Why is it significant that Jesus had compassion?
It shows us that
Jesus was deeply aware of the sufferings of the people there and wished
to relieve their suffering. Not only did Jesus want to relieve their
suffering of being hungry without food but involved the disciples to
join Him in alleviating their suffering.
Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. If I say I am a
follower of Christ and live for Him, then I should ask the Lord Jesus to
help me be keenly aware of the sufferings around me and have a desire to
relive it. I need to involve others to join me in relieving the
sufferings of others with the Lord’s help.
I ask you now dear friend,
who needs your compassion this week?
Dear friend, there are a lot of
suffering people in this world and many of them can be right near us.
Jesus was aware of the sufferings of those near him because He deeply
cared. Going without food for a long time can cause suffering too and
Jesus wanted the disciples to notice that and have the same compassion
He had for them. How appropriate that this is the passage the Lord
brought to my attention today because of all the suffering I was going
through the past two days.
If we follow Jesus’ example, we will be keen to those suffering around
us and show them the compassion of the Lord. This means making a
sacrifice of choosing to be involved in the lives of others around us
whether it is for a family member, friend, or even enemy.
Suffering can come in different forms and facets in people's lives. It
should not matter what causes them to suffer except being there to show
compassion for them. Help me Jesus.
I
was suffering badly the last two days of April for different reasons. It
was not a pleasant sight. I needed compassion from others. I was touched
very much for the compassion our senior pastor, Pastor Hugo of Pittsburgh Chinese
Church- Oakland (PCCO) showed me and how he depended on the Lord
Jesus to reduce my suffering.
My suffering was not physically related but it was suffering
nonetheless. It had to do with death and also with conflict. Our Lord
knew the suffering I was going through and did not abandon me in my
suffering. He will not abandon you either.
I
was touched to get an email from Kristen, MY cell group leader from
Living Acts of PCCO- Oakland International Fellowship, about how I was letting
a spirit of condemnation get to me and I should have known better
regarding a situation she was addressing. She addressed my situation
pointedly and lovingly for a decision I had made. She made me see in no
uncertain terms that it could have been a wrong decision but showed
compassion.
She was right that I was letting a spirit of condemnation rule me and
she reminded me of Romans 8 and told me that I should apply that in my
own life. Friend, how true.
Friend, I share this with you because I am not immune to suffering and
having feelings of condemnation when I don't focus on Christ and His
grace. I share this with you because even though Jesus uses me to share
what I learn from Him with you all, Jesus knows I am as feeble and weak
too and many times go through the same struggles many of you are facing.
These past two days I needed a lot of compassion and the Lord Jesus used
my mom, Kristen, Bryan, Steve, Pastor Hugo, Edwin, and others to
minister unto me.
Not at one point did they think that Ramesh can handle his own suffering
because he writes these devotionals, was a cell group leader, etc but
they reached me where I was at in those moments of time. ALL OF THEM
INTERVENED TO SHOW COMPASSION and understand me.
Friend, Jesus was all about COMPASSION and when we learn from His
example, we will be keen to the needs of others around us so we can show
compassion too. I needed COMPASSION and the Lord Jesus showed that
COMPASSION using His children.
Drastic decisions I was about to make that would have affected not only
me but those around me were avoided because the Lord Jesus put things in
perspective showering me with HIS COMPASSION using His children.
The compassion I have been shown and reflecting on compassion shown by
our Lord and Savior to the people around Him, made me feel overwhelmed.
It is the same Jesus who showed compassion 2000 years ago that shows us
compassion. Usually He uses His children to do that right now. That's
you and me friend but not limited to us alone but can use anyone He
chooses.
Friend as the lyrics to the song 'Mighty To Save' go, "There is someone
that needs compassion...."
Friend, there is someone this week that can use your compassion in whose
life you can make an impact on with the help of the Lord. Take that
opportunity to show compassion today to someone who is suffering.
Friend, everyone needs compassion because every human being is
suffering. They can be suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, and
most of all spiritually because of the human condition. Jesus addressed
their spiritual condition first as they stayed with him for 3 days and
then Jesus wanted to make sure they were well fed before sending them
of. At other times, Jesus addressed their physical condition first
before addressing their spiritual condition.
Friend, the greatest compassion was shown to us by JESUS CHRIST when He
went to the cross to die for our sins, shedding His precious cleansing
blood to save us. Friend, we all need saving because sin keeps us in
bondage. We cannot escape this sin. This sin causes all kinds of
suffering not always limited to spiritual suffering. That is why Jesus
came. Jesus LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT JESUS CAME TO SHOW COMPASSION.
***TEARS***
I
have tears when I think about the COMPASSION, Jesus has shown me time
after time when I only deserved CONDEMNATION. Friend, because of sin, we
all deserve condemnation. We don't deserve anything but condemnation,
and yet Christ has COMPASSION on us.
It was not a passive COMPASSION but an active COMPASSION by paying the
ransom to set you and me free. May you look to Jesus Christ at the Cross
of Calvary and know you can be forgiven of all your sins. Know that you
never need to feel condemned again. Condemnation is from Satan, the
enemy of all that is good and sacred. Condemnation comes from the pit of
hell itself.
Jesus on the other hand is about CONVICTION and COMPASSION. Yes, friend,
in Christ you never need to feel condemned no matter what you have done
because Jesus says in Romans 8:1 that THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO
THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, FOR THE POWER OF THE LIVING CHRIST HAS
FREED US FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
I
needed Kristen to remind me of that from the Lord. Now, I am here to
remind you of that. Yesterday, I could not share a devotional with you
all because I felt condemned and let that rule me. Only until I could
experience Christ's peace in my life was I able to process things again
and move on.
Jesus used His people to show compassion to me and work in my life.
Compassion should not be a one day thing. Our Lord's compassion is
daily.
Jesus used His Word from Lamentations 3:23 to comfort me and remind me
that He has not forgotten about me no matter what I was going through.
Thank you Jesus.
I
don't have it all together and have a lot of areas of growth that I need
Jesus to work in my life. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that frees us
from condemnation, permanent guilt, and unforgiving spirit, etc as we
YIELD WHOLE HEARTEDLY IN SUBMISSION TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
"His compassion fails not! His blessings
and mercies are new each morning! Great is Thy Faithfulness"
(Lamentations 3:23)
How appropriate that the verse Jesus gives me from His Word was from
Lamentations because I was suffering and crying. Jesus did not want that
for me so He sent help right away. I was suffering and crying because of
spirit CONDEMNATION but Jesus wanted to show me compassion.
Because of Jesus’ great compassion for us, Jesus died on the cross to
save you and me to relieve our suffering of being in bondage to sin.
Jesus took it upon Himself to relieve our suffering by shedding His
precious cleansing blood and I need to look to the Cross at Calvary for
what Jesus did for me.
Jesus reminds me of the words I shared with you all as if they were
coming from Jesus: "Ramesh, I love you, I love you, I love
you! You are precious and special in my sight. I have called you by
Name. I am here to redeem you and take all your baggage upon myself so
your load can be off. I want to replace that baggage with my love. Take
my love in. My blood I shed for you to wash away all your sin no matter
what it is. In me you will find redemption and hope. You have come to
the right place where my precious cleansing blood flows for you who are
so precious. Give me your issues and let me make you well. I will in my
timing. Rest in me and know you have been redeemed forever"
Thank you Jesus.
Everyone in this world needs the
compassion of the Lord and you can be the one to show that compassion.
Remember compassion is not contingent on whether or a person is right or
wrong but understanding where a person is at and reaching them in their
condition. A person doing wrong or right could be suffering and could
use your help. Yes, they can.
They need to experience the power of Christ's love
exhibited through you. F
or
the Lord alone can save humanity from its wretched condition.
We need to share Jesus with those around us because when we do that we
are actually showing compassion to that person and modeling Jesus
because our intent is to save them from their bondage as our help comes
from the Lord, creator of Heaven and earth.
But compassion is not
limited to caring for people spiritually alone, for there are those that
need to be shown compassion to alleviate their mental suffering,
physical suffering, etc too.
It starts with taking care of their spiritual condition because most
emotional, physical, and mental sicknesses can also be attributed to our
spiritual condition.
Those who have a personal relationship with Christ are also much more
healthier mentally, physically, and emotionally because of the joy that
comes from Christ and having a relationship with Him. This is not to say
that followers of Christ do not ever get sick, they do! Followers of
Christ still live in a sinful world which causes diseases, etc. When we
give in to things or weaknesses in our life, we bring suffering upon
ourselves because we have not understood GRACE and the power of it.
Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is not limited to just SAVING GRACE, when
we give our life to Christ. It goes beyond that into our daily lives
exhibited through LIVING GRACE that helps TRANSFORM OUR LIVES.
Sadly, we sometimes forget that and take ourselves into condemnation
which is what the enemy wants. Then we become a casualty that the Lord
has to take special time to bind up our wounds and pick us up and put us
on solid ground. That happened to me but thanks be to the Lord, He is
faithful and compassionate, so loving and kind.
We can only be truly compassionate when we have Jesus in our lives who
we depend on solely to model after Him. That is exciting to know because
compassion is part of living a Gospel centered life.
“Compassionately Our Messiah Powerfully
Alleviates Suffering, Saving Indefinitely, Offering Nurture!” (C.O.M.P.A.S.S.I.O.N)/”Who
needs your C.O.M.P.A.S.S.I.O.N this week?”
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for loving me and dying for my sins.
Thank you for coming back to life to save me. Thank you that I can be
covered in your precious cleansing blood as I turn to you. Oh Lord, I
learned today how compassionate you are and care for our physical needs
too and not just spiritual. Thank you for caring for the needs of people
who were with you for three days. Oh Lord, thank you for being aware of
the sufferings of others because you were keen to their problems. Oh
Lord, help us please to be aware of the sufferings of those around us
and involve other people to help as you involved the disciples.
Help us to show compassion to others because you showed it first. Oh
Lord, thanks for those you use in our lives to show compassion. Thank
you Jesus. Jesus, thanks so much we can learn from you. I pray for the
one that needs compassion this week that we can be the one to show it.
Thanks so much Jesus! Thank you for hearing us and answering us! In Your
Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
!
May
you experience the POWER OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him
the LOCKED areas of your life too so you can experience His PEACE as you
become an ACTOR in the film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR,
JESUS CHRIST who comes to give JOY and PEACE.
You
don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and
give you peace to live out your actions.
How
do you look at GODISNOWHERE?
One
of my pastors, Pastor Hugo shared this example this past Sunday at the
RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh
Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:
If
you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin
and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no
peace.
But
as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to
tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.
Yes,
friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life
through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on
the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and live
with us.
Yes,
friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE
& LIVING GRACE.
When
we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive
us and restore us to Him and we will find peace in Him.
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the
world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he
has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore
Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him
who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God." (Colossians 5:17-21, NIV)
"For the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his
Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)
Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our
sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge
so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the
finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.
"For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not
by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
May
you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior becoming
His offspring so you can spend Eternity with Him. He is waiting for you.
Come as you are. Please do not reject the gift of God.
If
you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a
daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be
alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them
come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to
wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as
you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new
identity in Christ Jesus.
Make this your prayer. Don’t let
the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before
coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the
answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly.
Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!
Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking
you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you
though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to
Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer
will! Amen!
Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread
of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for
the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you
Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life,
digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living
Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life.
I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit!
I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread
represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your
blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are
reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord
Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and
acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that
you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me
life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my
sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to
forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me
and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and
please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you.
I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your
home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve
you the rest of the days of my life. I do need your Spirit to reside in
me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will
be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and
willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I
thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you
Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I
am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way to Eternal
Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
