Bible Study: Having Compassion

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Today is Saturday October 16, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the Book of Mark, chapters 8-9. If you would like to read today's chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: imfollowingjesus.com/bible-october-16. In today's Bible reading we will read about, Jesus feeding 4000, Jesus' transfiguration, Jesus healing a blind man and a child possessed by the devil, and Jesus tells His disciples who belongs to Him.

Today's Message: Having Compassion
The word compassion means to have a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune and accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. The Bible, says, “For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.” - Psalm 78:37-39. In this Psalm the Psalmist recalls all the times that the Israelites turned their backs on God and how He had compassion on those who returned to Him, it was not the person that God despised, it was the sin He despised. Since we all have this wretched flesh, God knows we are going to sin again, therefore, He will always have compassion on those who come to Him wholeheartedly.

There is a difference between someone who wholeheartedly follows God and one that halfheartedly follows Him. A person that is halfhearted only seeks help from God when he gets in trouble and does not do one thing to turn his life around for God's sake. A person who is wholehearted recognizes that even though he will still sin from time to time he takes the steps needed to turn his life around for God's sake. This is the person that God has compassion on, remembers that we are but flesh, and turns His anger away from. “These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” - Jude 1:19-23.

The key to a blessed godly, spirit filled life is Jesus Christ, when we put our faith and trust in Him we will learn to not only become wholeheartedly committed to God, but also have compassion for others. You will often read that Jesus had or was moved with compassion toward someone who had wholehearted faith toward Him. Jesus loved everyone, but always had compassion on those who truly sought Him with all their heart, such as the case when He fed the 4000 people who followed Him. “In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far...So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.” - Mark 8:1-3,8,9.

Jesus always has compassion for and takes care of those who follow Him wholeheartedly, but if we want His help we must ask for it. Think about it this way, how many people willingly help someone who has not asked them for help? Not many, right? Now, how many will help when someone asks them for help? Most people are willing to help, but they do not want to invade or get involved unless someone asks them for help first. It does not mean that they do not compassion for that person, it just means that they will not make a move unless asked specifically. God says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” - Jeremiah 33:3.

A blind man went to Jesus for help in hopes that he would be able to see, “And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” - Mark 8:22-25.

Jesus saw this mans faith and because he asked Him for help Jesus restored his sight, the Bible says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” - James 2:26. It is not enough to have faith in Jesus, we must also do the work by asking Him for help. While Jesus can save and heal anyone, He will not unless you ask Him. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” - I John 5:13-15.

As Christians we are to have compassion also, we are to minister to those who do not know Christ or have fallen away from Him. We are to be a friend and the example of what a true Christian is, it is sad, but the word Christian does not mean anything anymore because there are so many false Christians out there that the world does not see any hope in Christ. However, when we follow the example that Christ gave they too can see hope and joy in Christ. “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” - Romans 15:13.

Sometimes circumstances can blind our faith and cause us to follow Christ halfheartedly, but as long as we hold on to a tiny bit of faith Jesus can turn every circumstance around, such as the case of a boy possessed by the devil. “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.”- Mark 9:23-25.


The key to Christ having compassion on is believing in Him, much is promised to is by our believing in Him. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and His grace will be sufficient for them. Satan knows that we have the power to overcome all our pain and suffering and that power comes only from the Lord, Jesus Christ. Why do you think he attacks us so much? Instead of seeking help from others first, seek Jesus, talk to Him, spend time with Him, He will have compassion on you and show you what is needed and send you the help you need, you just have to believe in Him. Jesus told His disciples that the only way certain things can be handled or cured is by prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting is using all of our ability to seek God to help us, it is spending much more time with Him than we usually do. It is telling Him that He is more valuable than any possession we have, even food. Taking that extra time with God is sometimes needed as it not only show Him that we need Him, it also gets us to realize that We Can Do Nothing Without Him and that All Things Are Possible When We Believe.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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