Jesus moved with compassion

Christians who walk in fearless love will live a life of compassion, charity, and good works. Acts 10:38 says, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Jesus is our model for life today and He exemplified acts of goodness throughout His ministry. He set free the oppressed, healed the sick, fed the poor, and brought glory to His Father through His compassion and generosity. In Matthew 9:36 it says Jesus “saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion for them.”  Later in Matthew 14:14 Jesus was moved with compassion again for the multitudes and “healed their sick.” When He saw the four thousand hungry and weary Jesus had compassion and multiplied the loaves and fish to feed them. Christ’s compassion for the hungry and broken caused Him to act on their behalf. Psalm 86:15 says, “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” God’s heart beats with compassion for the hurting, broken, and hungry. In the same way we too must walk with compassion towards those who are in need of a touch from God. Jesus called us to glorify His Father by our actions before men: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) It is a fearless love that will do whatever it takes to let our light shine and bring glory to our Father. 

"wasting" your life

Are you willing to “waste” your lives for the living God?  Are you willing to be fearless lovers of God like the woman who “wasted” a year’s worth of her income on the Lord? Are you willing to follow the call and destiny of God upon your life even if it means leaving your loved ones, being ostracized for your radical commitment to God, or facing the risk of failure by taking a step outside of your controllable world. This is an hour in America where we need to step out of our comfortable places, break free from normal conservative Christianity and take a risk for God. So many of us limit what God wants to do through us because we are too afraid to let go of what we can control and take a risk for a higher call. There is a new breed of Christians arising in this nation that are no longer going to follow the “normal” Christian life in America but are listening to another sound and following the drumbeat of God’s heart. 

religious spirit....

Jesus spent much of his time addressing the religious spirit of the Pharisees and Scribes and even His disciples, warning them of the danger of embracing religious acts without embracing the person of Christ. One such example is found in Matthew 26:6-13 with the woman who poured an alabaster flask of costly oil on Jesus’ head. This act of worship reflected so much of this woman’s heart for her Savior and the sacrifice she was willing to make to honor Jesus. She poured out a year’s worth of money upon Jesus and was willing to give everything to be in the presence of the Lord. The reaction of the disciples is a perfect example of how many in the church today would respond to a person who would spend everything just to be with the Lord. The disciples questioned the worthiness of this act of worship and were indignant that such “waste” occurred. They valued good deeds over our highest calling of being worshippers of God. Jesus on the other hand valued this woman’s act of worship toward Him and exalted her to a place of influence. When we seek God first and value our relationship with Him above all else, God in turn exalts us to realms of influence. 

Compassion

Jesus’ heart breaks when He sees the suffering, downtrodden, poor, needy, and those desperate for rescue. He longs to come through and deliver, and will, if we cry out to Him for help. God will personally deliver those in need but He also has commissioned His Bride to do the works of Jesus on the earth: To show compassion to the weary and broken, to feed the hungry, and deliver the oppressed. Our calling as the Body of Christ is to be the provision of God to the needy around us. Unfortunately, we have forsaken our role and handed off this most important calling to the United States Government. We have entrusted the care of the poor and needy, the widow and orphan into the hands of the state. In situations where God should be glorified for His compassion, His generosity, His goodness to the broken and needy, the state gets the glory. The state has replaced God as the one who provides and gives food to the hungry. This breaks the heart of God.