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But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Matthew 9:36

Compassion. That’s the one thing people need more than anything else in this world. They need someone to reach out to them with the compassion of God.

Compassion is a deep yearning that responds to the needs of people. It’s much deeper than sympathy. Sympathy can just sit around feeling sorry for people. Compassion has to do something for them.

Compassion is what motivates God, and Jesus’ life on earth was a picture of that compassion in action. His whole ministry was driven by it. It was compassion that caused Him to multiply the loaves and fishes, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. It was compassion that compelled Him to go to the Cross. And it’s that same compassion that He now longs to pour out through you.

That’s a staggering thought, isn’t it?

It’s staggering to realize that we believers are the only body Jesus has on this earth now. His healing must flow through our hands and our faith. His compassion must move us to provide for the hungry. It must compel us to cast out demons and set the captives free.

“But, Brother Copeland, I don’t have that kind of compassion!”

Yes, you do. If you have the Spirit of God dwelling inside you, you do—because He is that kind of love! You simply need to activate it.

How? Just like Jesus did when He walked the earth. Through prayer and fellowship with the Father. Look through the Gospels and notice how much time Jesus spent alone with the Father. That time activated the compassion of God within Him. It caused Him to feel what God feels about the suffering of mankind. It stirred Him so much that whenever He encountered a need, He met it by the power of God.

Follow His example. Spend time in fellowship with your Father. Meditate on His compassion until it rises up strong on the inside of you. Stir it up until the desire to see others set free becomes paramount in your thinking.

Jesus has sent you to reach out and touch a love-starved world with His compassion.

If you don’t do it, who will?

Scripture Reading:
Mark 6:32-46

I stretch forth my hands unto thee; my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land...
—Psalm 143:6

Not long ago I visited the dean of a great American university. We looked out the window of his office and watched hundreds of students walking to their classes. I asked the dean, “What is the greatest problem at this university?” He thought a moment and answered, “Emptiness.” So many people today are bored, lonely, searching for something. You can see it in their faces.

One girl home from college told her wealthy father, “Father, I want something but I don’t know what it is.” That’s true of many people; we want something to meet the deepest problems of our lives, but we haven’t found it. David said, “I have found it. I shall not want.” The Apostle Paul expressed it, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”

You don’t have to give up on life, to throw up your hands and cry, “It’s no use.” . . . You can have God’s peace, God’s joy, God’s happiness, God’s security; and yours can become the most thrilling life in the world.

Know the peace that a relationship with Christ can bring.

Franklin Graham shares his story of once running from God.

Prayer for the day
Lord Jesus, You quench the thirst and longing of my soul. Praise Your blessed name.

”If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 NLT).

If you want to be used by God, purify your heart.
You don’t have to be a perfect person, but you do have to have a pure heart. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:21, “If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work” (NLT).

God uses all kinds of people. He uses shy people. He uses outgoing people. He uses people from all different races, ages, stages of life, and backgrounds. He uses men and women. God will use plain vessels, and he’ll use ornate vessels. He’ll use big vessels and small vessels. But there is one thing that God will not use: He will not use a dirty vessel. You have to be clean on the inside.

How do you do that? How do you purify yourself? You do it through a simple word: confession. Augustine said, “The confession of bad works is the beginning of good works.” The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing” (GNT).

The word confess in Greek is the word homologeo. Homo means “same,” and logeo means “to speak.” So homologeo literally means “to speak the same about my sin that God does.” It means you agree with him: “God, you’re right. It wasn’t a faux pas. It wasn’t a mistake. It was a sin. It was wrong.” It doesn’t mean you try to bargain with God (“I’ll never do it again”). It doesn’t mean you try to bribe God (“I promise to read my Bible every day if you’ll forgive me”).

You just admit it.

That may seem too simple to you. You may say, “All I’ve got to do is admit it, and God will forgive me?” Yes! It’s called grace!

Here’s what I suggest you do if you really want to be used by God: Take time this week to sit down with a pen and a pad of paper, and say, “God, what’s wrong in my life? Show me. I’m going to write it down, and I’m going to admit it. I’m going to confess it to you.” Then, when God gives you an idea, write it down.

The first time I did this, I thought I was going to write a book! And I’ve done this many times since. Make a list, and then write 1 John 1:9 over it and say, “God, I admit these to you. These are wrong. I don’t want them in my life.” Ask God to cleanse your life. God will forgive you!

This is the starting point to being used by God. You must purify your heart.

Talk It Over

What will you need to change about your schedule so that you can take time each day this week to write down your confession?
You may not be able to write down your confession to God every day of your life, but what healthy patterns can you begin to establish by doing this?
What is the difference between a mistake and a sin?

My name is Oluwaseun Kingsley Ogunla, Co-Founder of DS Filmscope, a film production outfit in Lagos, Nigeria. I have an MSc in Psychology from the University of Lagos and my major is in Counselling Psychology.

I am a Scriptwriter, a Film Director and a Stage Actor with over 10 years on the stage. In year 2012, I wrote and directed my first major Stage Play ‘IDONGA: The Message at Nineveh’. Since then, I have written several other stage plays and screenplays till date. I am very efficient with the Microsoft Office Package, with a good knowledge of the Corel Draw package.

I am a Research and Data analyst with ThinkScope since 2014 and have assisted with various research projects/thesis and analysis of data of many academicians. I play and teach musical instruments with major on Piano, Guitar and Drums.

I am also a vocal trainer and music director with several years of experience. I am a team player, with great leadership skills and ability to adapt to change in work environment to meet organizational goals.

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."
(Galatians 6:9, NLT)

TODAY'S WORD:

Are you praying for something that’s taking longer than you thought or expected? No matter how long you may have been standing on God’s promises, don’t give up! Your season is coming. Your harvest of blessing is on its way. It might be today, it might be tomorrow, it might be next week, next month or next year; but remember, at just the right time, you will experience your breakthrough.

Be encouraged because God is faithful, and His promises are true. Keep standing, keep hoping, keep believing. Keep doing good. Keep declaring the promises of God over your life. Choose to be around people who are going to encourage you. Make sure you fill your heart and mind with God’s Word. Let a song of praise come out of your mouth. Press on in faith because at just the right time, your harvest of blessing will come!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. Thank You for refreshing and renewing my heart. Fill me with Your peace; fill me with Your strength. Help me to do good and stand firm until I see my harvest of blessing in Jesus' name. Amen.

But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].

— James 1:22 (AMP)

The presence of the Lord is always with us, but we do not always recognize it or take time to be conscious of it. I think this is why there seems to be a lack of joy in the lives of many believers. There are a lot of unhappy people who are spending their lives chasing things, when nothing can keep us satisfied except God Himself.

When people are not satisfied inwardly, they usually look for some outward object to satisfy their hunger. Often they end up in a fruitless search for that which cannot fill the emptiness within. We’ve heard it said, many people spend their lives climbing the ladder of success, only to find when they reach the top that their ladder is leaning against the wrong building.

When we keep our priorities straight, we discover that everything we really need in life is found in the Lord. Seek to dwell in His presence. In Him is the path of life, the fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore.

The reason we can laugh and enjoy life in spite of our current circumstances is because Jesus is our joy.

Prayer Starter: Father, You are everything I need. Help me to keep the proper perspective and look to You as my source of joy instead of the things in this world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SATURDAY
29
2 Samuel 11:1-27

From his youth, King David was a committed follower of God. Yet there was a time when this devoted believer gave in to temptation and committed adultery with Bathsheba. His walk of integrity was severely compromised.

Ethical and moral failings have beset Christians throughout the ages. When a believer does whatever it takes to obtain something he wants, selfishness or greed is often the root cause. At other times the desire for acceptance can tempt us to manipulate people and circumstances—including making up lies. And fear of conflict can result in compromised standards, as many people try to fit in to avoid arguments. When we resort to deception to meet our own needs, we are in danger of being hurt.

At first, even those close to us may not notice our deception. But God sees. He will use our conscience to produce guilty feelings so we might confess our sin and turn from it. Self-protection will take over if we continue in unrighteousness—we will try to quiet our conscience by justifying the behavior. Over time, we will draw away from certain people so they won’t discover our ungodly behavior. By keeping them at a distance, we hope to avoid their scrutiny. If habitual sin builds over time, it can lead to serious consequences, like a lost job, a damaged friendship, or a broken family.

When confronted by Nathan, David recognized his sin, acknowledged it, and received forgiveness (2 Samuel 12:13). How do you respond when the Holy Spirit convicts you of ungodliness? Do you see the reality of your behavior and repent? Or do you try to justify and persist in your conduct?

Bible in One Year: Zechariah 1-5

2 Corinthians 4:16
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

God wants your very best! He wants to liberate you, completely setting you free from all that hinders you. But you must turn loose of the former things.

Don't romanticize the past. If it was wonderful, forget it. If it was horrible, forget it. Looking back will not help you at all. In fact, it will prevent you from making the most of a future that should be filled with joy unspeakable and glory--glory to the King of kings. How can you have all that when you're busy lamenting what was?

Looking in your rearview mirror will not help you go forward. Neither will staying in Park, worried about the things of this earth. Put your car in Drive and start heading in the direction the Lord is leading you.

Today, I am asking God to shut the door to any bad habits that will subject you to a form of captivity. May Jehovah God take you to the Promised Land, where the joy of the Lord is your portion. May you dwell by rivers of living waters, and may His divine love so utterly saturate your life that those around you can see His light from a distance, like a beacon. May you be a testimony of what someone living in divine favor acts like, talks like, walks like. There is no better way to live, my friend, than as a child of the living God.
Source:  Daily Life Devotional

Today's Bible Reading

Old Testament

Isaiah 60:12-22

New Testament

Philippians 1:29-30

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalms 72:6-10

Proverbs 24:11

September 29, 2018
Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. (Romans 8:1 AMP)

Guilt and condemnation are two of the primary weapons the devil uses in an attempt to drive a wedge between you and God so that he can separate you from the love of God.

Any time you feel bad about yourself and you cannot sense God’s presence, it may be that you have allowed condemnation into your heart. The devil is a liar who will say things like “you are such a failure … God will never forgive you for what you did … you deserve just what you got … you’ll never amount to anything.”

Those who live under this kind of guilt and condemnation will often cease to trust in the blood of Jesus as the only means to come to God and receive His love, His grace, and His acceptance. Their relationship with the Father is vulnerable to being reduced to one based partly on works instead of wholly on grace.

If you allow it, condemnation will cause you to focus on your failures. It will rob you of your confidence before God, making Him seem distant and cold. Tell the devil you will no longer accept his lies and condemnation. Choose instead to meditate on the grace of God and how loved and valuable you are to Him. Then rest in His grace, knowing that nothing will be able to separate you from the love of Christ.

Confession: I thank You, Father, than neither guilt nor condemnation can separate me from the love of Christ. I let go of all the lies of the enemy and choose now to draw near to You, to receive your love, your grace, and your mercy.

Author: Jerry Savelle

1 John 2:1–2

...if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins...

Today, Jews still observe Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. As the name suggests, it is a day set aside to make atonement for one’s sins. But for Christians, this beautiful feast points to Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, all our sins have already been perfectly atoned for. That is why, should we sin, we know that “we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins.

Now, it does not say that if anyone repents, we have an Advocate with the Father. It says that if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father. The moment a child of God sins, straightaway, his Advocate, Jesus Christ, goes into action to pray for and protect him.

What about repentance then?

The word “repentance” is metanoia in the Greek, which means to change one’s mind. For example, you used to believe that Jesus was just a good man. Then one day, you repented and believed that He is the Son of the living God, who died for your sins and rose again on the third day, and you gladly took Him as your Savior.

Bible repentance is not this idea of hitting or punishing yourself to atone for your sins. Don’t turn it into a human work, like the man who went to a priest to confess his sins. When they were done, the priest asked the man, “By the way, what do you do for a living?” The man replied, “I’m a contortionist,” and proceeded to give a demonstration. Another man came along wanting to confess his sins. When he saw the contortionist all twisted up on the ground, he said, “If this is repentance, forget it!” and ran off!

My friend, there is no need to climb the Himalayas or whip your back bloody to atone for your sins. No amount of self-punishment or crying can atone for them. Your sins have already been punished fully in the body of Jesus. Only His finished work satisfies God. So change your mind and simply believe that Jesus alone is the propitiation for your sins!

J. Daniel Smith- He Who Began A Good Work (Medley) (Hosanna! Music)

Salt and Light by Dr. Mike Moore