Pastor Brad’s Notebook
20 Jul Devotional Thought – Bearing A Brother’s Burden
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. . .For each one shall bear his own load." Galatians 6:2,5
I have to admit that when I first read this passage I thought that this was a really strange reason for me to bear a brother's burden. My first thought was that this passage would make better sense if it were to read, "Bear one another's burden because it isn't right that a brother should have to bear his burden alone." Yet Paul says that the reason for bearing another's burden is because "each one shall bear his own load." It was a bit confusing at first, but after carefully considering the context I have come to agree with Paul. It's not strange. In fact, it's beautiful and wonderful.
18 Jul Devotional Thought – Temptation’s Location
"And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him." Mark 1:13
"He was there in the wilderness...tempted by Satan." Many times we are tempted to believe that Satan is the strongest in the busiest and most crowded areas of our lives. Those areas where we find the greatest number of people and opportunities to sin. That is a fatal mistake. I believe that the greatest location of temptation is not in the hustle and bustle of a crowd, but in the stillness and quietness of the wilderness.
13 Jul Devotional Thought – The Gift Of A Thorn
"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure." 2 Corinthians 12:7
"A thorn...was given to me." So, was this thorn then a gift from God? I normally view as gifts from God those things in which the abundance of life is found. If something happens to diminish or dilute that abundance, I definitely don't consider it a gift. At best I consider it to be a distraction - at worst, a danger. But here in Paul's personal letter to the Christians at Corinth, he completely reverses that which was my understanding. He says that the danger is the gift - the thorn is the abundance.