Words of Life For This Generation

CARRYING EACH OTHERS BURDENS

Paul states this in Gal.6:1-5 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you who are responsive to and controlled by the Holy Ghost in the spirit of meekness, without any sense of superiority and with gentleness by keeping an attentive eye on your self, lest you be tempted also. Bear each others burdens and troublesome moral faults and in this way you will fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ and complete what is lacking in you life. For if any person thinks himself to be somebody and too important (to condescend to shoulder another's load) then; he is nobody (only having a superiority in his own estimation), and he deceives and deludes and cheats him self. But let every person prove his own work, and then he shall be able to rejoice in himself alone, and not in other people. For every person will have to bear (be equal to understand and calmly receive) his own (little load) of oppressive faults."

These faults start out as temptations not habitual habits that turn into bondages of self abuse that are deceptions and ideas contrary to Godly thinking and our righteous position that we hold in Christ Jesus. Only by us allowing the Holy Ghost to examine our heart and through His strength; will we be able to deal with our own oppressive faults and carry the burdens of others.

In 11 Corinthians 13:5 Paul states. "Examine your self, whether you are in the faith and prove it for your own self. Don't you know you're self and that Christ lives in you, unless you are reprobate." This is the key to all Christian life. We must fully understand that; since Christ now lives in us it is in His person that we stand acquitted and righteous in His image. A person who condemns him self does not believe that he is acceptable and that God looks at him as being righteous. When a person understands his righteous position in Christ; He knows that; God sees him as blameless; free from evil and set apart unto Him as an heir and ambassador with His power to accomplish a God given task ordained by Him. Any thing contrary to this means; we are living in a reprobated mind set.

God's children who do not know their righteous position in Christ; can not only carry other people's burdens; but they have no clue how to deal with their own oppressive faults in them self. What are oppressive faults? They are attitudes that exert a worrying, troubling, or burdensome pressure on somebody which cause them to trespass or err. When one trespasses; they violate themselves and the life of others in a way that is non-loving and they put demands on them self and others because of wanting acceptance and they feed a sensual self power in needing control over other people's lives.

These spirits at work with in the Christian must be recognized if; we intend to accomplish Godly tasks appointed by Him and seek fulfillment as His children. Since this idea of carrying our brethren's burdens has to be accomplished in the power of the Holy Ghost; our words of prayer and anointed power of the Holy Ghost is what does the completed work in our lives and what gets the job done. There is a prophetic anointing that was on Jesus and this same anointing is in us to do the same works Jesus did when; He physically walked the planet.

The Greek word for a person being commanded to examine himself is peirasmos: meaning; to allow our self to walk with a attitude of being lovingly reproved by the Holy Ghost and having Him point out those things that are troubling our mind that is contrary to our righteous standing as God sees us because; we have thoughts and ideas that do not line up with God's evaluations of what life was meant to be and how He totally loves us.

Our maturity in Christ is a constant vigil and discipline as a warrior going through a training of dying to selfish endeavors and ambitions by obeying the scripture in Romans 12:1-1 which Paul states. "I implore you brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And do not allow your self to become conformed to the worldly way of thinking: but be transformed by having you mind renewed so that you can prove for your self what the acceptable and prefect will of God is for you life. For I say by the grace of God at work with in me and to every one in the sound of my voice that; you think not to highly of yourself but soberly and only according to what God has dealt to you and the measure of faith at work in your life." (Understanding and walking in this attitude is what brings peace and contentment to our soul.)

There must come a personal witness from the Holy Ghost that we are walking in obedience to His leadings with a secure satisfaction and approval that can only be experienced in our relationship with God and this is what sustains us as we hunger for more of God's presence; as we are going through our searching and transformation into God image in thought and actions. There must come a peace and feeling of accomplishment that is transpiring inside our soul if; we are going to deal with our oppressive faults and the faults of others. There will always be oppressive faults that we will have to deal with until we meet Jesus face to face.

It is not only a burden but extremely debilitating when the body of Christ does not know the difference between being a sinner after one becomes born again verses having faults that one has to deal with after becoming one of God's children. Paul and Peter when addressing the different churches in the New Testament in their letter writings referred to these people as saints not sinners.

In the New Testament; Jesus is referred to as the King of Saints. People who still look at themselves as sinners can‘t possible carry their brother or sister's burden. There to busy trying to measure up for God's acceptance and getting sin out of their life because; they do not truly know that they are righteous and God dealt with sin once and for all at the cross. God does not deal with sin in His children; but he lovingly nurtures us off of our faults and unbelief.

If we consider our self to be spiritual and able to carry our brothers burden and deal with our own oppressive faults; we must adhere to Heb. 10:21-25 however; it must be in Christ name and the Holy Ghosts leadings because these verses say. "Since we have a High Priest over the house of God, (Who is Jesus Christ the Righteous ;) let us draw near with a true heart with a true assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised.) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as some will do; but all the more as we see the day of judgment approaching."

Our assembling if we intend to carry each others burden and provoke each other unto good works must be in lifting up the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone in all of our assembling meaning, church service or fellowship in all places. People who do not understand their righteous position in Christ; are still being influenced by an evil conscience and this hinders them from boldly going to the throne of God and asking for what God has already given to them as their inheritance because; they are His children. We have our physical soul washed and delivered from an evil conscience (a lack of true understanding the love God has for us) by recognizing our faults. We must be actively going through this process in our fellowship with each other if; there is going to be a coming together in power and Godly love in Christian fellowship.

When we gather in any thing contrary to lifting up the Lord and His finished act of dying for our sin nature that we were born with; we stay with a sin conscience mind set that makes us feel and think that we could never truly be like Jesus and do the works that He did when he walked the earth. Scripture tells us whom the Son (Jesus) sets free he is indeed free. How free are you?

Let me make this very clear because; it has been grossly misunderstood in the body of Christ for years. Knowing that you are a saint and not a sinner does not mean that; you are to not walk in a humble state with a bent knee and bowed heart with an awe of respect and reverence for God who stepped out of heaven and gave up His authority and Godly state and put on a physical body in Jesus who had to deal with His own oppressive faults; so He could relate to the people He loved. If Jesus carried our burdens to the dying of the cross and we want to rub elbows and follow Him; can we do any thing less?

! People with faults are not sinners; but Saints in progress!

In James 5:16 he tells us. "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

A person who recognizes that there are areas of weaknesses with faults in their life; recognizes their need for God with a deep hunger, and welcomes His affection and knows how desperately they need His counsel and all around security. They truly understand what He meant when He said "With out me; you can do nothing." On the other hand; feeling that you are a sinner and afraid of being punished for messing up; keeps you not quite sure that God always loves you or he loves you not. There is a subtle evil subconscious spirit at work here and a person does not truly understand that "There is now; no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ as Paul stated in Romans 8:1. (Think seriously about what I have just said, and ask God to check you out and see if you are being deceived.)

This spirit of condemnation is the real issue that God's people have to come to grips with in their life. There is a huge difference between men playing God with non supernatural hype verses the true heart felt feelings that God has for His children. Walking in heavenly places with Christ Jesus is a reality and place of safety and not some made up imagined doctrine that represents some fairy land concept. There must be a true and mutually beneficial relationship between two people. God and mankind must have a real heart felt affection for each other. God's love for His children creates an emotional response from us that yearns to be protected and, there comes with it a thankfulness from us that makes us focused on honoring Him and wanting more of His attention. This is what God gives us in place of our oppressive fault and the faults in others.
This heart felt Spirit of united wholeness must be interacted between God and our self and between one another if; there is going to be unity in the body of Christ. This is what Jesus meant when He said "cast all your care on me because; I care for you."

When ever Christians come together whether on a one to one or in a group; there must come an openness and trust of sharing our daily struggles and share our common agendas of life. This is where God wants us to learn how to prophesy to each other and agree in prayer through the Holy Ghost's leadings by petitioning and thanking God for His mercy and grace. In turn; this causes us to share our common struggles, encourage each other in the Lord and remind each other of who we are in Christ. There must come a combination of instruction and sharing because; it is the Holy Ghost that is working in our heart that causes us to recognize the oppressive faults at work in us that wants to stop us from flowing in God's perfect will for our life. There are no quick fixes in walking with the Lord because; our walk with the Lord is not a destination but a relationship that He wants with us for all eternity. Our eternity started the day we made Jesus Christ our Savior.

Now this process of confession starts with us allowing the Holy Ghost to do what David the King prayed for in Psalms 139:23-24 when he states. "Search me thoroughly O God, and know my heart! Try me, and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting."

There were giants in the land that the Israelites (God people) recognized in their wanderings in their wilderness walk and God wanted to lead them into a land of milk and honey. They were afraid because; they didn't really know their God very well and the desire he had to love and have them live secure in His holding power. God has the same intentions for His children today.

The first real Giant we have to deal with is our own oppressive faults with in us and; we must learn how to cooperate with the Holy Ghost and put this giant under subjection to God‘s leadings. However; this is not a physical place but an inner reality of freedom that God wants us to live in and only those who know Jesus as Savior and have become born again can participate in this process. We must also be hungering and thirsting after our righteous position in Christ with a desire to experience His goodness.

God through the Holy Ghost wants to have complete liberty to inspect our heart and see if; there are any unresolved issues of life or scars and hurts of the past through our different relationships. God wants to inspect some of the inner closets of our physical soul where maybe they haven't been cleaned out for a while and these closets are cluttered with some debris of old type relics or thinking patterns that have no more meaning for the child of God. This is the area where we must have the Holy Ghost renew our mind and walk with righteous understanding which can only happen as we think with the mind of Christ who now lives in us.

Let me try to define these two thinking process of living by laws verses love because unless we can define these two persuasions; God's kids will not be able be able to defend and protect them self from the onslaught of demonic thoughts that are determined to have us live far below our abilities as God's born again children.

There are two different mind sets at work in the world today; that a child of God must recognize to deal with his oppressive faults and carry his brother's burdens. These two entities consist of us living under guilt and condemnation or being influenced and surrendering to the love of God. These two entities are the wooing Spirit of the Holy Ghost trying to raise us to a higher plane of intimacy with God our Father or demonic forces trying to stop God's kids from reaching their potential in Christ. This is nothing for us to take for granted because; it is a serious battle for the freedom and right of knowing intimately the God of the universe. The church of Jesus Christ (the body of Christ) must awake from a spiritual stupor that the devil has put on God's children which has stopped them from being their brother's keeper and a light to a dark and perverted generation.

"Lord help us to see our potential in you"

I will from scripture define these two entities and how the devil and the Holy Ghost are vying for the affections of mankind. I have said this many times and it bears being said again. For most people, their behavior is controlled by them trying to obey God's laws, not because of its intended purpose, but because of the fear of the consequences if they don't.

Paul says this in Galatians 3:22-28 "Scripture tells us that that all of mankind was born with a sinner's nature. However; by them knowing God's promise being that; those who live by the faith of Jesus Christ comes and is given to those people who believe in His finished work at the cross. Now; before Jesus Christ's faith became a reality to mankind; they were kept under a mentality of needing to obey laws. And they were not able to have access of experiencing God's loving grace.

Therefore; the law was our schoolmaster which set the stage that brought us to Christ Jesus that we would be justified (freeing us from having a guilty conscience because of our breaking God's laws.) However; after being born again and having Jesus Christ's faith at work in our life; we are to not be living under a schoolmaster's mentality of us worrying about breaking laws. For now we have all become children of God by living in the faith of Christ Jesus.

For as many of you that have been baptized in Christ; you have put Him on. Now there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus.

This baptism that Paul was talking about was not a water baptism. It is a miracle of our souls being washed from a sin conscience mentality by the actual blood that Jesus Christ shed at the cross and it is a permanent stain on our being that can never be washed off or be undone by man or even God Him self. God's decrees once spoken can never be reversed and as God's children we must have the unmovable conviction that no demon or act of our unbelief can ever pluck us out of God's hand once we have become born again by His spirit and stained with the insignia of His blood showing that; we belong to Him.

I will end with this although experiencing God's holding power of love these last forty some years; would have me write another thousand pages giving Him glory and praise for His patience and watching eye over me as he has never given up on me and He continues to tell me that I am His son in whom He is well pleased.

No one can capture the favor of God by trying to keep his commandments.

In John 14:23, Jesus says, "If a person really loves me, he will keep my commandments." Blind obedience without love will maintain order, but does nothing to enhance a loving relationship. Blind obedience without recognizing its value is destined for failure. Love gives the reason to obey with value and worth. The hungering heart will seek with Passion the kingdom of God. The complacent heart will grow restless in his walk with God.

As I have stated through scripture, learning and functioning within trying to obey laws is the beginning of us recognizing that; we were disobeying God. His law was created to make us realize that; we could not keep them in our own strength because of being too weak willed. It was also created to provide direction and structure for our lives and make us realize that; we needed a higher power then our self to walk in the freedom that God intended. However, prolonged preoccupation with "do's and don'ts" distracts us from God's intended goals. By understanding God's love, we can truly deal with our own oppressive faults and carry each others burdens. I have learned that without the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, my mind drifts into a thinking mentality of faultfinding and condemnation towards myself and the behavior of others.

Christ did not come to earth to impose the law or to rule over us as a dictator to dominate us. He came to empower us to be able to keep the law by His love and the Spirit of grace working on the inside of us. He came to bridge the gap between His creative orders (doing Godly work through the Holy Ghost) by giving us an awareness of His devoted love. God's love can only be described as His "forgiving grace." God is aware that while we are learning, and growing spiritually, we would stumble by falling short and violate His perfect will for us. However, like the loving Father that He is, His grace intercedes and covers our faults. This in turn gives us the power to maintain and continue our loving relationship with Him.

I am not undermining our responsibility to walk in obedience, but emphasizing that the course that leads to peace and harmony with God should not be interrupted by our shortcomings and our feelings of disappointment (Our own oppressive faults.) We have all felt at times been tempted that; we had to measure up. God's ultimate goal in sharing the universe with mankind should not be delayed because man's behavior is imperfect.

God provided His love unconditionally. He created man perfect in His image and only through Jesus Christ accepts man flawlessly. Only by learning to receive and accept God's loving grace and power of forgiveness, will man feel true peace. In cooperation with the Holy Spirit, man is learning how to live free of the torment of guilt and the feeling of falling short.

The Holy Spirit is "The Comforter" the one who guides us while we are learning. The instruction from the Holy Spirit is awareness, vision and prophetic in nature in giving us understanding of his ways and not criticism. We need to focus our attention on seeking the face and personality of God which increases our awareness of learning more of Him, rather then about Him. The struggle of law and grace is interwoven throughout the New Testament. The Apostle Paul speaks in the book of Romans chapter seven about being enslaved by his own carnal nature. He describes these two contrasting forces as a war that he experienced daily. (We do to)! He says to fight the good fight of faith and only by us experiencing God's grace, can we fulfill the desire God put in us to reach full maturity.

Good works practiced through God's love demonstrates a spirit of long-suffering, kindness and mercy. By understanding God's love, we will truly love one another.