Insights on Matthew 18:31

Read Matthew 18:31.

• This is how ministry is birthed.
• What do you see?
• How does what you see make you feel?
• What does God want you to do, based upon what you see, feel and hear?
• The first step is the hardest, yet easiest.
• The first step is a choice to get involved.
• You're busy.
• You hesitate to put anything else on your do-do list.
• The first step is within your ability and time commitment.
• In this case, step one was for the fellow servants to tell their master.
• You can at least pray about the situation that troubles you!
• Your responsibility might or might not end at step one.
• In this case, the fellow servants told their master and he took it from there.
• Sometimes you will have a step two or even a step three.
• Stay in the process until God releases you.

My Prayer (11/09/16)

Read Luke 11:46; Galatians 6:2.

Lord, today I want to be a burden-helper, not a burden-maker.  May  my words and deeds lead to helping, strengthening and encouraging Your people.  May people be glad that I was around.

What a Burden Will Do (Part 2)

Read Nehemiah 1:1-2:10 for context.

What will a burden do? A burden will cause you to...

• Show (2:1-2). The burden you feel affects you to the core. You "own it." It's part of you. You can't hide it. Others notice. Since they probably don't share your burden, it is hard for them to understand. Only a burdened person can understand another burdened person.
• Plan (2:3-8). This was not a make-it-up-as-you-go-along "plan." It was a thought-out plan and a prayed-through plan. Feeling, by itself, isn't enough. Praying, by itself, isn't enough. You must determine what God wants you to do and how He wants you to do it. Then you must implement.
• Be attacked (2:9-10). Whenever you have a burden, someone else will stand in your way. Expect unbelievers to attack your burden. Expect conflict. Expect someone to be displeased. That's not cynicism. I prefer to call it preparing for reality. Those who don't have a burden will attack those who do.

What a Burden Will Do (Part 1)

Read Nehemiah 1:1-2:10 for context.

What will a burden do? A burden will cause you to...

• Listen (1:1-3). You may not have a burden that you know of, but one way to identify it is to see what captivates your attention. What do you keep talking about? What do you keep asking about? You listen so you can learn and understand.
• Feel (1:4). What you hear stirs emotion in you. Compassion at first, aggression later. You are moved so much that you must do something.
• Fast and pray (1:4-11). You're not above the people in the situation. No, it's as if you're one of them. Prayer removes pride and exposes false motivation. Prayer positions you to be God's servant instead of man's hero. This prayer is based upon God's Word. That's the source of your authority.