Shoulder To Shoulder #1285 -- 4/4/22 ---- "Burdens and Battles"
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1285 -- 4/4/22
Title:
"Burdens and Battles"My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Builder:
Well, it appears higher temperatures have arrived in Yuma, and may be hinting that eventually intend to stay. Last week it was in the high 90's, and today it is supposed to be around 90 and climbing to 100 by Friday. The hot season has not yet arrived to stay, but it won't be long before it will be time to head to the mountains again. Our ministry has officially ended in Yuma, but we are meeting informally through Easter Sunday in our home with the few members still in town.
Our daughter, Cheri, and her husband, Bob, arrive late Easter Sunday night to move into their new house next door. We are excited that they will be so near us. Bob has taken early retirement and they are leaving their home of over 25 years in St. Paul, MN. Yuma will actually put them fairly equal in distance between their children in TX, SD, and MN, and Bob's family in OR.
We will not go to our Summer ministry 400 miles to the east in Greer, AZ, until the latter half of May. The ministry there will begin either Memorial Day Sunday or the first Sunday of June, depending on how soon Greer Chapel members begin arriving. We are really looking forward to our seventh year with Greer Chapel, but think we do need a little vacation time for a week or two before we go. But, . . . we'll see whether or not that actually happens.
In the meantime, we continue trying to maintain contact with a number of our friends from our years in Ukraine. Needless to say, we are in prayer almost all the time for them and for all who are suffering so terribly in Ukraine, and now in other countries. Many of our church members there have scattered, as you might expect, to other countries -- Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Germany, and Czech Republic for the most part. From there many of them are trying to help their own friends and loved ones who are still in Ukraine. We also have a number of friends still in the country.
For some odd reason, the situation our friends there are facing reminds me of how important walls are for protection, and the role that the work of "burden bearers" had in the prophet Nehemiah's effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. It occurs to me that rebuilding is impossible without the common labor of bearing burdens -- the burden of debris, the burden of helping, the burden of coming alongside another. So, I want to discuss that with you right after you take a look at these great quotes about burden bearing. . .
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed." -- Prov 31:8 (NLT).
> "Never ignore or shy away from a burden you carry in your heart. It is actually God's voice calling you to Himself where you will find comfort, assurance, and often instructions in how to turn your burden into another's blessing. In God's order of things, burdens are always the birth pangs of solutions He wishes to provide." -- T. Allen Robburts
> "Thou, Everlasting Strength, hast set Thyself forth to bear our burdens. May we bear Thy cross, and bearing that; find there is nothing else to bear; and touching that cross, find that instead of taking away our strength, it adds thereto. Give us faith for darkness, for trouble, for sorrow, for bereavement, for disappointment; give us a faith that will abide though the earth itself should pass away a faith for living, a faith for dying. -- Henry Ward Beecher (brother to Harriet Beecher Stowe)
> "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause." -- Isaiah 1:17
> "When we take upon ourselves his yoke of obedience, his yoke is easy, his burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30). When is a burden light? It is when we find our burdensome lives caught up, elevated, borne aloft by something greater than our lives. Mission gives meaning. Jesus does not come to us to relieve us of all yokes or burdens; rather, he comes offering us a yoke worth wearing, a burden worth bearing. It is a great gift not to have to make your life mean something, to have your life given significance by the Lord whose cross, when taken up, takes us up as well." -- William H. Willimon (American theologian and bishop in the United Methodist Church, Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School)
> "At this time let us be exceedingly mindful that bearing one another's burdens and sharing one another's suffering is integral to being members of Christ's body." -- Frank Griswold
> "It is the part of a Christian to take care of his own body for the very purpose that by its soundness and well being he may be enabled to labour ... for the aid of those who are in want, that thus the stronger member may serve the weaker member, and we may be children of God, and busy for one another, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ." -- Martin Luther
> "And so love and sacrifice is the law of Christ. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." The law of Christ is the bearing of others' burdens, the sharing of others' griefs, sacrificing yourself for another." -- A.B. Simpson (Scottish theologian, founder of Christian and Missionary Alliance)
THE SITUATION:
Monday morning I received the following Facebook message from one of the young women who was part of our Spanish group and singles ministry at KIBC in Kyiv. We have maintained ongoing connection with her for much of the time since we left Kyiv in December of 2008. During our time in Kyiv she studied at the National Aviation University in Kyiv and became an air traffic controller at the Borispil International Airport just outside of Kyiv a few months before we left.
When we sent our "Cuban daughter", Tania, on her way to Sweden, Anna came to help her through the process beyond where Jo Ann and I could go. When we left Kyiv for the final time, she was there as the last person we saw from our ministry before boarding the plane. Since then she has married, has a family, and has been actively engaged in ministry. I cannot remember a single instance when Anna was not smiling. But now . . .
Russia's recent invasion further into Ukraine led to our increased communication with her. Clearly her heart is broken over the plight of her people. The two pictures on the right come from some of her recent posts. In one of her most recent ones, she poured out her heart over the situation in Ukraine, writing, . . .
"It's so hard to say anything now that sometimes you stand there and you don't know whether to cry or cry [more], or just take a hand, hug, or just stand by. How can you help someone whose grief is deeper, wider, sharper than yours? Yours is also a burden, but it is different. And sometimes it's so hard to find a path to another person's heart; but you don't care about yourself, you want to find it!
"We are not psychologists, we are weak, often emotions take over. But it's worth trying and being sincere. I wish I could be quiet around. At least try to say a few words of possible encouragement. And so strange how the Spirit can guide! You just feel the words fall in your mouth if you ask God for help finding them!
"Every word is so important! It gives understanding of your presence, your participation in another person's mountain. This is so important - sharing grief. Pouring it out. But the same is taking steps towards the mountain of another. Ask God for wisdom in reaction and ability to accept it so that you don't get lean. To divide it, rise yourself and raise the man who poured out.
"I can see how often words are so appropriate. Actions are so timely. I wonder how God rules it all. How worthless remain in the past various quarrels, resentments, envy, pride, uncertainty... How strong love, faith, endurance, hope, determination have now become. Share the grief. Don't take care of yourself. Together we stand. God is with us."
I will never be able to fully identify with Anna's heart -- and neither will you. But, Jo Ann and I grieve -- and at the same time try to subdue our thoughts of anger and hate -- over what has been happening. We long more than words can tell to be with Anna and her family, and with so many other of our friends -- with Valya and her husband hiding in the root cellar of their dacha, -- with Joel and Ira as they minister into Ukraine from Poland, -- with Vitaliy and his wife now refugees themselves helping other refugees near Heidelberg, Germany, -- With Masha and her mother in the middle of Kyiv, -- with Nikolay and his family now in Lviv, -- with Ludmyla and Annie still in Kyiv as far as we know, -- and with so many others on what seems to be an endless list. The more we think of them, the more people we remember.
STAND BY ME EVEN IF I DON'T STAND BY YOU:
And all of this really didn't need to happen -- Much of our anger is directed toward our own government and European nations. Our country entered into an agreement -- a covenant -- with Ukraine in 1994 when she disarmed herself and gave her nuclear weapons to Russia. We promised to protect her. We promised to come to her aid if she were ever attacked. We didn't do it. We broke our promise.
Breaking promises and abandoning our friends seems to have become a pattern in recent years. Too often Ukraine's friend didn't take up its burden of responsibility and wield the sword -- as Nehemiah and his friends did -- in behalf of Ukraine. And, yes, I do understand the political and military dangers of helping Ukraine. But true friends don't abandon each other. Doing so merely pushes them farther away, endangering them in the present -- and you in the future when you need them.
The recent revelation of executions, rapes, and torture chambers from the Russian invaders have left us aghast in horror and disbelief. It was all so unnecessary -- so needless.
The one thing that has come from it all that is good is that Christians -- at least most of them -- have come to learn what Jesus meant . . . what He really meant in the first place about what it means to actually trust Him and follow Him. All of those teachings about being kind and considerate, of loving others -- even your enemies -- , of being compassionate, being courageous, praying about all things, being generous, giving, bearing burdens, . . .
All of a sudden, Jesus' teachings seem to have actually made sense to many, and they are taking action. When the war first began, the following Sunday our chapel leadership decided to give the entire day's offering to Ukraine. In addition, we put a special offering basket out for people to give. In the same way, our ministry, Life Unlimited Ministries, began receiving contributions to go to people and ministries we know in Ukraine. And, we will continue to do so indefinitely, where 100% of what is given will go directly to needs in Ukraine.
I mentioned that channel for giving in my last letter. Even though we are a small ministry, we have already received almost $10,000, all of which will go directly to individuals and ministries in Ukraine -- to people like Masha who is collecting funds to buy medicines for children (now in hospitals in Lviv) waiting for kidney transplants, to "M" and his ministry providing shelter and food for families in the Carpathian Mountains and a seminary in Lviv that is housing over 200 refugees, to Joel and Ira transporting aid to stranded families northwest of Kyiv and providing armor vests and helmets for their drivers, -- and the list continues.
To date, we have already given almost half of what has come in, in spite of major hurdles in transferring funds through the various financial channels. Some of them are conducting no business at all with Ukraine at the moment due to the volatility there. But, we are constantly probing for alternate ways to get the money there quickly. Jo Ann and I both usually spend several hours each day in communication with friends and in transferring funds to where they are needed.
When I see the challenges Ukraine is facing, I think of Nehemiah who left the comforts of his refugee home in Susa and returned to Jerusalem's desolation to lead a movement to rebuild the city walls. I never tire of the story. Even as an 84-year-old, whenever I read the story, the adrenaline starts pumping, and I want to find a way to join those courageous men risking their lives on the perimeter of the ancient city. Jo Ann and I feel the same way toward our friends in Ukraine and surrounding nations.
So, today, I'd like to encourage you with some thoughts from Nehemiah's story. In doing so, it's my hope that you will refresh your understanding of just how critical Paul's admonition to help carry the burdens of others. It is extremely unlikely that you fully understand the pain, suffering, exhaustion, and discouragement they may be carrying. Often the burdens of life simply become to heavy to endure, and it becomes too easy to give up -- and then die.
THE STORY:
The Book of Nehemiah has long been one of my favorite books of the Old Testament. It is the story of rebuilding what has been broken or destroyed. I'm sure you remember it well. I have taught it on numerous occasions both in churches I pastored and in settings where I had been invited to teach on either the book itself or on the primary theme of effective leadership.
Something like an addendum to the Books of Jeremiah and Ezra, the book begins with Nehemiah serving as the main "taste tester" for the Persian King, Artaxerxes. As the "cup bearer", he was, in a way, the "body guard intercessor" who was responsible to taste the beverages served to the king to be certain of two things -- that the taste was good, and that it was not fatal to the King because it had been poisoned by one of his enemies. Nehemiah had a daily job that put his life on the line in behalf of the most powerful man on earth.
There is much to say about such a man and what kind of character it takes to be raised out of the ranks into the very presence of the King. But, in a way, that is the life of every Christian. In Nehemiah's case we could talk about his integrity that lifted him to be considered in the first place; we could talk about his sacrificial spirit leading to his willingness to take on such a role; we could talk about his prayer life that gained him immediate access into the presence of God Himself (his prayer in chapter one is explosive!); we could talk about his expertise in assessing an impossible situation; we could talk about his capabilities to motivate others -- previously discouraged and defeated -- to rise up and join him in the project; we could talk about a dozen other things.
But today it seems appropriate to talk about how Nehemiah could take a situation so burdensome that it brought on helplessness, hopelessness, and exhaustion to others, and yet find strength and energy for himself to carry on -- even to the point of victory. With that in mind, let's take a couple minutes to read the fourth chapter of his account -- Nehemiah 4:1-23. ----
1. Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. 2. He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?"
3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, "Even what they are building—if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!"
4. Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5. Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.
6. So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7. Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8. All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.
9. But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.
10. Thus in Judah it was said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall."
11. Our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work."
12. When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, "They will come up against us from every place where you may turn," 13. then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows.
14. When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses."
15. When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16. From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.
18. As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. 19. I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."
21. So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared.
22. At that time I also said to the people, "Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day." 23. So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.
JERUSALEM'S PLIGHT:
You have no idea how tempted I am to get into far more detail about this story than I should. I'm sure you know that too often I'm too much of a "detail" and "background" person. I was raised to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" (II Tim 2:15), and sometimes I'm tempted to "divide" it too much for the occasion. There is so much to be shared from Nehemiah's story, but I cannot take that road at this time. Every gate in the city wall had/has significance. The role of the priests at their particular location is significant. The symbolism of Nehemiah's opponents is insightful. Nehemiah is a very important book to study in the day in which you and I live.
Dr. John Kqwasi Fosu is the pastor of the Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Hamburg, Germany. In February of 2021, he posted an outline of the Book of Nehemiah on the church's website. In it he wrote, . . .
"The book of Nehemiah covers a period of about 12 years from 445 – 433 BC (1:1 and 13:6). The key words and important emphasis are political and spiritual restoration. Nehemiah 1:4 – 11, 2:17, 5:14, and 6:15 constitute key verses of the book. Key characters are Nehemiah, Artaxerxes, and Ezra. Chapter 6 is the key chapter. It is about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem."
Later he continued, . . .
"In many ways, the time of Ezra and Nehemiah could be related to ours. . . . The ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah were to provide transformational leadership to continue the restoration and to challenge the people to spiritual faithfulness."
I think this is what drives me to pick up on one tiny sliver of truth for today's letter -- the "burden-bearers" described in chapter four. Nehemiah's brilliance in recruiting people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem is exceptional. He had workers, he had fighters, he had those who could do both, -- and he had the burden bearers.
The words "burden" and "burdens" appear only three times in the entire book (in the NASB translation), and two of them are in chapter four. So, why this catches my attention, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because as an "old man", and living some 6,400+ miles from Kyiv, it is impossible for me to fight for Ukraine in an army, nor can I be a laborer to help rebuild the destroyed cities. Neither can I treat wounds or bury the dead.
There seems to be only three things that Jo Ann and I can do in this situation -- we can pray for them, obviously; we can help raise funds for them, which we are doing; and, we can bring encouragement to them through texts, messages, phone calls, video chats, . . . and letters like this one.
It's true that, in Nehemiah's account, the burden bearers were men who were actively engaged in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. They would remove the debris and damaged things that were either in the way or could not be used. They also brought fresh supplies and materials that could be used to the men who were reconstructing the wall.
So, what do such people look like in this story? Consider . . .
THE BURDEN BEARER:
There is absolutely no doubt that burdens exist, and that you and I both likely have burdens we are carrying. So, the question is not whether we are living carefree lives or burdensome ones. The issue is, what are we doing about them? To help discern our reaction, consider these principles of burden -- and bearing burdens:
1. First, we face two kinds of burdens -- one of oppression and one of reconstruction. You find this in the three occasions where the description of burdens is found. Neh 5:15 describes the undue burdens that people, usually in authority, make demands and establish laws that accomplish nothing more than dominating our lives with unnecessary and unfruitful obligations. Nehemiah, in a seemingly brief remark about conditions in Jerusalem, wrote, . . .
"But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God." (Neh 5:15).
Those who preceded Nehemiah demanded personal resources, which, in turn, impacted the endurance levels of those who bore the burdens of reconstructing the walls under his watch. Through the first you lose strength, and through the latter you lose endurance. The loss is diminished in proportion to the number who are willing to bear the proper burden in the proper way -- either of them, or both of them.
2. Both kinds of burdens are exhausting and sap our strength. Nehemiah pointed out the general attitude of the people in and around Jerusalem when he arrived. Remember that Jerusalem had been little more than a demolished town for decades, thanks to the destruction Babylon had caused years earlier. The attempts to rebuild Jerusalem had actually begun years earlier when young Ezra, Nehemiah's contemporary, preceded Nehemiah's arrival and attempted to rebuild the temple. When Nehemiah finally arrived years later, he described the typical mentality that was so pervasive among the people living in and around Jerusalem: . . .
"Thus in Judah it was said, 'The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall'." (Neh 4:10).
People had worked so hard and so long that they simply gave out. Their will to rebuild was gone. In that they had been so wearied in the rebuilding of the temple, they had nothing left -- no energy, no will, no motivation -- with which to rebuild the defenses around the city. And there may have been a reason:
3.
Such burdens, be they oppressive or productive, are often lengthy in duration. The rebuilding of the culture began when Darius decreed the first wave of refugees return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC. The event is recorded in the Book of Ezra, stating . . ."Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: 'Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, "The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem". (Ezra 1:1-4).
We don't have time to detail the numerous setbacks, opposition, and challenges that dot the many years between Kings Cyrus and Darius but it took a total of twenty years before the rebuilding of the temple itself took place. Ezra records, . . .
"Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia." (Ezra 4:24)
Then add to that the long time that transpired after the temple's completion before Nehemiah begins rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, and it is clear how easy the vision of restoring Jerusalem -- a mere "pile or rubble" at that time -- could be lost. When the vision itself becomes a burden, rebuilding can soon become an impossible dream fading over time until it completely disappears.
I keep wondering how long it will take for Ukraine to be restored to its freedom and prosperity. Knowing Ukrainians as I do, I'm certain it won't take as long as it took under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. They will not allow their burden to steal their resolve.
If you've been carrying a burden for a long time, do NOT allow yourself to lose hope! Take on the mind set of Winston Churchill . . . "Never, never, never, never give up!!!" Be the Nehemiah of your day in your situation.
4.
Before you can rebuild an infrastructure, you must rebuild the spiritual influence. Why was it that these workers had no will or energy left with which they could rebuild the walls? It was because somebody before them had ceased working at rebuilding the temple! If you take time to carefully read the Book of Ezra, you find that the people started with strong zeal and determination, but allowed interruptions, threats, weariness -- and the "dailiness" of life -- to quench the fire of commitment and discipline needed.In the process, the people had found the task too difficult and the criticism too caustic to endure, and had quit rebuilding the most important part of Israel's life -- its spiritual strength. By the time the Jews began returning from exile -- in three phases -- , the non-Jewish people now living in the land resisted their efforts, and the returned exiles often lost the motivation to finish the work. So, instead of just a couple of years to rebuild the temple, it took 20 years to complete, and what they ended up with was far short of the grandeur of Solomon's temple.
If you are under your own burden, or if you are trying to bear that of another, it is imperative that you begin with your own spiritual condition, for that will be your source of strength to endure the burden. If you do not strengthen it through intercession, time in God's Word, and times of personal refreshing, you will surely give out before you reach the end of the journey or complete the task. Spiritual strength must always precede personal stamina.
I am personally convinced the a major reason Ukraine has survived this attack is due to the deep religious faith found in the Ukrainian people. We have seen the back of Communism broken before by the deep Christian faith if citizens. It happened in Poland, and it happened in Hungary. When you study history closely, you will find that spiritual faith played major roles in the overthrow of tyrants over the centuries. Today, Ukraine is the most Christianity oriented nation of all the former Soviet countries.
Earlier this week the Jerusalem Post contained an article entitled, "Three Things Every Christian Should Know about Putin, Ukraine, War in Europe." The first of the three things was, "Ukraine is one of the most Christian countries in Europe." The article basically reinforced what I have repeatedly said the past several months about Ukraine about what we experienced while living there. In 1991 39% of Ukrainians identified themselves as members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Today it is 78% who claim to be Orthodox Christians. In addition, another 10% identify themselves as Roman Catholic, and while evangelical Christians make up only 2% of the population of over 43 million people, their influence is everywhere.
The Jerusalem Post article indicated that last year Christianity Today stated that over 500 evangelicals had been elected to all levels of government, from local to national. One is a mayor of Rivne in western Ukraine, and the man who served temporarily as President following Yanukovich's flight to Russia was a Baptist pastor. Pavel Unguryan, the coordinator of Ukraine's national Prayer Breakfast said, “Ukraine has become the epicenter of a global spiritual battle.”
If you add those three figures above together, you have an astounding 90% of Ukrainians who profess a Christian religious belief. To be sure not every one of them has a genuine personal faith in Christ, but the overwhelming majority will definitely have a biblical view of God, of truth, of sin, of Jesus Christ, and other essential teachings of scripture. In addition to that the Jerusalem Post said the second thing Christians needed to know about Ukraine is that over 200,000 Jews still live there -- and most of them have a strong belief in God.
Without doubt, history -- both ancient and modern -- prove that deep religious faith is imperative for a healthy and prosperous nation. It really IS true -- "Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people." (Prov 14:34). We see it in ancient history. We've seen it in Europe, . . . in South America, . . . and in Africa. And we see it in Ukraine . . . and in the United States. It's one or the other -- righteousness prevailing . . . or sin destroying. Bearing the burdens and fighting the battles, then, indeed have consequences.
5. The burdens and battles of life, whether brief or prolonged, inevitably will have their detractors and opponents. There will always be the "Sanballats", the "Tobiah's", and the "Geshem's" causing confusion, accusation, and intimidation. Sanballat was a Moabite from Horonaim. Tobiah was an Ammonite, Geshem was an Arab (probably a tribal leader). Sanballat and Tobiah were direct descendants of Lot's incestuous relationship with his two daughters who gave birth to Moab and Ammon. Geshem was an Arab and descendant of Ishmael who had settled in Samaria during the exile in Babylon.
It was a common practice that when a people group were driven out of their homeland, the conqueror would send people from his land to settle in and take ownership of the land vacated by the captives. This practice has been maintained for thousands of years. In fact, this is at least part of the issue in Ukraine, because when Stalin starved as many as ten million Ukrainians to death during the Holomodor from 1932 to 1933, he migrated thousands of Russians into eastern Ukraine where loyalty to Russia has been strong for decades. Putin did the same thing when he took control of Crimea and the Donbas region.
It is essential that a Christian remain vigilant during times of battle, burden, and duress, because you can be sure that Satan will send infiltrators into your life to resist you, accuse you, detract you, and harass you. Mark it down that there will be those who will try to wear you out. Some will even tempt you to drop your burden and forget it, while others will try to add more and more burden upon you until you are spent -- completely spent -- of all faith, energy, and strength to persevere.
When you are in such a state, not only can you no longer bear the burden, but neither can you wield the sword.
6. Burden bearing is part and parcel of the battle. It has been said that if a person is not faced with some kind of burdensome challenge, he is not alive. There is probably more truth to that than we like to admit. In watching some of the videos and pictures coming out of Ukraine, I've always noticed the often enormous back packs the soldiers are carrying. I've observed how many of the soldiers not only carry weaponry, but also use it. In many cases, you find a soldier carrying the ammunition running alongside the soldier with the rocket launcher, long gun, or mortar launcher.
In the world of spiritual realities, there is no categorization between builder, fighter, and logistical support. In Nehemiah's case, the threats of the enemy demanded that the fighter be a builder, the burden bearer be a fighter, and the builder be a fighter. It reads, . . .
15 "When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16. From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18. As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me." (Neh 4:15-18).
There is no service or ministry that is insignificant or unnecessary. Bearing the burden of another is just as important as praying for or fighting alongside your brothers and sisters. You and I probably both have burdens that we bear. I know Jo Ann and I certainly do -- especially regarding what is happening in Ukraine. It is not only a national travesty and a global danger, but it is a personal burden to us. For more than two months we have been alarmed and then heartbroken over what has transpired as warning signs turned into reality.
7. Burden Bearing is a Mutual and Cooperative Responsibility:
We find ourselves hopeless to do anything about this horrendous war other than the most important thing, to intercede for the Ukrainian people. But, our praying and our concern led us to do something else -- to try to get funds to some of our friends who might need them. We didn't have much, but we had some. We began by sending a meager amount to our friend, Valya. She had been our housekeeper, interior decorator, caterer, cook, and translator during the years we lived in Kyiv. Her sole source of income came from the cleaning she did for dozens of missionaries as grateful as we were to find such a faithful and loving servant to us. But, today, she and her husband remain isolated in the root cellar of their dacha several miles from their apartment in Kyiv.
Then we remembered Ira and Joel, and also "M" and Iryna, all of whom had been part of our ministries in both churches. Ira had been my translator when I taught at St. James Bible College, and Joel had been part of developing the Latino church we planted. "M" was one of the first Farsi speakers I baptized and was the one who started the Farsi ministry which is now the largest social media Farsi ministry in the world. He and Iryna also built a translating business that now translates over 30,000 pages a month with a network that enables them to translate into over 200 different languages. Because of unexpected funds, we were able to help them all -- now displaced from their homes and their churches -- helping bear their enormous burdens.
Since that time, God has allowed us to help lighten the loads of many throughout Europe by praying for them and sharing financially. But, we did not do it alone. As I mentioned earlier, the Sunday following the attack, the Chapel leadership decided to give all of that day's offering to Ukraine. I know they did it because of us. It was that connection -- much like the connection between the workers, the burden bearers, the trumpeters, and the priests in Nehemiah's venture -- that began to expand our network of burden bearers to include not only the two of us, but also our Chapel, and dozens of friends and relatives -- each one doing his part to help lighten the load of many people in Ukraine.
Sometimes we forget that scripture is clear -- a clear sign of a maturing Christian is helping others with their burdens. Be it through prayer, serving, or giving, bearing life's heavy loads alongside others is one of the major indicators that a professing Christian is truly a Christian who understands what it means to be a follower of Christ. Paul reminded the Galatian believers that they not only needed to personally endure hardship, but come alongside others and help them do the same. He penned it this way; . . .
1. "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
2. "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. 3. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5. For each one will bear his own load. 6. The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
7 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9. "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Gal 6:1-10).
FINALLY:
As you might imagine, there is so much, much, much more in my heart that I'd like to share with you today. God has been teaching me for many years what being a follower of Christ is like. I've learned much, but am now learning much more. Life has its way of opening your eyes to deeper and richer truths from God's Word. Much of that we learned as we saw examples in others. And that thought would launch me into another lengthy discourse, so will leave it at that.
All I can say is that, of all the phrases in the New Testament that describes how Christians need to relate to each other and to unbelievers, "One another", "one for another", and "one to another" are some of the most profound to be discovered. Those terms appear at least 109 times in the New Testament. When it comes to how Christians relate to each other, it appears over 90 time in reference to 62 specific types of action or attitude we are to have.
Bearing the burdens of others is one of those priority expressions of our faith in Christ. We pray for, care for, love, encourage, build up, and even correct each other because we want to somehow lighten the load of another person.
In all honesty, if, as Christians, we do not have concern, burden, or care for other people, we have a serious -- a very serious -- spiritual problem. The very essence of the Gospel message is that of love and compassion. Our eyes are to always -- always -- be attentive and our hearts are to be always -- always -- tender and sensitive toward others.
If you find yourself unaffected by the homeless, and find yourself instead jumping to conclusions and being judgmental toward them, you need to go out where they are and walk around. Then come home and take inventory, not only of what you have, but of why your heart has become so hard and cold -- just like Israel's heart when they forgot how God had delivered them and blessed them.
If you find yourself unresponsive and, instead, self-preserving, when you are challenged to part with some of your possessions, then you have ceased being a steward and have become an owner; you have become your own god. Generosity is a character quality of a true follower of Christ.
If you look at what is happening in Ukraine and simply look at the situation as being a war that is "over there and doesn't affect me", then not only are you ignorant of global dangers and biblical predictions, but you have lost your understanding of the greatest mandate God ever gave man -- "Go to all the world . . ." And, obviously, you have no friends there.
Do you understand my point?
Burden bearing -- caring deeply enough for someone else that you will come alongside in some way -- is perhaps the most profound evidence of all that one is a true follower of Christ.
There is no greater joy for a Christian than to realize he has been set free from the bondage of ownership and has embraced the full scope of stewardship. Whether it is the stewardship of work, of time, of skill, or of material resources, we must never -- never, never -- forget that we are "house managers", "dock workers" in charge of what someone else owns. We are responsible to God for what we do with what He has entrusted to us.
So, when the opportunity arises -- whether it is the homeless vagrant on the street corner, the exhausted widow down the street, or the soldier on the battle field -- find some way to help lighten the load they carry. In doing so, you are part of Nehemiah's team rebuilding the walls of your city or town.
"Never ignore or shy away from a burden you carry in your heart. It is actually God's voice calling you to Himself where you will find comfort, assurance, and often instructions in how to turn your burden into another's blessing. In God's order of things, burdens are always the birth pangs of solutions He wishes to provide." -- T. Allen Robburts
Be sure you are in it for the long haul. Burden bearing is not for those looking for a fun holiday, a quick prayer, or a brief assignment.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
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Copyright April, 2022
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
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