Galatians 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS:

MONDAY - VERSES: Numbers 11:11-17 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God that we do not have to bear burdens alone, but that we can come to Him and our fellow Christians.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Romans 15:1-5 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help bear the burdens of those who are overwhelmed.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: Exodus 18:12-24 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you be willing to seek out and accept others' help when your own burdens are too heavy.

THURSDAY - VERSES: Matthew 26:36-41 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you see the burdens others may be overwhelmed with that you could help carry.

FRIDAY - VERSES: 1 Peter 5:6-7 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help you with the burdens that others cannot help you carry.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Isaiah 35:1-9 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God for more strength to carry your own share of the load as you walk in the way described by Isaiah.

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ADDITIONAL SONG - DOES JESUS CARE?

1. Does Jesus care when my heart is pained Too deeply for mirth or song, As the burdens press, and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?

3. Does Jesus care when I've tried and failed To resist some temptation strong; When for my deep grief There is no relief, Tho' my tears flow all the night long?

Refrain: O yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief; When the days are weary, The long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.
ASSIGNMENTS

1. At least once a day read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture in a prominent place where you will see it often throughout each day.

3. Look for people with problems and do something to help.

4. At the close of day write down the ways you have helped someone.

5. Plan to tell the class, next week, an example of how you or someone else helped someone, or tell the class how you could have helped bear someone's burden but didn't.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 12

BURDEN BEARING - 10-07-12 to 10-13-12

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

COMMENT - Helping one another in times of need (physical, financial, emotional, social, etc.) is the fulfillment of the law of Christ. The law of Christ is probably a reference to what James calls the royal law, to love your neighbor as yourself (James 2:8)

SONG - BLEST BE THE TIE

1. Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love

The fellow ship of kindred minds Is like to that above.

2. Be fore our Father's throne, We pour our ardent prayers;

Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our cares.

3. We share our mutual woes; Our mutual burdens bear;

And often for each other flows The sympathizing tear.

4. When we asunder part, It gives us inward pain;

But we shall still be joined in heart, And hope to meet again.

THOUGHTS

In his book Open the Door Wide to Happy Living, T. Huffman Harris told of a young man named Eddie who became tired of life and decided to leap from a bridge into a turbulent river. Jim, a total stranger, saw Eddie being swept downstream and plunged into the water in an effort to save him. Eddie, a good swimmer, noticed the man floundering desperately in the strong current and knew that without his help he would drown. Something stirred within him.

With all of his strength, Eddie swam over to the man and rescued him. Saving that stranger, who had attempted to save him, brought new hope and meaning to Eddie's life.

Sometimes it does take a crisis to shock us out of a "poor-me attitude." When shocked sufficiently, we can begin to see once again our value to God and to others.

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I glanced down the long line at the cash register I was manning in the supermarket. Dear God, help me to be more like You, I prayed as I thought about what the preacher had said at church. "During difficult times, ask yourself: How would Jesus handle this?" he had suggested.

I scanned a loaf of bread. "That'll be one dollar and nine cents," I told the small boy standing before me. As he dumped a fistful of change onto the counter, he looked up at me apologetically. With trembling fingers, he pushed the scattered coins closer together.

I counted the money. My stomach tightened as I heard: "I thought this was an express line!"

"It'll take her all day to count that kid's money."

The youngster was short 28 cents. I shot him an uneasy look. His cheeks turned pink. What would Jesus do? I asked myself. Quickly, I picked up a receipt and scribbled, "I owe this drawer 28 cents." Then, I slipped it into the register along with the boy's coins.

I pressed a paid sticker on the bread and handed it to him. "Thank you, ma'am," he replied, flashing me a smile. The disgruntled complaints of the waiting customers no longer made me nervous. My heart felt light, for I knew that now that I had been successful in emulating Jesus on just one small occasion, I was ready to challenge anyone in that line with kindness and love. And, I felt confident that with Him at my side, I would be able to do just that with no problem at all!

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A friend is one who walks in when others walk out.

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We are often like the man who was telling his wife about passing a woman in a downpour of rain one afternoon. She had a flat tire and was standing helpless by the side of her car. "I thought to myself," he said, "how awful it is of people not to help such a poor woman. I would have stopped if I were not on my way to work."

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How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. - George Washington Carver

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A story from the Choice Gleanings calendar illustrates the point. Drifting snow and bitter cold threatened the lives of Indian evangelist Sadhu Sundar Singh and his Tibetan companion as they crossed a Himalayan mountain pass. Fighting the "sleep of death" , they stumbled over a mound in the trail. It was a man, half dead. The Tibetan refused to stop but continued on alone. The compassionate Sadhu, however, shouldered the burden the best he could. Through his struggling, he began to warm up, as did the unconscious man. But before reaching the village they found the Tibetan -- frozen to death. The principles that Jesus taught are still true: whoever shall save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it!

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Lord Palmerston, Queen Victoria's Prime Minister, was crossing Westminster Bridge when a little girl ahead dropped a jug of milk. The jug broke into fragments, and she dissolved into tears. Palmerston having no money with him dried her eyes by telling her that if she came to the same spot next day at that hour he would pay for both the jug and the milk. The following morning, in the midst of a cabinet meeting, he suddenly remembered his promise to the little girl, left the bewildered ministers, dashed across the bridge, popped half a crown into the waiting child's hand and hurried back. - All Nations Missionary Review

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BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS

INTRODUCTION

I. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT BEARING THE BURDENS OF OTHERS

A. MATTHEW 23:1-4

B. LUKE 11:46

C. MATTHEW 11:28-30

D. ROMANS 15:1-3

E. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:14

II. TYPES OF BURDENS WE CAN HELP BEAR

A. PHYSICAL BURDENS

B. EMOTIONAL BURDENS

C. FINANCIAL BURDENS

D. SPIRITUAL BURDENS

E. SOCIAL BURDENS

F. MENTAL BURDENS

CONCLUSION

BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS

SCRIPTURE - (Gal 6:1-5) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. {2} Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. {3} For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. {4} But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. {5} For each one shall bear his own load.

INTRODUCTION

A. PAUL INDICATES THAT MANY TIMES PEOPLE'S BURDENS CONTRIBUTE TO BEING OVERTAKEN IN SIN.

B. WHEN WE HELP BRETHREN WITH THEIR BURDENS WE HELP KEEP THEM FROM FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH.

C. THINK OF THOSE IN FERRIDAY WHO ARE UNFAITHFUL NOW. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THEY HAD BURDENS TO BEAR THAT OVERWHELMED THEM?

D. HOW DO WE RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BURDENS (OVERTAKEN IN TRESPASSES)?

1. IGNORE THEM?

2. CRITICIZE THEM?

3. SHAME THEM?

4. TALK ABOUT THEM?

5. SHUN THEM?

6. JUDGE THEM?

7. OFFER TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR BURDEN?

I. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT BEARING THE BURDENS OF OTHERS

A. (Mat 23:1-4) Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, {2} saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. {3} "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. {4} "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

B. (Luke 11:46) And He said, "Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

C. (Mat 11:28-30) "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. {30} "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

D. (Rom 15:1-3) We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. {2} Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. {3} For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me."

E. (1 Th 5:14) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

II. TYPES OF BURDENS WE CAN HELP BEAR

A. PHYSICAL BURDENS

1. MOVING

2. YARD WORK

3. BURDENS ON THE AGED

4. BURDENS ON THE ILL/INFIRMED

B. EMOTIONAL BURDENS

1. DEATH

2. LONELINESS

3. STRESS

4. DIVORCE/SEPERATION

C. FINANCIAL BURDENS

1. OVERWHELMING DEBT

2. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

3. LARGE FAMILY NEEDS

D. SPIRITUAL BURDENS

1. NEWBORN CHRISTIANS

2. WEAKNESSES

3. NON-CHRISTIAN OR UNFAITHFUL FAMILY MEMBERS

E. SOCIAL BURDENS

1. SINGLE ADULTS

2. SINGLE PARENTS

3. WIDOWS/WIDOWERS

4. SHYNESS

F. MENTAL BURDENS

1. IGNORANCE OF THE WORD

2. FEARS

3. DOUBTS

4. MISUNDERSTANDING

CONCLUSION - WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THOSE WHO HAVE BURDENS TO BEAR?

A. DO YOU JUDGE THEM AND TALK ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THEMSELVES AND PREVENTED THE BURDEN?

B. WHAT IF JESUS TOOK THAT ATTITUDE TOWARD US AND OUR BURDEN OF SIN?

C. PAUL SAYS WE NEED TO BE BURDEN BEARERS NOT BURDEN ANALYZERS.

D. A man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out.

A SUBJECTIVE person came along and said: "I FEEL for you, down there."

An OBJECTIVE person said: "It's logical that someone would fall, down there."

A PHARISEE said: "Only BAD people fall into a pit."

A MATHEMATICIAN calculated HOW he fell into the pit.

A NEWS REPORTER wanted the exclusive story on his pit.

CONFUCIUS said; "If you would have listened to me, you would not be in that pit."

BUDDHA said: "Your pit is only a state of mind."

A REALIST said: "That's a PIT."

A SCIENTIST calculated the pressure necessary (lbs./sq.in.) to get him out of the pit.

A GEOLOGIST told him to appreciate the rock strata in the pit.

AN EVOLUTIONIST said: "You are a rejected mutant destined to be removed from the evolutionary cycle." In other words, he is going to DIE in the pit, so that he cannot produce any "pit-falling offspring."

The COUNTY INSPECTOR asked if he had a permit to dig a pit.

A PROFESSOR gave him a lecture on: "The Elementary Principles of the Pit."

An EVASIVE person came along and avoided the subject of his pit altogether

A SELF-PITYING person said: "You haven't seen anything until you've seen MY PIT!!"

An OPTIMIST said: "Things COULD be worse."

A PESSIMIST said: "Things WILL get worse!!"

JESUS, seeing the man, took him by the hand and LIFTED HIM OUT of the pit.

E. ARE YOU A BURDEN BEARER OR A BURDEN ANALYZER?

F. DO YOU HAVE BURDENS YOU NEED TO TURN OVER TO JESUS OR BURDENS WHICH WE CAN HELP YOU WITH TODAY?