live in sin, making your witness in the world ineffective. One of the tactics that Satan uses in his battle against us is invading your thoughts. Have you ever wondered where certain thoughts come from? Out of the blue, negative thoughts, or even crazy thoughts, come to your mind and you have no idea where they came from. This is one of the tactics that Satan uses to fight against us. Satan wants to fill your thoughts with doubt, fear and guilt. The devil wants you to believe that your life is worthless! What's even worse, Satan does NOT want you to forget the mistakes that you've made in the past. He will constantly remind you of the negative things that you've done to others, past sins that you have already been forgiven of and wrong choices that you've made. Remember, Satan's goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. 

John 10:10 ESV The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 

 So...how do we stop negative thoughts from trapping us or even worse, leading us down a destructive path? It would be easy for me to say, just stop thinking the negative thoughts, but it's not always that easy! How do we resist the devil? Well, it's not easy, but if we are in submission to God it is a lot easier!! Submission and resisting go hand-in-hand. We have to make every effort to push negative thoughts out of our minds. We have to avoid situations and people that can cause us to stumble. To resist is to evaluate what causes us to sin and then turn away from it, remove it from your life. When we do these things, it says in James chapter 4 verse7 that the devil will flee from you. The devil has to flee the Name of Jesus. So don't let the Devil become an invasive weed in your life and thoughts! Don't let Satan pollute your mind! Fill your mind with good thoughts and don't forget Paul's advice in Philippians 4:8, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." 

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In 1859, Charles Blondin became the first man in history to walk on a tightrope across Niagara Falls from the United States into Canada. The tightrope was 270 feet above the raging waters of the falls and was 1,100 feet long. There was no safety harness or net. Some reports state that over 100,000 people gathered to watch him walk the 1,100 feet across the falls the first time. The Niagara walk made Blondin famous and wealthy, and he was asked to perform for audiences worldwide. He would make 17 more daring walks across Niagara, which drew more and more crowds. He traversed his tightrope on stilts, riding a bicycle, blindfolded and stopping in the center to do tricks, like cooking omelets with a small stove he carried on his back. He walked across carrying people on his back. At one point he asked a man in the crowd if he thought he could carry a person in a wheelbarrow across the rope. The man excitedly said, “Yes!” When asked if he would get into the wheelbarrow, then man emphatically said, “No!” The man's response is a great lesson between believing and having faith. While the man believed Blondin could carry someone across the falls in a wheelbarrow, he did not have the faith needed to trust Blondin and get into the wheelbarrow himself. Faith is a choice. It's stepping into the unknown because you know God. It's trusting His certain plan even if you are uncertain where it will lead. It is getting into the wheelbarrow. 

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

The bible has gives us many examples of those who had faith in God. Noah built an ark in a dessert, where it had never rained, because he had faith in the warning he had been given by God. Abraham left everything and everyone he knew to go to an unknown place. Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures found in Egypt. The Israelites passed through the Red Sea without getting wet, and on another occasion marched seven times around Jericho until the walls fell down. Peter and Andrew left their family's fishing business to become fishers of men. The same God that created everything that exist with just his voice, works in you and through you while you are going through struggles! When you feel your faith is fading, read these Scriptures for guidance, support, and reassurance that there is hope. Matthew 21:22 - And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Luke 1:37 - For nothing will be impossible with God. 2 Corinthians 5:7 - For we walk by faith, not by sight. Romans 10:17 - So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Whether you need faith for healing, faith to understand an unanswered prayer, or faith to persevere, our God is waiting and ready to give us His supernatural strength. It is in our actions that we see where our faith lies. It is when we choose to get into God's wheelbarrow and let Him take us through the tightrope places of life such as when there is an argument and we are quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. When someone has hurt us and we choose to forgive because we know we have been forgiven. When we choose to love with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our strength in spite of the hatred in the world. Choosing to get into the wheelbarrow displays the true nature of our faith, the faith that saves us. Often, when we have new failures and fears, it's easy to lose hope and falter in faith, but when you have confident faith that God holds the handles of the wheelbarrow, you can be content in every circumstance. We know nothing in the world happens by mistake and God never says, “Well I didn't see that coming!” Get in God's wheelbarrow!!!

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A credit score is designed to measure your risk as a borrower. The calculation incorporates few major components, your payment history, how much debt you have, how long your accounts have been open versus how much is new credit and finally the mix of different types of debt you have. If you want to maintain a good and healthy credit score you must understand what influences your score and you can develop a strategy for improving your credit score. Everything you do, nearly every action you take with your money influences your credit score, either for the good or bad. If you make wise decisions you will be more likely to be approved for loans at better rates, which can put you on the road to financial success. 

Just like your credit score, your actions as a Christian are also being watched and the world is building a Christian credit score for you that they will use to measure your risk or that is to say determine how real your faith in God is. You may think you don't have any influence on others. Your not a professional athlete or a Hollywood movie star and your certainly no entertainment icon like Taylor Swift. What impact can my life possibly have on the world around me? I keep to myself, I go to work and come home, there nothing special about my life. Every single one of us has influence though, even if it’s just with our mom, a coworker, or best friend. Whether you realize it or not your life and your actions influence others. The fact that your vehicle is parked in the church parking lot has an influence on those that see it there, especially when it is there on more than just Sunday morning. So how can I possibly have an influence on others you ask? I am glad you you asked me that question. Being a Christian is lot like grade school game, show and tell.

Romans 10:17 ESV So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 

There is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching. So what can I possibly do, how can my actions influence other? Jesus answers that question in Matthew chapter 20.

Matthew 20: 25-28 ESV But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus tells use that must be servants, slaves even to those around us. As Christians we live to be the hands and feet of Jesus, called to represent Jesus Christ to a hurting and struggling world. People are watching, they are building a Christian credit score for us. The gospel is a story that must be told. For people to come to faith in Jesus, we need to tell them about Jesus. But they also need to see the fruit of the gospel at work in our lives. When we exhibit integrity in the midst of temptation, kindness in response to abuse, and forgiveness in return for harm, we demonstrate the how being a Christian has transformed our lives. In a sense we are building a Christian credit score. We tell the world around us, the gospel isn’t just something I believe. It’s something that’s changing me. This doesn’t mean that we need to be perfect all the time, but we do need to be aware that people are watching us. When they see how serious we are about our faith and how it impacts every area of our lives, they’re more apt to take it seriously themselves. Your actions and your lifestyle choices are as important as what you say, maybe even more important!

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We live in a world that is focuses on me first. The world will tell you that you should prioritize your own needs and desires above anything else. The world says in order to be successful you need to be self sufficient and fully independent. However the bible tells us that we are to not to focus on our self. Scriptures say in order to be successful you must be a servant to others, even a slave.

 Mark 10: 43-45 ESV But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

Unfortunately many of us have the wrong attitude. We may not think we are being selfish but the reality is we are apathetic, we lack true concern for the well being of others, there is no sense of urgency, we do not see it as our responsibility, our attitude is “someone else will take care of it” or “what’s in it for me?” As Christians we have a higher calling, a divine mandate even, that should set us apart from the rest of the world. The scriptures tell us that we are to bear one another's burdens. Bearing one another's burdens is not just about being nice or lending a hand to someone when it is convenient. It is about stepping into difficult situations, the messy realities of life. 

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

So what some very practical ways to bear one another’s burdens today. Ask how people are doing, not just, “Hey, how are you?” But really, Hey, how are you doing? What is worrying you? Is there anything heavy on your heart? And then look for an opportunity to bear that burden with them. Just think about your own life. When your burdens are heavy, it’s really good to have someone who bears them with you, who steps into your burden with you, who shoulders the load of it with you, who seeks to understand, as best they can. They step into the difficult moments in your life and help you carry the load. It may be an emotional burden and they lend a listening and caring ear or it may be that life is physically demanding and they lend a helping hand to carry some physical burden. What can you do to show that person they are not alone with that burden? It may be as simple as praying for them... with them. That simple act goes such a long way. Or there might be something you could do for them, drive their child to a ball game, mow their yard or fix them a meal. Or it might just be listening to them and letting them share with you. The last one is the hardest one for me because I do not really listen. I listen just long enough to make my response, when in reality they don't need or even want to hear what I have to say, they just need someone to listen so that can get the burden off their shoulders. We are surrounded by people who are walking through so many difficult things, that are heavy on their hearts. Ask God today to help you to look for opportunities to bear one another's burdens. God, we pray that you would help us to live daily bearing others’ burdens. And as we pray this, we praise you for your love for us, that bears our burdens with us. First Peter chapter 5 tells us to cast our burdens upon God because He care for you. 

1 Peter 5: 6-7 ESV Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 

Jesus, has borne the burden of our sin and death for us. He conquered sin and death and ultimately suffering and made a way for us to have eternal life free from burdens.

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