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The Gift Of Compassion

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Matthew 9:35-38

[35] And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
[36] But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
[37] Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
[38] Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Let’s break it down a bit to the perspective of compassion:

The harvest, or the potential for the hope of the lost to be helped

Is plenteous, or more than enough (running over even)

But the laborers, or the cultivators of a harvest

Are few, or not enough

If there is anything that we need to have (and promote) to the lost and dying world, it is compassion. It is the one thing that you cannot have without having a selfless love; it is the one thing that God had for man so that we can go free from sin, and even as a man Christ had compassion for us!

Zechariah 11:17

[17] Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

One must be careful to not allow themselves to fall into a state of idleness; for by doing this you can hurt other people that need you to help but have you do nothing.

Galatians 6:1-10

[1] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
[2] Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
[3] For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
[4] But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
[5] For every man shall bear his own burden.
[6] Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
[7] Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
[8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
[9] And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
[10] As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Exercise compassion by having an understanding of others’ burdens and learn to bear them together so that you will be strong enough to overcome your own.

What God Puts In Purpose Will Succeed

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Exodus 1:6-14

[6] And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
[7] And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
[8] Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
[9] And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
[10] Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
[11] Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
[12] But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
[13] And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
[14] And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Exodus 2:1

[1] And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

Exodus 1:2

[2] Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

Exodus 2:2-10

[2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
[3] And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
[4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
[5] And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
[6] And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
[7] Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
[8] And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
[9] And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
[10] And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

In the time when Joseph died, the new King of Egypt at that time foresaw the people that Joseph had ruled over and how they were in his eyes “better”. As we read this now we know that this was just the after-effects of the almighty favor and blessings of God! As this Pharaoh raised intentions in his heart to fight the almighty favor of God, God saw that Israel needed a new “Joseph”, or a new leader to keep them walking before God the way God had instructed all of the time before this. So what happened? The man that we now know as Moses was conceived and brought into the world! Despite all that tried to even destroy him from birth God proved that His will and power supersede all of our plans (or as we read it that His ways are above ours)! Moses was raised in that time to lead them out of the very captivity this Pharaoh had intended for their destruction!

My thought for you today is to remember that when you walk uprightly and obedient before God that you will always have His favor and direction no matter what opposition that would come (even if it were from a great King!).

1 John 3:1-24

[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
[6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
[7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
[8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
[9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
[10] In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
[11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
[12] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
[13] Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
[14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
[15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
[16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
[17] But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
[18] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
[19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
[20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
[21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
[22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
[23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
[24] And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

When God foresaw the way sin was going to overcome the world and mankind, He sent Jesus into the world. Jesus Christ became the new atonement beyond the realm of Moses and his generations all the way to where we are. And now we have a leader that dwells within each and every one of us for all of the fiery trials we all go through. We have a way out of sin and have a leader through the presence of the spirit to guide us into living a life from sin. For that I celebrate not having to be as I was, but to be as I am through the one that spoke unto Moses, the “I am”.

Thank God For The Tough Stuff

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Matthew 7:13-16

[13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
[15] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
[16] Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Have you ever been in a place where you have found it hard to sing at church? To worship? To preach? Or even to witness? I am sure at some point that we have all been there in a place where we found it to be a battle to get to a place where we were enjoying our walk with God. When we read about narrow, consider another way of referring to narrow as difficult. All the efforts of worth and excellence that we make are going to be difficult. The Christian life is going to be tough as we attempt to truly live it as well. The great thing about it is that though it may be hard at times that within its design we have the ability to trust God! We can stir ourselves to trust God by the salvation that lives inside! You will know the fruits that you and others are bearing are ones that are able to reach out and be of help to others!

Philippians 2:12-13

[12] Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
[13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

God saves people through salvation and His marvelous grace, and this is where we must learn to begin to stir ourselves regardless of where we are. You may have some praying and casting off of things to do, but it is of Gods good pleasure that is worked when you submit to His will. If we start at the redemption and simply do what He would call for us to, you will find amazing changes and new beginnings ahead of you.

Hebrews 2:9-11

[9] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
[10] For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
[11] For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Thank God for the difficult things to do! Jesus is bringing many to glory, and to be made perfect through sufferings we cannot be shielded. It will take effort, and bravery, and courage, and faith, and holiness, but God gave us all of things things to create within us a person that can love and lead others to the Kingdom of Heaven!

Stay In Shape. Walk With God Today!

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One of the toughest things for a child of God to do in the day we live in is to simply be stable. We live in such hard times that it is very easy to get in this pattern of “ups and downs”. While I know that there are going to be mountains and valleys purposed for our lives to endure, what I would like to refer to is something a little more direct.

Let’s bring it to comparison:

A person could lose 100 pounds and feel such a weight lifted off of their life. It’s easy to tell the difference on your body when you walk, sleep and function each and every day. It’s safe to also assume that this weight did not come off without some kind of effort. We know that there are “quick” solutions out there that will help drop 5 or 10 pounds here and there, but this kind of loss could only come with continual efforts driven by a person willing to work for the goal of seeing it through! If this same person stopped exercising all together and just ate anything in the world with no care for themselves, the weight would be back instantly and all the efforts would have been lost.

That’s where I’m at with what’s on my heart today. When we can learn to recognize when we are putting on too many burdens that are unnecessary, we can start laying off the weights that easily beset us through prayer each day. God is calling us to a more intimate relationship. In order to stay in great spiritual shape, efforts must be continual and the drive must stay within the heart and mind. The drive within your heart is by your own choice. We can either choose to pray off our burdens or not. We can either choose to be spiritually strong by allowing God to help us or we can eventually put all of the weight back on that we work so hard to lose!

Don’t let it all pile up! Stay in shape and walk with God today!

Sometimes It’s Okay To Break Down

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We as people in general love to fancy ourselves as being strong enough to handle anything and everything that life decides to throw at us. And on a very personal level, I use to think as such as well. I tried to be the tough guy; always dealing with things and trying to never shed a single tear (or displaying any kind of emotion in any way). It never failed that in the end that there would always end up being some sort of emotional break up or down at the end of the day when I would be to myself. To make a long story short, it was never meant for us to live in a world where we suppress the emotions that we cannot deal with or understand.

God has provided a way so that we are able to cast all the cares (those things we are emotionally invested in) and weights (those things that bear weight as burdens) off of us! When life becomes to be too heavy, we have to learn to remember to pray and seek God for the comfort, peace, and strength that we will need in the days ahead of us. Trying to deal with these things on our own will never work, simply because we have no where for it to go. When we pray, it is not only a good outlet, but a spiritual one! You not only cast off what is of a burden to you, but God begins to replace it with the very thing that you need! He is the strength for your weakness.

So what are we trying to say today? It’s okay to admit you need help, or are hurting, or are burdened. It’s okay to reach out to God. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to call out for those that believe God for help too! Reach out to God and begin to live a more joyous and peaceful life! You will not regret it!

Are You On The Outside Looking In?

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Hebrews 10:15 – Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before

1 John 5:10 – He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

– – – –

When I am going through the problems in my life, it is always the most difficult plunge of faith to be able to trust God completely. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that in our own perspective versus God’s that we are on the outside looking in. There will be many occasions when we do not understand the feelings or pains that a circumstance brings to an individual or family. The perfect example I could give you is when you see someone go to pray. When they are on their way to the altar, others go to pray for them and are done praying quicker simply because their heart is not invested like the individual that came. It simply was not enough. In times like that we may just say what we think is best or just hug a person and say “You are going to be okay”, but what are we really doing? Are we not staying long enough? Are we not caring deeply enough to feel the load that they carry? Tough questions, right?

It is especially easy for people to get on the defensive when you are passing on worldly advice, yes. Obviously it is the easiest choice for you to just tell them what you might think is best for them at the present time. Sometimes personal advice will prove to work, while when times are harder it can be less effective. Trials will be trials and burdens will be hard felt, regardless of what we can offer. There is nothing that I could say or any shield that I could put around anyone that would keep them from being able to escape from all the things that life will bring. So what am I getting at today?

I have to remember to not be a judge on people and instead help to be a burden bearer spiritually! When my words will fail them and there is nothing else that I can do, sometimes you have to begin to pray for the situation to improve. Sometimes going and trying to intervene is not necessarily the best plan of attack. You see, God’s ways are far above our ways, and He is above looking over each and every one of us! His perspectives go far beyond yesterday and today, but even into tomorrow to see what is in store. Always remember that God is your judge, and that you can always lean on God for comfort, rest, and an escape from the trials of life each day!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

The first exercise is short and sweet. Go an entire day without saying a judging comment about another person. You would be surprised how hard it can be when you consciously try.

Drawing From The Fountain Of Life

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Revelation 7:17 – For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Revelation 21:6 – And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

– – – –

When it comes to things we need, there is a vast abundance of resources available to every person for just about anything you can think of. We are living in the information age! If you want to know something you do not have to go to too much effort to find the information about it. I have found that having this leisure does not fulfill everything. In fact, my curiosity for every question that comes across my mind does not necessarily have an answer.

When it comes to the things we wish we did not have, the reality is that they are present before us. Burdens will never go away or the thought of them. Worries will more than likely be prevalent in the future. The great thing about the things I do not want is that there is something that can help me shake them off. I am put in remembrance that I can always draw from the fountain of life! I can draw from the living water of the spirit of God. Jesus said drinking from this water would have you to never thirst. It was implying that it would be something that would always fulfill you while you were living on this earth.

Now we know that there are always going to be more trials, but you can always be refreshed in the spirit each day. Always remember to let your cup be filled by God and not be dry from neglect! God intends for our vessels to be full and abundant with His resources! Just remember: You can live longer off of water than you can food. You can live off of the spirit of God far longer than you ever can with any other substitute. I say you, but it applies to all of us! If we apply it we can grow leaps and bounds and see the storehouses of our hearts flourish!

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Put Into Practice:

Take an empty glass that you can pour water in and sit it in front you. Now then, go ahead and make an attempt or two at having a drink of what would normally be your regular beverage. It seems silly that you would go through the motions without the substance, right? At some point we all reach this low point before God, where we are just going through the same routine of going to services and doing our part but serving God with little spirit within us.

Silly or not, just remember to keep yourself from ever getting in that position. Continually keep in prayer before God. Stay in good communication with God and with your pastors or teachers. Never forget to come to the realization of the worth of the resources that are often recognized but not utilized!

Time To Lose Some Weight

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Hebrews 12:1-3 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

– – – –

I know that you are thinking that this is going to be the top 10 tips to weight loss, but that is not what we will be discussing today. I will say that I thought that this title might grab some attention though!

I would like for us to keep that perspective of weight loss to spiritual burdens. When it comes to losing weight, sometimes we see that we need to and sometimes we deny it. Other times we see that we need to but refuse to see why we ever got in the shape to start with.

When it comes to our walk with God and the burdens we carry, we often treat it with the same perspectives; we do not know exactly how we got in the shape we did, but we arrived there nonetheless. There are scriptures in the bible that indeed point us to cast off the weights that easily beset us. When I put that into perspective, all the things that easily bother me should be immediately put off as needs to God in prayer. God understands every need, no matter how great or small it is to our perspective. There is another scripture that says that nothing is impossible to God, and is indeed but a small thing.

So when we think about it like that, repenting and relinquishing ourselves of tough burdens should not be like the pains of dieting and exercise that we make it out to be! We can simply pray to God and ease the weight that we carry! Simple as that!

– – – –

Put Into Practice:

This will be an interesting task. I ask you to give it a try! Take a couple plastic bags and put one within the other to give it a little more strength (add 1-2 more if you want to). Begin to fill the bag up with objects until you begin to think that the weight would exceed the bag. At this point, pick up the back and try to simply hold it for a minute. After that, perhaps you can try (without actually hurting yourself) to walk around while carrying the bags around.

When doing this in practice it is easy to see how easy it would be to begin to feel weighted down without continual prayer and communication to God each day. Without the casting off of the weights that would beset us, I am bold enough to say that eventually we will begin to beset others; especially those that need to be led to a relationship to Christ! Get rid of anything weighing you down and draw closer to God! Let the lightness by the strength of His spirit encourage you!

The Costs Of Ignoring Godly Instruction

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When we accept Christ into our lives, it is such a wonderful thing; for many transitions and lifestyle changes begin to take place on their own without anyone or anything as much as having to say a word. That’s the wonderful benefit of the spirit of God when we choose to listen! Unfortunately, as we continue forward in our walk with God, a lot of the things that we carry out on a normal basis for Him become routine and just “the motions”. The routines and motions begin to simply numb us to what God is trying to say via the spirit directly to you or through people that God has led to instruct you in your local church or ministry.

I would ask all of us to consider the cost today. When we begin to turn a deaf ear to the word of God being sent to us via many avenues, our lives begin to take on more burdens and weights than was ever intended to begin with. And as we continue to go through the motions in this manner, we eventually fall under the weight of sin and simply not being able to handle all that comes our way. It never fails that when these patterns occur that rather than recognizing why it truly happened, we simply want to blame God for “letting us fall”. I wish I could say that was not true, but it’s not the case in the day we live in.

God wants us to be a hearer first, then a doer second. We don’t need to do anything until we hear God. And if we are not listening, we have no real business working out of the flesh. This is a tough topic, but we must strive to follow the will of God and to know what He would want us to do by divine leadership through the spirit. Let’s not ignore the preachers or the teachers, but let us tune our ears closely to what God is trying to say though others! Obedience is better than sacrifice! You can show up to church and sacrifice your day and time to be there, but be obedient in listening! That will serve you as a much greater benefit in the long run of your life!

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

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I love life when life is good: my friends and loved ones are well, there are no general problems standing out, there is food on my table, the bills are paid, etc. I found it strange when I was praying today that God would reveal to me this interesting thought.

We have to remember to utilize the strength and willpower that we have through obedience during the good times so God can be glorified. I don’t want God to only be my “bailout plan”, to be the one I only call out on in sheer desperation. We can all honestly say at one point in time in our life that we found it easier to lose our focus on God when life was easier to live because the burdens did not carry a significant weight, right?

Let’s remember to move and praise God when it counts, in the GOOD times as well as the times when we are in trouble. If we are always spiritually in check by being humble in both times of our life, we have strength to be able to handle things when they come unexpectedly or out of the middle of nowhere.

So to paraphrase, obey God, and don’t wait until it’s too late!