THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 5, MARCH3, 2002

BEAR YE ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS
(THE FLIP SIDE)

    It was not too long ago that I preached a lesson on Sunday morning based upon the first ten verses of Galatians 6. We sent time talking about verse 2, where Paul wrote, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

    We all have burdens to bear and they can be of different kinds. There can be burdens of sin and temptation. There can be burdens of sorrow and sickness, as well as burdens of care. As a Christian it is my responsibility to seek to help my brothers and sisters in Christ through the difficult and trying times of life. Remember that Paul wrote, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." (Phil. 2:4) We need also to consider 1 John 3:17 & 18, where we find, "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

    I can and I must help my brethren with their burdens. We have been put here to serve and truly the greatest example of that was our Lord. But I do believe that there is a "flip-side" to this discussion.

    How can I bear the burdens of my brothers and sisters in Christ if I don't know what those burdens are? How can I know the wonderful joy of "rejoicing with those who do rejoice; and weeping with those who weep" if my brethren won't tell me the good and bad things of their lives - not to interfere, but to help? How can we as a family, and we truly are to be closer even than the blood families are, share if those in need don't share the need?

    Perhaps there is some burden that I have to deal with that there is absolutely nothing of a physical nature that you can do to help. I understand that. But I am wrong if I think that that means there is nothing you can do. James tells us in James 5:16, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME, and I can't think of anything more important than that.

    I don't need to know all of the particulars of all of the burdens that my brethren are bearing up under, but I believe that we need to share enough that we all are able to know when in a special way prayers are needed. That's the "flip-side" of "bear ye one another's burdens". I need to let my brethren know and so help them to obey the Lord's command to help me.

Greg Litmer

NOTHING

He made no mistakes, took no wrong roads;
He never fumbled the ball.
He never went down neath the weight of the load.
He simply did nothing at all.

He lost no hard fights in defense of the right;
He never bled with his back to the wall.
He never felt faint in his climb to the light;
He simply did nothing at all.

So death came nigh, for life slipped by
And he feared for the judgment hall.
When they asked him why, he said with a sigh,
"I simply did nothing at all."

So, God will pardon your blunders, my friend,
If repentance and obedience accompany your fall.
But the one big sin that surely means hell
Is to simply do nothing at all.

A LIST OF THINGS ALL CHRISTIANS CAN DO WITHOUT BEING TOLD OR ASKED:

1. Send a card to the sick, the lonely, or bereaved.
2. Visit the sick, the lonely, the bereaved, or the shut-in.
3. Visit new members, have them into your home.
4. Visit or call those who don't come as they should and encourage them.
5. Worship regularly with the saints and be on time to services.
6. Contribute regularly to the reverence of the assembly.
7. Read and study your Bible every day.
8. Pray every day.
9. Distribute a tract a day.
10. Teach home Bible classes or arrange to have them in your home.
11. Be friendly and greet the visitors. Don't go right to your seat or speak only to those you know. When was the last time you welcomed a visitor you did not already know?
12. Develop hospitality among one another.
13. Give as you have been prospered.
14. Use your telephone to contact and encourage others.
15. Live godly and peaceful lives.
16. Pray for one another.
17. Participate in all phases of the congregational activities that you can. Lend a helping hand.

I THINK DOING NOTHING HAS TO BE THE MOST TIRESOME JOB IN THE WORLD BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STOP AND REST!