Compassion

TODAY’S VERSE

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT

Everyone has a story. Everyone hurts sometimes. If not now, wait. It is a hurting world. This is what Jesus saw. He saw the crowds, harassed and helpless. He compared them to lost sheep without a shepherd to protect them. And when He saw them, He had compassion. Why? Because He was God incarnate! God in the flesh. All you have to do, to understand why Jesus reacted the way He did, is to read the Old Testament. God Jehovah had compassion for the poor and needy. Even in Proverbs, Solomon gives us instructions to help those in need. He writes, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” We are to defend the rights of the poor and needy. But you ask, “What can I do?” It starts with your willing heart. From your heart, it moves to your eyes. Next, it moves to your head, then to your hands and feet. If you are willing to be used on behalf of the needy and ask God to help you help others, His love takes over. His compassion will be more than you could ever begin to contain. His miracles on behalf of the needy will be more than you can keep up with. God loves His human race, but He ordained His church to be His hands and feet. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he called his disciples for help. He is still calling! What will you do?

TODAY’S PRAYER

Father, there are so many needs, so many hurting and dying. Use me today, right here, right now, to make a difference in someone’s life. Help me see with Your eyes, love with Your heart and move with Your power. In Jesus’ Name.

AMEN

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I Am Slipping

TODAY’S VERSE
I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Psalms 94:18-19 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Have you ever slipped? I have. It is a helpless feeling. Your legs fly up and your body comes down without warning. Once I slipped off a tree limb and landed many feet below on the ground. There were scratches down the side of my body from the many branches that I hit on my descent. Slipping out of control can be a terrifying experience. But there can be more fearful slips. Ever have the fear of abandonment or rejection that leads to anxiety so bad that you felt your heart would beat out of your chest? You feel like you’re going down a long winding chute picking up speed leading directly to annihilation. It is a fear of non-being, leaving you in terror, trying anything to bring relief. The Psalmist knew what it felt like. He cried, “I am slipping!” The good news is God can help you down from those mental and emotional cliffs that you are hanging on to by a thread. As difficult as it may seem, as terrifying you may think the outcome could be, God is with you to help and comfort. He will help you find a way. The Psalmist was in a dilemma. It was sheer horror that made him cry out to God, “My foot is slipping!” But when he did, God’s unfailing, better said, His never-failing love, supported him. When his anxiety was so high, when doubts filled his mind so much that he could not stand it, God consoled him, bringing real joy deep to his soul. God will do the same for you. Bring Him your fear, your anxiety, your terror. Bring Him to the spot where you are slipping. Reach up your hand and He will grab you. He will hold you with His strong arm. He will put your feet in a safe place.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I am slipping. Please come to my aid. Catch me, hold me, help me find better footing. I need Your consolation. I need Your never-failing love. I need Your help. Guide me, comfort me, rescue me, in the name of Jesus I pray.
AMEN

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Don’t Condemn Yourself

TODAY’S VERSE
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I.”
John 8:10-11 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I love the account of Jesus listening to the men who wanted to stone a woman to death for committing adultery. Jesus instructed them, “the one without any sin should throw the first stone.” One by one each man left until only the woman and Jesus remained. Jesus asked, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” The woman stood there, no doubt astonished and said, “No Lord.” Then Jesus said those words of extreme freedom, “Neither do I.” Paul brings the point home after explaining our human condition of doing things that we don’t want to and not doing those that we should. He shouts this victory cry, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Hallelujah! That should be enough to set anyone free. Or at least you would think so. However, it is not always, others that accuse us. It is our inner voice that has picked up the stone. It is the internal dialog of guilt, shame, remorse, worthlessness that is pelting us, leaving us bloody and beaten. You see, we can be free from the condemnation of those around us. We can believe, in our mind, that Jesus has forgiven us, but if we do not deal with the inner conflict, the lifelong attitudes of low self-worth, we are not free from the pain of condemnation. We must take an inventory, exercise self-compassion and one by one watch all our internal accusers leave. Each one, unqualified to condemn us, until there are none left and then Jesus can say to us, “Where are your accusers?” And we can lift our heart in deep gratitude and say, “There are none!”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, I thank You that You have forgiven me for my sins. However, there are attitudes inside my heart that constantly condemn me. They are full of shame, guilt, and legalism, tying me up and keeping me from experiencing the freedom You have given me. Today, help me renounce these inner condemnations and celebrate your forgiveness. Help me live in the reality of Your love.
AMEN

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Go and Do the Same

TODAY’S VERSE
Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. – Now go and do the same.
Luke 10:33-34, 37 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes we make Christianity way too complicated. Jesus illustrated the essence of following Him through this simple story. He told of a Jewish man who was robbed, beaten and left by the side of the road. You see Jesus was not impressed with the Jewish leadership of the day. He did not care for their portrayal of Holiness. Neither did He like their lack of love for those around them. He used this story to challenge their mentality. In the story, the first person to come upon the wounded person was a priest. I am sure to everyone’s shock, Jesus said that the priest walked by the wounded man, leaving him there to die. Perhaps the Priest felt the man was “unclean” and he could not help him. Next, Jesus said that a Levite walked by the hurting man. Perhaps a reason he walked by the dying man was to stay ceremonially “clean.” He could not defile himself with the bleeding man so he too passed him by. Finally, an enemy of the Jews, a Samaritan, stopped and showed compassion on the hurting and wounded Jew. The point Jesus was trying to illustrate was, “How did following God get so far from what God intended? How did we lose the very heart of God?” If we are to follow Jesus, then we must love those in need that we come in contact with. James writes it this way, “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must take care for orphans and widows in their trouble.” Today, as you walk on your own path to wherever you are going, what will you do for those in need? Let us think of the “good Samaritan” and hear Jesus say, “Go and do the same!”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me remember the story of the good Samaritan so when I see someone in need today, I will go and do whatever I can to help.
AMEN

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Love Your Neighbor, Love yourself

TODAY’S VERSE
And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The first part of this passage is about loving God with our whole heart, soul, and strength. The second part was to love others in the way we love ourselves. I understand the “love God” part. I know we are commanded to “love others”, but isn’t “loving ourselves” prideful and selfish? Some would teach so, but in truth, it is in loving ourselves the way God loves us that frees us to love others. Dr. Benner in “Sacred Companions” says it this way, “I meditate on His love, allowing my focus to be on Him and His love for me – and slowly things begin to change. My heart slowly begins to warm and soften. I begin to experience new levels of love for God. And slowly, almost imperceptibly, I begin to see others through God’s eyes of love. I begin to experience God’s love for others.” God’s love for others includes His love for you. Today, consider how much God loves you. Agree with Him and love yourself too. Today, love God, love yourself, love others.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your great love for me. Help me love myself and with that love, help me love others.
AMEN

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Love Others

TODAY’S VERSE
So now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
I Peter 1:22 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Love is the direct result of knowing Christ. He paid a terrible price that we could have our sins forgiven. And what does God ask for in return? Does he ask us to swim across the ocean? Walk across the longest desert? Climb the highest mountain? No, He asks that we love one another. Why would this be so important? Because Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” It shows that our faith is real. The power of the Holy Spirit alive in our heart is never more noticeable than when we are loving another person. Do you know Christ as your personal Savior? Is He the Lord of your life? If so, let the world know how true it is, by sincerely loving those people around you. Love them deeply with all your heart.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy in my life. Help me love those people that you have put into my life. Might my sincere love help them recognize that You are alive. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Increased Faith and Love

TODAY’S VERSE
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.
II Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Paul is writing about two marks of a healthy Christian, faith, and love. But it is not just faith and love, it is a faith that is growing more and more and a love that is increasing. But what is a growing faith and love? A growing faith is one that increases in its awareness and trust of God. It is one that believes God for great and mighty things. It is a faith that trusts even when circumstances scare us to the core. It is a faith that knows God and spends time understanding His love and power. It is a faith that is exercised in prayer and patience trusting God with every circumstance. And growing love, what of that? It is a love that is steeped in action. A love that reaches out to those in need. A love that drops superficiality and replaces it with genuine concern. A growing love is sacrificial and selfless. It is a love that forgives and then forgives again. It is a love prefers others above itself. Today, ask God to help you increase your faith and love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, help me exercise more faith. Help me increase my love. Help my faith and love grow as I serve You. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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