Being Moved By Compassion

Recently at Tuesday night Bible study we were looking at what we call the "Parable of the Good Samaritan", found in Luke 10:25-42. In the parable there is a man that has been robbed and beaten and left by the road to die. A priest came by and walked right past the guy. A Levite came by and also walked right past. Both of these men would have been considered Jewish religious leaders, but they did nothing. A Samaritan, a man of a race despised by the Jews, came by and ministered to the man's wounds, put the man on his donkey, took him to an inn, and left money for the man to be cared for.

As we read it this time I noticed, perhaps for the first time, the Samaritan, "felt" compassion when he saw the man. (vs. 33) That is what moved him to action.

We see in scripture that Jesus was moved to action by compassion time and again. The following are just a few of the scripture references in which you will find this: Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34

I tend to believe that real ministry only flows from a heart of love. Although love and compassion are somewhat different. I don't think we can have compassion without having love.

I wonder how often I am more like the religious leaders and fail to let the Lord's compassion fill my heart and move me to action. I want to be like Jesus. If I am going to be like Jesus I will need to be moved with compassion.

God I need you to fill my heart with your love so I can be moved with compassion.

My Help Comes From The Lord

Psalm 121:1-2 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

I think I will join this Psalmist in looking unto the Lord who created heaven and earth. If He is capable of creating all the beauty we see around us and created something as amazing as the human body, He can certainly take care of me and what is going on in my life, if I will let Him.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Unshakeable Kingdom

Oh, wow!! A new year!! What will it bring??? At this point only God knows. We all have a sense by looking at what is happening around us and what we are being told by news media that things on this earthly plane may not be so good. It looks like things may a bit shaky and perhaps some more things will be shaken to the ground.



But if we truly are subjects of King Jesus, then we are part of an unshakeable kingdom. Therefore we know that we can stand in whatever is coming. Perhaps in the midst of it God will shake a few things out of us that are not of His kingdom. That would be a good thing, because only the things of His kingdom will last forever.

Hebrews 12:25-29 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire.