Changed By The Compassion Of Christ

by 
R.W. Schambach

     
          Suffering is a sad part of the human condition; it touches everyone in one form or another.  Whether it is pain from sickness or disease, grief from a heart-rending divorce or agony over lost loved ones — suffering is a tragic part of many lives. 
    In some situations, suffering can be so intense that a person can reach the place of utter despair — the only thing he can see is his loss; the only thing she can feel is the pain.  In the mind of the sufferer, life has lost all meaning — hopelessness is a way of life.
    You may be there right now.  Only you and God know the intensity of the pain you feel.  It has been debilitating.
    Well, I’ve got good news for you my friend, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!” (Psalm 30:5)
    God doesn’t want you wasting away on the sidelines — He wants you back in the fight.  He has a job for you to do.  If He can get your eyes off of your suffering — if you can see Jesus walking into your life, with one touch of His powerful hand, He will bring about a transformation and your suffering will be a thing of the past.
    Let’s look at a story of suffering from Luke’s gospel:
    “And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
    Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
    And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
    And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still.  And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
    And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.  And he delivered him to his mother.
    And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people” (Luke 7:11-16).
    Every person who suffers can take great encouragement from this important miracle of Jesus.  Here was a woman who was lost in despair.  She had already lost a husband — the Bible says she was a widow.  In this story, she had just lost her only son.  Not only was she agonizing over the loss of a child, she was trapped with feelings of hopelessness and despair because she was now all alone in the world with no means of support.
    GRIEF; SORROW; PAIN; HOPELESSNESS.  Here was a woman so engulfed in suffering she could see nothing but the end of her life.
    Just picture that little woman, dressed in mourning clothes, surrounded by a procession of mourners on their way to a burial plot.  It was a procession of death.
    Little did that woman know that another procession was entering the city of Nain at the same time.  It was a procession of hope.  People were following Jesus into Nain.  They had seen Him open the blinded eyes — they had watched Him make the crippled walk again.  They were tagging along because they were anxious to see His next miracle.
    That little woman was on a collision course with Jesus.  Her procession of death was leaving the city, but a procession of life was coming into the city.  DEATH was on the way out — and — LIFE was on the way in.
    Listen my friend, I don’t care how bad things look in your life — you may be lost in a sea of despair — but get ready for LIFE to make an entrance into your grief.  This is the day of resurrection.  The Resurrection and the Life is walking into your life today — He is looking your way; look on Him and live.
   
Jesus Was Moved With Compassion

    If anyone wants to know how Jesus feels about suffering, all they need to do is read this story.  Jesus saw a lonely woman in pain and had compassion on her.
    Let me tell you about the compassion of Jesus.  He wasn’t just feeling sorry for the woman.  He was so moved by her grief, He wanted to do something about it.  Jesus does not like to see people suffering.
    Listen to some preachers today, and you’ll get the impression that Jesus gets some kind of sadistic pleasure out of seeing His people suffer.  “Suffering will make you humble,” they say; or “sickness will help you be a stronger Christian.”
    Nonsense.  Every time Jesus came into contact with disease, He healed it.  Each time the Master beheld the suffering of humankind; He was moved to compassionate action.
    Now, I want you to look at something with me.  I looked up the meaning of the word “NAIN”, the city where this woman lived.  Nain has two meanings — one is “afflicted,” the other is “beautiful.”  This is a perfect illustration of how Jesus looks on us with compassion.
    When Jesus looks at us, His eyes don’t get stuck on our sickness or infirmity.  He isn’t blinded by our suffering or our failure.  Jesus looks beyond our human condition and sees what God has created us to be.  Jesus is looking at the finished product.  He looks past the affliction and sees the beauty God has intended.
    If you are crippled and in a wheelchair, God sees you walking and leaping and praising Him.  If you are bound by crack cocaine or heroine, God sees you set free and bringing deliverance to other captives.  If AIDS is running rampant in your body, God sees you cleansed and pure and restored.  The compassion of Christ strongly desires to take that affliction and turn it into beauty.
    Let me show you something else that will trouble some people’s theology.  That little woman was so overwhelmed with sorrow she couldn’t even see Jesus.  She had no faith; she was lost in her own little world.  That’s they way we are, my friend, when we are lost in sin, away from God, and broken with the sufferings of life.
    But that didn’t stop Jesus.  Jesus saw her weeping, and He was moved with compassion.
    Listen, my friend, you may feel all alone in your situation today.  It may seem you don’t have any faith or any spiritual strength, but you need to know that Jesus is looking on you with compassion today.  He’s not content with just feeling sorry for you — He loves you, and He wants to turn your death into life.  Jesus is walking into your suffering right now.  When He walks in, you will never be the same.

Jesus Gives A Challenge

    Make no mistake about it, when Jesus comes into your life, He will bring about a change.  When death collides with life, something changes on impact.  When Jesus walked into this woman’s world, He immediately challenged her to change.  What did He say to her?  “WEEP NOT.”
    What a radical statement Jesus had made!  It was the ultimate challenge.  Here was a little lady all alone in the world, in the middle of her only son’s funeral, and Jesus was asking her to stop weeping!  Was Jesus being insensitive?  Was Jesus making light of her suffering?
    No.  Jesus was putting her in the place to see something other than her suffering.  He was lifting her eyes off the coffin and putting her eyes on the Master.  Jesus was bidding her to look on Him and live.
    He knew the power in His touch.  He knew what He was getting ready to do.  But, He wanted that woman to break out of her despair and know that One greater than death was in her presence.
    Hear me.  When Jesus tells you not to weep, that means He is going to remove the cause for weeping.  Get your eyes off the suffering and place your eyes on Jesus.  Dry your tears.  Cease your moaning.  Jesus has different plans for you.  He’s looking past the affliction, and He sees the beauty God has intended.
    Jesus knows you’ve been weeping.  He sees your need.  He’s going to turn it around.  He’s going to make something new out of you.  Today is your day for a miracle.  Stop weeping.
    In the natural, if a person is so overwhelmed with fear, pain, or grief that they become hysterical and lose touch with reality, sometimes the one thing that will bring that person’s mind back into focus is a firm slap on the face.  That slap is not meant to cause more pain, but to bring them back to their senses — it helps re-align their thinking.
    Spiritually, Jesus was doing something similar.  It may have seemed harsh to tell a grieving woman “weep not”, but He was pulling her out of her hysteria to get her eyes on Him.  He was the One who was going to bring about change.
    If you have been living in a sea of despair — if you have been wallowing in self-pity — if you have been out of your mind with worry — SHUT UP!  Stop your crying.  Quit your moaning.  The miracle worker has seen your suffering, and He says get ready for a change.
    It’s time to get out from under the cloud of oppression — rise from your sea of despair.  Shake off that overwhelming, debilitating sorrow — lift up your head and see Jesus.  Look on Him and live.

Jesus Brings A Change

    Look at Luke 7:14 to see what happened next: “And he came and touched the bier.. and he said, ‘Young man, I say unto thee, ‘Arise’.”
    Jesus touched the casket, and He spoke to the dead boy.  He touched — He spoke.
    When Jesus brings about change in a person’s life, He does it through the power of His touch and through the power of His Word.  I believe that as you are reading this message today, you are hearing the words of Jesus right now.  He’s telling you to stop weeping.  He’s letting you know that today is the day for your change.  Faith is coming alive in your heart, and you are sensing His presence right there with you.  The touch and His Word.
    When Jesus speaks, something happens.  Afflictions lose their power.  Drugs lose their effect.  The alcohol demon flees at the Word of Jesus.  It’s time to come out of your suffering.  The touch of Jesus will cancel the sting of death; the Word of Jesus will bring the power of resurrection.  The touch of Jesus frees from death, the voice of Jesus brings life.
    It’s time you see Jesus for Who He really is.  He is a God who loves to change the condition of men’s hearts and lives.
    Do you remember Jacob in the Old Testament?  Jacob’s name meant “supplanter” or con man.  Jacob was nothing but a cheat and a liar.  But God saw something different in him.  God changed his name to Israel.  God said, “You are no longer going to be a cheat and a liar, you are going to be blessed of the Lord — a prince among men.  You will have power with God.”
    Listen my friend; God’s words are powerful.  The world might call you a con man — but God calls you a prince.  The world might call you a drug addict, but God calls you His son.  The doctors may say you are sick and are going to die, but God says you shall live and not die.  God’s Word brings about change in your life.
    Think about Jacob when he wrestled with the angel.  The angel tried to get away from Jacob, but Jacob wanted a change.  Jacob said, “You’re not leaving until you bless me.”  He wanted the Word that brought life.
    That’s the kind of faith that God is looking for — someone who will hold on until they get their answer from God.
    Not only did Jacob get a word of blessing from the angel, he received a touch.  The angel struck him on the thigh.  It made him walk with a limp.  From that day forward he was changed.  No longer was he the old Jacob, but everyone would see that he was new.
    When God speaks a word to you, He brings a change with the power of His touch.
    Jacob’s wife was giving birth to a son; she was dying in childbirth, and she named her son Beroni, “the son of my sorrow.”  Jacob said, “Not so.”
    He knew the power of a name, and he called his son Benjamin.  He said, “Benjamin, you will be a prince among men.  Out of you will come a king.”  The spoken word had the power to change a generation.
    When Jesus walks into a life, His Word and His touch bring change.  Jesus’ words and touch changed Peter from a hot-tempered fisherman into a self-sacrificing preacher of the Gospel.  When Jesus walked into Paul’s life, he changed from Saul, the persecutor of God’s people, to Paul, the greatest apostle of the church this world has ever known.
    Jesus’ Word and touch fed 5000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish; Jesus’ Word and touch caused the deaf to hear again and the blind to receive their sight.  Our God is a God that walks into a funeral procession and with one touch and the power of His Word — turns death into life.
    Are you living in a cloud of oppression?  Are you tired of suffering?  Is this your day for a change?  I don’t care what the world says about you.  It doesn’t matter what you’ve said about yourself.  You may feel hopeless — you may feel alone, like a nobody.
    But, hold your head up.  You are a child of God.  The world may look down its nose at you.  But I’ve come to tell you, you are somebody.  You’re the son of a King.  You’re a chosen generation.  You didn’t choose Him; He chose you.
    He saw you in your sin and reached down, picked you up, washed you in His blood, sanctified you, took you out of the world, filled you with the Holy Ghost, anointed you, and gave you power over the devil.
    You may say, “Oh, I’m just a nobody.”  When He gets done with you, you’re going to be somebody.  He’s going to make a Benjamin out of you.  No longer will you be the son of sorrow; He’s changing your name.  You are a prince, a princess.
    To girls who’ve had a child out of wedlock, I don’t condone your sin, but God will change you with the power of His touch and the power of His Word.  Someone else may put you down, but He’ll make a princess out of you.
    You don’t have to stay in that mess you are in.  He’s going to bring you out of it.  He is going to deliver you.  Jesus is bringing about change.  If your body is riddled with disease, be like Job who had boils from head to foot — he waited until his change came.  Listen to the power of the Word and receive the power of His touch.

Change Brings God Glory

    Let’s get back to the widow of Nain and her son.  When Jesus said to the boy, “Arise,” He was saying, “Arise and stand in a place to glorify God.”
    And that is exactly what happened.  When the boy came back to life, the people were filled with amazement and began to glorify God.
    This is what Jesus was looking for all along.  We have been created to give God glory.  The enemy is the one who crushes, steals, kills, and destroys.  He tries to get the focus away from God and His goodness, and onto pain and suffering. 
    Jesus brings about the change so that God will be glorified.
    Hear me, my friend.  God is not going to heal you from cancer so you can go play the slot machines in Los Vegas.  He’s not delivering you from drugs so you can be free to do your own thing.  God has a job for you to do.
    Another drug addict needs deliverance.  He is changing you so you can glorify God and help someone else find deliverance.  He’s healing your body so you can go lay hands on the sick and see them recover.  He’s bringing your child back home so as a family you can help others find hope for their families.
    God is bringing change in you so that your miracle can help bring change in someone else.
    In the town of Nain, Jesus did more than give a sorrowing widow woman back her son.  He revealed the compassion and life-changing power of the Father to an entire community.
    Get ready, my friend.  God’s getting ready to rock your world.  Is it time for a change?  Are you ready to be healed?  Have you waited long enough for your miracle?
    Start looking beyond the miracle and begin to anticipate what God is doing through you.  When God brings about change in your life, it will affect your family, your place of business, and your community — maybe even the world.
    Get your eyes off the sorrow.  Weep Not.  Start seeing the bigger picture.  God’s looking on you with compassion; and, He’s looking on your community with compassion.  He’s bringing about change in your life — so that God will be glorified in you and through you!
    Pray this prayer with me:
    “Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you that change is coming for me.  I’m coming out of sorrow — I’m moving out of bondage — no longer will I weep.  I will stop my mourning.  Death is leaving my household, and Life is coming in.
    Lord, I recognize that through the power of your Word and the power of Your touch, change is coming, and You will be glorified in my life — in my family — and in my community.  Let the healing begin, Lord.  Use me for Your glory.  Amen.”


Your Impact Friend,
Ade-Bright

ARE YOU INSPIRED INTO ACTION?

ARE YOU INSPIRED INTO ACTION?

By Dr. Brad Swift

You know something that I most enjoy and appreciate about knowing and living true to my life purpose? It's the ability to be inspired into action.

This morning I awoke around 6:30 and lay in bed for a while listening to the singing of the birds outside my window. As I lay there, I noticed I felt odd - a filling leftover from a strange dream I'd had while sleeping. As I became more conscious of the sensation, I decided I didn't want to start my day in such a strange mood, so I continue to lie there but shifted my thoughts from the remnants of the dream to my life purpose.

As I recited my life purpose statement to myself, I began to notice my mood shifting as well. How could I be purposefully, passionately and playfully of service today?, I asked myself, then recalled what I had on my calendar -- the wonderful clients I'm honored to coach, the Purpose Projects that I'm working on with the Coaches Community, the new Coaches Development Program that is targeted to start next week. Within a few minutes, I found I just couldn't stay in bed any longer. The opportunity to live on purpose was simply too compelling.

Once more I was inspired into action by my life and life purpose. Now, this isn't meant to sound like bragging, so please don't hear it that way. I just wanted to share it with you in case you don't find yourself pulled into your life by your dreams, goals and desires. I know it wasn't so many years ago that the main thing that had me get out of bed most mornings was the need to go pee. There just wasn't anything else going on with my life that was all that inspiring or compelling. But not anymore.

Living a life on purpose is amazing, and it all starts with readiness, willingness, and yes, a commitment to clarify your life purpose so that you can begin to live true to it. So, I ask you: What action could you take this week to become clearer about your life purpose? How will you inspire yourself into action?

Your Impact Friend

Ade-Bright

JUST LIKE GOD

(Gen.3:22) And the Lord God said, Now the man has become like one of us... LOOK INWARD MY FRIENDS YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF A GOD IN YOU, DISCOVER IT AND USE IT FOR GOD, FOR GOOD AND FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD...

HOW WOULD YOU PREFER TO LIVE YOUR LIFE HERE ON EARTH LIKE A NON-ENTITY OR MANIFEST YOUR GODLINESS? IT IS YOUR POSSESSION SHOW IT AND IMPACT YOUR WORLD POSITIVELY; DON'T DIE WITHOUT FULFILLING THE PURPOSE YOU WHERE CREATED.(1Co 3:23 And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.)WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU'RE JUST LIKE GOD, SO START MANIFESTING THAT GOD-LIKENESS IN YOU IN THIS NEW CENTURY AND YEAR 2010.

(1Co 3:16 Do you not see that you are God's holy house, and that the Spirit of God has his place in you?) YOU HAVE IN YOU THE SPIRIT OF THE LEAVING GOD TO HELP YOU FULFILL GOD'S DIVINE PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE, WORK WITH HIM HE'S OUR HELPER OUR COMFORTER (THE HOLY SPIRIT) JUST LIKE GOD-HE (GOD) LEAVES IN YOU YOU ARE HE'S HOUSE, YOU CARRY HIM (GOD) INSIDE OF YOU SO YOU MUST LEAVE LIKE HIM, MOVE LIKE HIM, HOLY LIKE HIM AND SPEAK LIKE HIM. DO EVERYTHING JUST LIKE HIM, HE IS YOUR FATHER AND YOU CAN NEVER FAIL BECAUSE HE NEVER FAILS.


YOUR IMPACT FRIEND,

ADE-BRIGHT