God’s Compassion

October 6, 2014 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” (John 11: 28-37.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

When Jesus arrived at the home of Mary and Martha they were already in mourning for the loss of their brother Lazarus; whom they had recently buried. The Lord’s heart was filled with compassion and empathy; and he began weeping with them. His tears weren’t shed for Lazarus (he would soon raise his fallen friend from the dead); instead, he cried because he felt the suffering of Martha and Mary. God’s compassion is immeasurable. He knows and experiences every pain we will ever endure. Compassion is defined as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate that suffering.”

One day I happened by a man named Eric. He was sitting outside of a coffee shop, slouching in a chair; he looked more dead than alive. Eric was sweating profusely and his skin appeared pale and clammy. His clothes were old and tattered and he badly needed a shower. Upon seeing his painful condition, I was moved to sit down and talk with him. He was experiencing heroine withdrawal. I took him out to eat and got him some clean clothes. Later, as his condition deteriorated I took him to the hospital. I sat with him in the emergency room for hours and accompanied him in to see the doctor. He was treated, and released. Before dropping Eric off, I bought him some food and supplies, and told him that I was available if he needed anything else. Nearly a year later, Eric showed up at the coffee shop to say hello. He told me that after our interaction, he had nearly died and was hospitalized for an extended period of time with a heart infection. He thanked me for my efforts, and said that without my assistance, he might not be alive. Even when his friends had abandoned him, someone cared enough to help. I reassured him that it was God who deserved the credit; for it was God’s compassion that had been placed in my heart; without the Lord’s Spirit, guidance, and direction, I would’ve kept walking just like everyone else.

God instills His concerns, emotions, and feelings in to the heart of every believer. In turn, the Holy Spirit moves us to accomplish great acts of compassion. The closer we grow to the Lord, the more compassion we will feel for those who are hurting. Wherever love abounds, God’s spirit can be found; where there is indifference and a deficit of compassion, the Holy Spirit is lacking. There are so many broken people in this world who need to be loved; some pass by the afflicted without stopping to consider them; but God compels others to act. May the Lord’s compassion lead you to action; may you feel what God feels; may you see with His eyes; and may you step out in faith and take the time to relieve the suffering of others.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to know You and to be filled with Your compassion. Inspire us to help those who are hurting; give us the strength to reach out to the lost. May we be kind to the needy and love the stranger. May we be used to communicate Your love to all those we meet. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

Persecution

September 29, 2014 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“If the world hates you, you will know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I have spoken to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15: 18 – 20.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Jesus was persecuted relentlessly during his earthly ministry. He was slandered publicly and privately. He was shunned by many, and ridiculed, even by members of his own family. His message was so offensive that he was nearly stoned to death on a number of occasions. Eventually, despite his miraculous feats, and his immeasurable love, Jesus Christ was abandoned by his closest friends; he was bound and beaten; spit upon and crucified. Those who choose to follow him can expect to experience similar forms of persecution.

Eleven of the twelve disciples were brutally martyred for their unwavering faith (the twelfth was imprisoned until his eventual death.) Each disciple paid the ultimate price for fearlessly spreading the gospel throughout the known world. Although physical peril is a common type of persecution, it comes in many other forms. One day as I sat studying in the local coffee shop, I began talking with a Muslim friend concerning the tenants of the Christian faith. As I presented her with the gospel, a women sitting next to us became visibly upset. Not knowing that we were already friends, she yelled “Can’t you see she doesn’t want to talk to you about that?” The woman continued to verbally harass me, making every effort to subvert the conversation. In the midst of the pestering, I looked at my friend and said, “This is the type of persecution that occurs when you become a believer.” Eventually the woman became so disruptive that we had to end our discussion.

Persecution is an inevitable consequence of genuine faith. If we are not experiencing some kind of persecution, then perhaps we are keeping our beliefs hidden away; choosing safety and security above obedience to the Lord. Still there are those who boldly spread the gospel message; making every effort to lead others to God. These individuals can expect to be persecuted. Persecution in any form isn’t very pleasant; yet it is a reminder that we are earnestly following in the footsteps of our teacher, our master, and our friend.

“Lord Heavenly Father, provide us with opportunities to preach the gospel to others. May we reach out to those who might become our brothers and sisters. Strengthen us when we encounter persecution; that we might stand firm in the faith. Give us courage to boldly speak the truth; that we would continue to emulate our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You; and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

Powerful Conversions

September 22, 2014 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me’” (Acts 26: 12-18.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

There was once a very angry young man named Saul who passionately hated Christians; after Jesus ascended in to heaven, Saul traveled from synagogue to synagogue, beating, harassing, and even killing those Jews who openly professed a faith in Jesus Christ. One day, while traveling to Damascus to persecute believers, God intervened in Saul’s life. Jesus appeared to him and said, ‘it is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ [Oxen were trained to pull heavy plows; an untrained ox would often try to kick itself free. In turn, farmers attached sharp pieces of metal to the plow (otherwise known as ‘goads.’) When the ox kicked the plow, it would stab itself in the leg; the harder the kick, the more painful the sensation. After a short time the animal would learn to accept its position.] Like an untrained beast, Saul had been struggling against the call of God. After his visitation, Saul finally quit fighting; he accepted Jesus as his Lord and savior; he also changed his name to Paul, and went on to write many of the letters in the New Testament. Throughout history, some of the greatest Christian leaders have often been those who were once the devout enemies of God.

Sir William Ramsay was one of the most influential scientific minds of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. He taught at Oxford, and is credited with discovering several new elements; he also received numerous scientific awards and honors. Ramsay had been raised as a non-believer; his parents were atheist (a disposition he also clung to for most of his life.) He had little respect for Christianity; in fact he claimed that the bible was nothing more than “a book of fables.” He began to study archaeology and eventually he traveled to the Middle East in hopes of disproving the historical accuracy of the bible. After 25 years of travel and research, he was forced to concede that even the most minuscule details of the New Testament were accurate. Instead of writing a book disproving the validity of scripture, Ramsay wrote a book entitled “St. Paul, the Traveler and Roman Citizen.” In it, he presented his findings; all of which supported the reliability of the bible. Convinced by the evidence, Ramsay shocked his colleagues and fellow intellectuals by announcing that he had converted to Christianity.

Like Paul, and like Sir William Ramsay, there are many today who are kicking “against the goads.” God however, is still actively intervening in the lives of atheists, agnostics and nonbelievers the world around. If you are raging against the call of God, stop struggling; give up, and give in. Let the Lord in to your heart; He will replace your pain with peace; your hatred will give way to love, and your sorrow will turn to joy; if you would only surrender to Him, you would know true freedom; for you would come to know the eternal and everlasting God.

“Lord Father, may Your perfect will be done in our lives. We pray for those who “kick against the goads.” Soften their hearts and cleanse their minds, that they may come to believe in Your Son, and in the redemption he has offered through his sacrifice. May they embrace and receive Your free gift of salvation through faith. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.” God bless all of you.