Loaded for Bear

Loaded for Bear

Words of Faith 3-1-2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Ephesians 4

     [1] As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.   [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  

     We are to walk-- live, breathe and occupy life-- in a manner worthy of the calling we have received.  The Holy Spirit teaches us that a walk worthy of the call should reflect three attitudes and one action-- completely humble, gentle, and patient... bearing with one another in love.  We have talked about humility, gentleness, and patience.  Now we are ready for "bear."

      The word that the Holy Spirit chose to use here through the pen of Paul is anecho-- which means to endure, forbear, lean against, or hold oneself up against.  To "bear with one another" means to lean upon one another, support one another, and put up with one another.  Part of the purpose of the Body and the community of Christ is that we would not carry burdens alone.  The Spirit calls us to bear one another's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

       We are called to lean on one another, but we also are called to "put up with."  This may be an active Christian quality that we will work on most of our lives.  The truth is that we won’t always get our way. We will be inconvenienced or frustrated with people.  There will be people who annoy us.  But because of humility, we recognize that God is not finished with them... or us either. 

      Because of gentleness, we are not harsh or rude in such situations; rather, we manifest the Spirit's temperament.  Because of patience, we recognize that the work of God in His people and in us takes time.  So... we bear with one another in love.  Love is not optional here.  We bear with one another in agape love-- the love of God that is manifest in us as the Spirit is revealed more and more.

     This is what I like to call-- loaded for bear.  When God has worked His qualities of humility, gentleness, and patience in us, we are loaded for bear.  We are ready for the active work of bearing one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.  We are prepared to bear with difficult people and situations.  We are prepared to teach, correct, restore, and disciple others. 

     We should all come to church loaded for bear.  Of course, that phrase has two meanings.  Some come and move about through church and community loaded up with criticisms, a list of past failures, and a readiness to point out faults.  The Holy Spirit calls us to something quite different.  As we walk in a manner worthy of the calling, we are loaded with a powerful arsenal of humility, gentleness, and patience so that we can indeed bear with one another.  We are loaded TO bear. 

      How are you doing with that?  Would friends and family describe you as humble?  Would church members remark about your gentleness?  Would those you encounter note your patience?  Have you been able to bear the burden of another believer?  Do you bear some of the church's burden with time, talent, gifts, labor, or investment?  Do you bear with those who are difficult in relationships?

     Father God, show me the walk that will honor You.  Give me the arsenal of humility, gentleness, and patience so that I may lean on others and lean with others.  Help me to bear the burdens of the family of Christ in love.  In Jesus' Name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2010, 2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.