Are You a Blessing or a Burden?
By Apostle Cathryn Hughes
Genesis 22:17
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies
Psalm 3:8
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Note: Selah means Think about it.
Jesus was always approached by the Sadducees and Pharisees.
Jesus being Emmanuel (God with us) so full of love and care,
always healing and caring for the lost to bring people into the Kingdom
of God. With these pesty bullies of the law on His back constantly.
Jesus was a blessing to many. The pharisees never walked in love or in the Spirit of God so they were blind of the goodness of God.
The Pharisees never hesitated to try to bring Jesus down for the good he was doing. Like, throw the law in His
face( for healing on the sabbath).
No matter who Jesus healed, or the truth he shared these law bullies were always there to pinpoint and to poke at Him.
Psalm 24:5
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the
God of his salvation.
Are we careful not to fall into the trends of the Pharisees (or Sadducees)?
Are we mean-spirited, in the cause of "righteousness"?
Our approach to others shows how we really are and how we handle people. So let us approach people in good ways AMEN!
Jesus set the example for us to follow to be a blessing to the sinner as well as the saints. To love people into the kingdom and to always be a 'lifter of each other's heads'!.
If we are going to be like Christ, should we not be like Christ?
Look at what Psalm 3:3 says:But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
If God lifts us up, shouldn't we lift each other up?
In Matthew 23 it says, "But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."
Since Jesus was not one to condemn, for he came to save, and loved,
for he didn't want to judge, but to deliver. He was the prime example
of how Christians should be a blessing to the world, and to the body of
Christ.
Do we operate only by laws (like Pharisees), or do we love (like Jesus)?
Do we pray like Christ, or favor philosophy like the Pharisees?
How many Christians today will lay down their life for their friends, who will love the sinner and be a blessing to the world?
What is the attitude of the Church today towards each other and to sinners?
Even Jesus said he can do nothing without God.
John 5:30
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment
is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me.
We can't seek our own will--only God's will.
God wants us to be a blessing. Even in the time of Genesis God used
Abram so that his seed would be a blessing to this world.
Genesis 12:2-3 says about Abram:
2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Not only did God bless Abram, but through his seed, we also would be blessed and a blessing for God. For this is promised from generation to generation For we are from the generation of Abram's seed.
When we live a loving holy life in Jesus, we become that blessing for Jesus!
And it's God who sets a standard and he will handle those who curse the people of God.
It's not our duty to be the punishers. So we don't need to play God.
When people become burdens to us, we too need to forgive and pray for them, and leave that for God to handle them.
Those who oppress and burden the Church: Those murmuring and complaining, gossiping, causing problems, jealous, those who do not even read the Bible nor understand it what Jesus taught. They create problems and need to be fed so they can grow.
Those who only know rules or church doctrine, or follow only what other's say. They do not grow past doctrine of that Church. They need to grow spiritually too.
Those who always go around with rules to place on people, yet can't walk in the Spirit of love of God. It makes it hard for people to want to go to their church if they are this type of witness.
Do we live by the letter of our religion (again, are we legalistic) or do we live by its Spirit? He teaches us all things and teaches us about love.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were burdens to Jesus. Always throwing the law in the face of the Son of God.
Today we still have people who are like the Pharisees in the Churches.
Those who are a burden on the body of Christ. Judging, pointing and
condemning brothers and sisters of God.
Do we follow the Bible because it is supernatural? OR only for the law?
(as did the Sadducees)?
We all need to ask: are we humble, or are we pretentious?
Proverbs 10:6
Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the
mouth of the wicked.
We must be so careful not to be a burden on people, because what you judge others for you are guilty of sin yourself. And you will be judged by what you just others with.
Get the rod out of your own eyes. We need to watch and discipline your own self.
Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
When people allow pride to rule them, they let it go to their heads thinking they are so good. Pride will cause us to fall, and it will come back on us when we do wrong to others.
When we become a burden like, being trouble-makers to the body of Christ, we become like the Pharisees. Always causing havoc to people and being negative Christians.
When people develop a self-righteous attitude, you will always notice them attack other brothers and sisters, their pride swells and they start putting themselves up too high.
They see themselves as the 'elite' when they are no better than anyone. They deceive many.
This is an ugly scene to Jesus. For nobody in the body of Christ is better.
Jesus warns us to stay away from puffed up people. To not even associate with them.
It's all about how we handle our own salvation, how we live and reflect the love of God to others around us, and to the world.
God looks at our intentions and our heart.
Are we a blessing or a burden?
Instead of being a burden to people, why not 'bear one another's burdens'
with love and prayer? Why not be a blessing?
Galatians 6:2
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
We have to judge our own self rather than judge others. Better to watch our own actions, and be responsible for our own ways.
This helps us discipline our self and watch our own tongue and attitude.
A humble person will learn and grow in God and not be afraid to correct themselves of their own mistakes. And we all make them!
How often do we speak before thinking of the consequences of our words?
We’ve all had negative, offensive words spoken about us at some time
that we’ve never forgotten.
We may forgive, but it’s nearly impossible to forget. Words pierce our minds and hearts. They shape our egos and impact our ways of thinking.
For these reasons, it’s important to
weigh our words wisely.
I’m reminded of the seven things the Lord hates, and some of them are
a lying tongue, a heart that devises evil, feet swift to run to mischief (gossip), and sowing discord among the brethren – all of which are acts
that can be made by an unbridled tongue. These are not just sins;
the Lord hates them.
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring
Jesus knows full well and taught us all in Matthew through John--how to behave, and how to love others, not judging and causing pain to one another.
Jesus wants us to all be blessings. To uplift each other in God, encouraging, helping each other, not picking, pointing and being a negative burden on your family, sinners, and the Church.
These are the words of Jesus:
Matthew 23:3-5 (KJV) 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them
on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments
God wants us to live right and be blessings to those around us. Let's see what the word says:
In 1 Peter 3:9 it says,
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
A condemning and judging spirit is not of God. I know many in the Church (who are used of God), understand what I am saying. And I am sure you do too.
We will face opposition
from these "So called Pharisee Christians' who are bullies. The devil uses their mouths against the saints.
Bullies stand in pride and they throw their pride around to hurt other Christians.This is not love.
How do people become a burden? The minute you judge others, throw
past in people's faces who are saved, gossip and start rumors, find fault, meddling in other's affairs, being mean or revengeful, instead of praying for them, you become a burden.
All these acts should bring repentence to those who do such things.To repent and get right with God and asking for a loving heart.
Psalm 51:9-11 says
9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
So we must be humble people and regard the fact that we can't allow
pride to come into our lives, and cause us to be burdens to the brethren. AMEN
We must repend daily to keep our lives right with God.
Do you know people who are slipping in the faith?
Do you go and try to help encourage and rescue them back in love or do you condemn them? We should be compassionate to them and help them, not put them down. Love covers a multitude of sins.
When you see a brethren living in sin, isn't it the 'Jesus way' to approach them with humility considering that you could go through what they do?
Romans 15:1-31We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Isn't it right to approach people with respect and a caring heart, when
dealing even with the worst of sinners? Jesus did..
Matthew 18:11-12 “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?”
As a body of Christ, we have an obligation to God to be a blessing to all people-- to look at people 'in God's eyes'.
Jesus was not a trouble-maker nor
a gossip. Who are we going to act like, Jesus or the pharisees?
I want to always be a blessing to the body of Christ. Not a burden to anyone, not to oppress the body, but to uplift them in prayer.
We are to be the light of this world and not a person who puts the lights out. We are to lead people to the Light (Jesus) and be a blessing in Jesus!
Are you a blessing or a burden to your family? AND to the body of Christ?
Do you really love the sinner as Christ did?
Do you point and condemn
people not considering that Jesus loves us all?
That we "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God".
When we humbly love our brothers and sisters in the Church, we stand
together in the ONENESS of God, then we can overcome the enemy and bless more people!
The Church has been tarnished too long by being hurtful, injuring each other, to put others down.
May the Pharisees of our day repent and believe on Jesus instead of showing off their self-image of polishing their armor. May they put their ego aside, and learn the importance of being a blessing instead of a burden.
They have become a burden to society and have failed to be the light for Jesus.
Are you a blessing or a burden?
Matthew 7:1-5 "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
I know none of us our perfect, and Jesus said no one is good, not one, yet we can strive to love and respect one another no matter who we deal with. Forgiving and growing closer in God's love. AMEN
We can be responsible for our own life, how we bless others with the word and Gospel.
Through love and a caring heart we can reach the world for Christ Jesus our Savior. We can love the sinner and love the body of Christ.
Let us stop being a burden to the world and shine bright for Jesus! Being the best Us we can be for Jesus!
He did not come as their ruler but as a man who served them so they could understand better how to relate to God.
Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of
Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” The greatest service one can do is to give their life for another
