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RHM Devotional: Climbing God's Mountain from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:1–2 ESV

Today I want you to picture us all climbing a mountain: the mountain of God. Each of us is different physically, and of various ages. Some will have experience and will climb faster than the others. Some may slip occasionally and need help along the way. Some parts of the climb will be more difficult, and the grade may be steeper.

Slipping, falling down and sliding back down the mountain is just part of the climb. The key is to always get back up and take another step. Solomon wrote that the righteous falls seven times, but rises again (Proverbs 24:16). The Holy Spirit will help us get back on our feet every time. We just have to keep a vision of getting to the top of the mountain, and stop looking down and behind us. As long as we are climbing, it’s gonna be OK, and if you took the time to watch or read this, then you ARE still climbing.

There is an immaturity that is totally acceptable to God. For instance, a two-year-old child is immature when compared to an adult, but that is to be expected. We understand this and discipline children according to their age. Toddlers may get a spanking, teens may go to juvenile hall, adults may go to prison.

To think that God cannot comprehend that is error, but religion will try and create a cookie cutter system that no one can live up to. God does not expect new believers to behave like Moses.  His children are a varied, mixed up, multicolored family, from all walks of life. What we do have in common, is that we have the same understanding Father who loves each and every one of us and does not expect us to be clones.

Paul wrote the scripture that I opened with in Galatians 6, that if anyone was caught in a transgression, that those who are spiritual should restore him in a “spirit of gentleness.”. In bearing each other’s burdens in those moments of need, with love and gentleness, we fulfill the law of Christ.

Paul wrote more about this in Romans 13:8, that love completely fulfills the requirements of the law: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:8-10 ESV)

Paul also knew that there would be differences of opinions among us, that we would not agree on everything, all the time. There would be some who were strong, and others who were weak. There is no room in God’s word to ever be a religious snob who looks down on others. We are to love and help each other.

Paul wrote this in Romans 14:1 “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand”  Romans 14:1-4 ESV.

So pay attention to your own path and not your neighbors, unless you intend to help them. If you ever look in disdain at someone else who is currently sliding down the mountain on their face, know that you will probably be next, for you will be tested in the same way.

Galatians 6:7 tells us “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Jesus told us in Luke 6:37: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” That do unto others as you would have them do to you thing, well it’s real. How you treat others, is eventually how you will be treated by others. So I suggest you start loving them.

We will overcome in this life by keeping the main thing, which is loving God and loving our neighbors, as the main thing that we focus on. When we can offer a helping hand, we do so. Avoid useless arguments that just cause strife and division. That is how we successfully climb God’s mountain.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please let me see others through Your eyes. Let me feel Your compassion for them. Put a guard over my mouth and make me aware of the bad things that I would say, before I say them. Help me be a blessing to others, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Note: For those interested in the original music we have been providing at our RHM Live services, we have finally managed to produce our first CD, called "Wings of Love"! That link will take you to where you can get a physical disc. The music is also available digitally at our RHM Music page, and we are working on making it available to stream at other places, like iTunes or Amazon. Stay tuned :)!