M-o-v-e-d With Compassion

The “Compassion” of Christ

On 39 separate occasions in the Bible, the trait of Compassion is referenced. It is after all a major characteristic of Almighty God! 

Were it not for the compassion of God we would all surely have no hope and be left wholly to the misery of life in a fallen world. 

When a person cries out to God for mercy, he is in effect relying on the Characteristic of Godly Compassion. 

The Hebrew and Greek words translated as “compassion” in the Bible mean “to have mercy, to feel sympathy and to possess pity. 

While Compassion certainly alludes to personal kindness and sympathy, there is still something deeper, something even more profoundly powerful, in the Biblical meaning and usage of this word. 

In Latin, 'compati' means “to suffer with.” Compassion means someone else's heartbreak becomes your heartbreak. Another's suffering becomes your own suffering.

According to the Bible, God is “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”

Psalms 86:15  But thou, O Lord, art a God “full of compassion,” and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

The Bible is clear that compassion is an attribute of God and as such, it should also be an attribute of God’s people as well. 

In fifteen different gospel references, the Bible describes Jesus as being “moved with compassion” and or, as being “full of compassion,” when he was approached by people or crowds seeking his help  

Matthew 9:36-37 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. 37. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

The art of Christlike compassion involves caring more about others than you care about yourself. It is this type of compassion that is exemplified in Jesus statements, to love others as he has loved us! 

It should be noted that as Jesus was “moved with compassion” over the plight of the people, and showed his great desire to help them; he also lamented over the fact that the needy were indeed plentiful, but unfortunately, finding those “moved with a like compassion” were few and far between! 

Galations 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  

The Bible is filled with stories of compassion. These examples of compassion are a call and challenge to the followers of Jesus. They tell of a Savior who suffers for the world, and they also ask us to live and act with Christlike compassion. 

Where would our world be without Compassionate people? What power in the world “moves people to be compassionate?”

The ability to listen to, understand, and relate to the emotions of others, is a valuable gift, and there is certainly a lot in the scriptures about the idea of carrying another person’s burdens, emotional or otherwise. 

Galations 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

In fact, God’s Spirit is described specifically as a comforter to those that are suffering. 

I Corinthians 1:3-6 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Forgiven of Much

Forgiven of Much

by: Darrell G. Young

September 14, 2020

To some people, forgiveness may seem like a weakness or letting an undeserving person win, but in reality, Forgiveness has no connection whatsoever to any weakness. 

Instead, forgiveness is an act of ones strength and will. Forgiveness is not granted to a person because they deserve to be forgiven. In truth, forgiveness can only be offered by the offended party! 

Forgiveness is a deliberate act of love, mercy, and grace. Forgiveness is a decision to not hold something against another person, despite what he or she has done to you.

Forgiveness is an integral part of salvation. For instance, when Jesus forgives us of our sins, trespasses, iniquities, and transgressions; they are all erased, and wiped off his record book.  

Someone who is unforgiving is also unappeasable. We need to Thank God that he is not totally unforgiving! He (our sin) can be appeased, and arrested; but only through his Son, Jesus Christ! 

Jesus told his assembled listeners of Pharisees a story about Forgiveness that really hits home for all of us. At the end of his story, Jesus asked a very pertinent question of all of them. 

Luke 7:41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 ¶ Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 

Forgiveness is also an essential part of the life of believers. In Ephesians 4:32 it is commanded of those that God has forgiven to; “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you. 

God is in the business of forgiving sin, yet this does not mean that He simply “looks the other way” or “sweeps it under the rug.” The penalty for sin is death, and that penalty must be paid. 

The Bible tells us that we are all in need of forgiveness from God. We have all committed sin.

In order for God to forgive us, Jesus gave Himself as the sacrifice for sin. 

Thus; Salvation and forgiveness are closely related. And it is an absolute fact that there is no salvation without forgiveness. 

Salvation is God’s delivering us from the consequences of sin. 

Forgiveness is God’s erasing our sin debt. 

To use a financial illustration, forgiveness is God’s shredding the documents that list our debt, and salvation is God’s letting us out of debtors’ prison.

Jesus concludes his story about the debtors, and his posed question with the following statement:

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 ¶ And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 

Then in Luke 7:49, the critics of Jesus asked: “Who is this that forgiveth sins?”

That’s a good question isn’t it? There is only one who can offer Forgiveness! And heaven knows, we all stand in need of Divine Forgiveness! 

But the Forgiveness story and its ending question by Jesus looms large in this parable. 

It reveals that those sinners who repented of their vile sins, and were keenly aware of their fate without Gods Forgiveness, also abounded more fervently in the Love of God! 

It also conveys that those who tend to reflect on their own self righteousness; also tend to believe they have very little that requires God’s Forgiveness! 

The moral of Jesus story is just this: “We all stand deeply in need of total Forgiveness!” We have all been “Forgiven of Much!”

Darrell G. Young

Focus on the Bible

The Most Important Thing in the World

 The Most Important Thing in the World

by: Darrell G. Young

September 11, 2020

The most important thing in this world is probably not what you are conditioned to think it would be. It is however the most valuable,  precious, and easiest thing in the world to have. 

1. The most important thing in the world is not who wins any election or who becomes the next President. 

2. The most important thing in the world is not what job you have or aspire to attain and how much money it will offer for you.

3. The most important thing in the world is not whom you choose to marry or how big a family you might wish to have. 

4. The most important thing in the world is not social justice, racial equality, or fair play in society. 

5. The most important thing in the world is not even World Peace. 

6. The most important thing in the world is not what country you are born into or what flag you revere. 

7. The most important thing in the world is not even being the ideal perfect law abiding citizen. 

8. The most important thing in the world is not being popular, famous and being a highly regarded celebrity  

9. The most important thing in the world is not being the most generous and charitable person in your community. 

10. The most important thing in the world is not even being a respected church member or office holder in a church or religion. 

The most important thing in the whole wide world is hearing the word of God and receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior!

Is this important to you? Have you discovered it’s eternal importance for you? 

Ephesians 2:4-8 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

God’s free gift of salvation is by far the most important thing in the world! It is tantamount to the profit of every soul! 

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

How Old is the World?

How Old is the World?

If God created the world; as the Bible plainly states: How long did it take God to create the World? And how old is the world? Is it really billions of years old as the evolutionists insist? 

This question has been debated & theorized about for thousands of years.

Cosmologists insist that because of the vastness of space and the relative speed of light; that the universe must be billions of years old. 

In fact the great vastness of Space is due to the fact that God “stretched” out the heavens; and in so doing created the appearance of eons of light years.

Many theologians will suggest that the world is approximately 6-10,000 years old; and that God created it in just 6 days!

Still other commentators suggest that there was a Gap between the initial creation process and the finished product. 

Some even support the Big Bang theory and a type of Theistic Evolutionary oversight over a long period of time.

But all of these educated guesses miss the mark entirely. They do not take fully into account what the “Creator” himself has said about how long it took to make the world, and all the things that exist!

The simple answer is: It took God absolutely “NO TIME” whatsoever to make all that exists in our universe! Yes; you read that right, it took God No Time at all! None!

Psalms 33:6-10 indicates that by the mere power of the Word of God, and upon his audible pronouncements, it came suddenly and immediately into existence!

Hebrews 11:3 indicates that God did not even need pre-existing matter to produce his designs!

Oh, I know full well that Genesis One conveys the idea that God created the world in 6 days. But these 24 hour creation-modules that would later become designated as “Days” were pre-designed for mankind’s affinity for judging time.

Time did not exist until God finished his great 6-Phased construction project! 

In fact, God is beyond time and space; and in reality invented our concept of dimensional time! An in depth study in cosmology quickly reveals that all the stars, planets, galaxies and constellations were not only designed, but preprogrammed to follow a timed circuitry in space. 

God was not, and still is not confined to our dimension of time-progression, distance, nor even to our universe of matter and energy!

In fact, everything God brought into existence in his grand Construction Project was designed upon completion to be a perfect habitat and environment for mankind to Live in.

Isaiah 45:18 For this saith the Lord that created the heavens, (space) God himself that formed the Earth, and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited! (By man)

Only the Earth was so prepared! And God did all this outside of the realm of TIME!

Then just before God created Man, and planted him upon Earth, he formed the Sun, the Moon & the stars for Light, and also placed them perfectly for enabling the calculation of TIME by man.

Sir Issac Newton, the great scientist; once postulated; “the reason I know there is a Creator, is because “Motion” has been imputed into everything in the cosmos.” Everything moves with great precision and can be calculated in its circuits.

Thus, when God completed his 6-stage pronouncements of Space, Matter, Light, habitat for men and provided the Stars; he stepped back; inspected it all for accuracy and goodness; then He gave it all MOTION, MOTION! 

Motion begat Time! Then TIME began! Time has been ticking ever since; and Time will continue until God stops it!

How long did it take God to create the world? How old is the World? The only barometer mankind has for determining the answers to these questions is the Bible. 

And the Bible suggests that the age of the world can only be ascertained by the amount of time that man has been on it. And that’s just one reason why the “begats” of the preflood world are provided. 

The listing of begats throughout the book of Genesis suggests that there were about 1656 years from the time of Adam to the time of Noah’s great flood. 

From Noah to Abraham was about 300 years and from there to Jesus was about another 2000 years. We are now about 2000 years removed from Christ’s first coming; So, the world is not very old. 

These calculations serve to prove that God is not time distant from the world. He is very much attentive and involved in the affairs of mankind and the world that he created. 

How ironic it is that the Christian world actually measures world time according to the time of Jesus earthly lifetime  

How long did it take God to create the world? NO TIME AT ALL / HE’s GOD! He dwells in the non-dimensional realm known as ETERNITY!

How long will you be in the world? That’s the important question. A very short time! Perhaps; you should consider the hope of enjoying Eternity with God, when your time on earth expires.

Darrell G Young

Nobody Loves Me

Nobody Loves Me!

Nobody Loves Me! I have heard that sad, sad refrain from many, many people. 

And, it is indeed, a sad state of being for a person to feel like you are somebody nobody loves. 

What could possibly feel worse? Sadly, in our world there are far too many people that have never known the blessings of a loving family, or a loving relationship. 

But, it is an even sadder state still, of being someone who loves Nobody! For of a truth it is that Love tends to begat love! 

Still even sadder is the fact that many people don’t know the “love of God.” God is Love! 

Actually, Nobody can claim that nobody loves them! God loves everyone! He has demonstrated that love, by sending Jesus to die for one and all. 

So Let the love of God shine through you, to others, and you will find love multiplied. 

I John 4:11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 

I John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Finally, many people who feel like Nobody Loves them often remark to me that they are too mean, too ugly, or have been too bad for anyone to love them. 

But the truth of Gods love is that he loved all of us while we were yet unlovely! 

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

So then, Nobody can honestly claim that Nobody Loves Them!

How Can I Find Joy

How Can I Find Joy?

Focus on the Bible

by: Darrell G. Young

August 2020

Joy is something we all long for but that often seems difficult to grab hold of and enjoy for any length of time. Experiencing joy should be a part of every Christian’s life. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, produced by God’s work in us, and it is part of God’s will for us.

The Bible speaks profoundly about the “Joy of the Lord.” The joy of the Lord comes from the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Jesus, and being and being in tune with his Holy spirit. 

Because of its supernatural origin, the joy of the Lord, or our gladness of heart is present within us even through the trials of life. We know we are children of God, and no one can snatch us away from Him.

It is often said that “Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, and the Joy of the Lord is our strength.” So Joy is emblematic of our spiritual strength. 

Still, we all know that even the most mature of God’s people experience periods of joylessness. For instance, Job wished he had never been born (Job 3:11). Although he was strong in his Faith, his Joy in the Lord was severely flagging. 

You may remember singing the little children’s tune that went something like this: “I got the joy, joy, joy; down in my heart; down in my heart.  Down in my heart to stay!”

What a happy thought those words convey. To think about the Joy, Joy, Joy of the Lord deep in our hearts to stay! 

Possessing joy in the heart should be a part of every Christian’s life. Joy is both a gift of God as well as a response to the gifts of God. Joy comes when we are aware of God’s grace and relish His favor. Joy in the Bible is often presented as “true” contentment based on faith.

With this in mind, it’s evident that one way to experience joy is simply to focus on God. Rather than dwelling on our difficulties or those things robbing our contentment, we can dwell on God and find our joy reinvigorated. 

The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Because of its supernatural origin, the joy of the Lord, our gladness of heart, is present even through the many trials of life. We know we are children of God, and no one can snatch us away from Him (John 10:28–29).

Many Christians think once they’ve made that decision for Christ that everything will fall into place and life will be that proverbial bowl of cherries. And when trials and tough times come upon them or continue, they begin to question, “why?” Where’s the Joy? 

How can we find joy in the midst of all the hardships, and painful circumstances that come our way? In reality, adversity, instead of hindering our faith, can actually enhance our joy.

Regarding Joy, we first need to understand that the joy the world gives is not the same as the joy the Spirit gives. Worldly joy or happiness comes and goes as often as waves hitting the shore. It isn’t something you can cling to when you’ve lost a loved one or are facing bankruptcy. 

The Spirit’s joy or happiness, on the other hand, can stay with you for the long haul. For the believer, the fruit of the Spirit, including joy, is like a bottomless well of water, there’s always an abundant supply. Even in the darkest days, when sadness, grief, and loss may threaten to overwhelm you, God’s joy is there.

Second, we need to understand that God’s joy cannot be taken away. Oh, you might think that it has vanished, that the hands of misfortune have snatched it away from you, but it’s hasn’t. As believers, we are promised the constant presence of the Holy Spirit, and even our adversity will be turned into Joy! 

God has promised us His abiding joy. Just as our salvation is assured through Jesus’ one-time sacrifice for all. Jesus’ words in John 15:10-11 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

John 15:11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Third, we need to stop wallowing, whining, and complaining and grab onto God’s joy. Just like salvation, joy is a free and perfect gift from Him, and we must reach out and accept that gift.

God reminds us that Joy comes in the morning. Dark nights and tough ordeals can last a long time, but they are never permanent for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Instead of hopelessness, we have His promise that He will make all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Only God can take the very bad and transform it into something very good.

As the Psalmist says, “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Speaking of Gods counsel, the psalmist reminds us that the sorrows we face in this life are temporary. As painful as a season may be, it is only a season.

Psalms 30:4-5 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

So, with Gods abiding help, You can endure whatever circumstances are making you quake in your boots right now. If you have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ; you have all you need.

The joy of the world is hollow, but the Joy of the Lord is rich and abundant. The world’s happiness will fade with time, but God’s people will be happy forever.

Joy is both a gift of God as well as a response to the gifts of God. Joy comes when we are aware of God’s grace and relish His favor. The one sure way to experience joy is to focus on God and his Word. 

Joy is meant to be a hallmark of the Christian life. We best experience this gift of joy when we focus on the truth of who God is, commune with Him through prayer, and rely on the community of fellow believers He has provided though Christ.

The popular Christmas song “Joy to the World” by Isaac Watts celebrates the joyful occasion of the Lord’s first coming; when the angels announced "tidings of great Joy to the World." But the lyrics were never intended to be a Christmas song. They were a poem by Watts based on the words of Psalms 98..

Psalms 98:1-8 O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

2. The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

3. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

5. Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

6. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

7. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

8. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.

And in Psalms 16, we can always reflect on these wonderful meditations about the “fullness of the Lords Joy.” We can always find Joy in the precious presence and promises of Jesus! 

Psalms 16:8-11 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

How To Resist The Devil

How To Resist The Devil

Focus on the Bible

by: Darrell G. Young

August 2020

In this world you will always have to contend with the Devil. He is your constant adversary. He studies you daily and he knows just how to plot against you.

And remember, he has been at this game of human attacks for thousands of years. He is very experienced in his devious craft and amongst human beings he has never met his match.

He was even confident and bold enough to tempt the Lord Jesus in the wilderness. So, you should expect him to use all his skills against you too.

But even as overmatched as we mere mortals are against Satan, our supernatural enemy; we do have some resources at our disposal to counter his sinister assaults.

In James chapter four, there is a vital spiritual formula spelled out for us to be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

You may have heard that phrase before: “Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.” But that phrase is only half of the battle!

None of us as individuals are empowered sufficiently enough in our own power to resist the Devil. Try as we might, we are no match for Satan in a battle of wits or power. On our own, we’d lose every time!

The first half of the battle in trying to Resist Satan’s schemes and force him to flee comes only first and foremost by “Submitting oneself to God!”

Only my submitting to God can any Christian be empowered to Resist Satan. Satan will probe every individual for a spiritual weakness that he can exploit.

But only upon discovering an individual who is totally submitted to God and that relies on Gods word for spiritual combat will Satan ever consider Fleeing!

And always when contending with the Devil; remember this valuable line from verse eight in James chapter four. “Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.”

Whenever and Wherever Satan runs into a place “where God is abiding;” “He will Flee!”

Focus on the Bible