The Name of God

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7).

The third commandment is certainly against common swearing, including using euphemisms of common in society.  Many commonly use "gee," "gosh," "golly," "doggone," etc... to substitute for the more offensive words some carelessly spew from the mouth.  This commandment also covers the light or disrespectful use of any of God's attributes or character.

All the Divine Names and Tittles in the Bible, by Herbert Lockyer, lists 364 names and titles just for Jesus Christ.  Through His name and titles, God has chosen to reveal His attributes, office, authority, prerogatives and will.  Each name of God features some distinct virtue or characteristic of His nature.  Thus, God has declared the glory of His nature by His names, which are not be abused.

It is this commandment more than any other that shows how much God should be a part of our every word, deed and attitude.  It shows that the test of our spiritual cleanliness is how we use the name of God, whether in truth or in vanity.  It indicates that a person is better off being sincerely wrong than to be a professing Christian and deny His name by the conduct of their life.

To help us know David, the Bible shows him as a shepherd, warrior, king prophet, poet, musician and sinner, each a part of a rich nature.  God is manifold times greater, yet He reveals Himself, His nature, just as the Bible reveals David.  We see God in a multitude of circumstances, revealing what He is by the way He acts and reacts.  He also names Himself what the circumstances reveal of Him, so whenever we see that name, it also brings to mind an aspect of His nature.  Therefore, He give us a double-barreled revelation of Himself.

Death

Public enemy #1; that's how death can be described.  For it will slay all us and at time of its own choosing.

But paradoxically, although we all know we will die, very few know exactly what death is.  Certainly death must be the least understood although most relentless enemy that faces man.

Yet it need not remain a mystery to those who will look into their Bible to read - and believe - what God says.  For God has not left us in ignorance about this important subject.

Since life is merely a temporary, mortal, chemical process (with man being made from the physical elements - "dust"), death is just the cessation of life.  One who is dead has no consciousness separate from his body and feels no pain nor pleasure but is as if asleep.  Nonetheless, we all will live again after death, after a passage of time, when resurrected back to life again.

Most Christians believe that at death they do not really die - that is, cease to live in any form.  They instead believe that at death only the body dies and the "soul" is then liberated to live on in heaven or hell (depending upon the moral merit of the former life).

Others believe in reincarnation, thinking that their soul, which is liberated at death, will be placed in a new body to live again, with this process occurring over and over.  Scientists who believe evolution seem to recognize death for what it is (the total cessation of life) but they also err because they know nothing of the hope of the dead - life again after a resurrection.  Many other beliefs about death exist beside these.

Perhaps the main reason why people, religious or otherwise, do not understand death is because, first of all, they do understand what life is.  The Bible makes it plain.

Genesis 2:7 records, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul" (Authorized Version).

Note.  Man does not have a soul.  He is a soul.  The word translated "soul" here is the Hebrew word nephesh.  It means a living, breathing, physical creature.  The word carries no implication of immortality.  In Genesis 1:24 it is translated "living creature" and refers to animals.

Further, the Scriptures say dogmatically that the soul can die and therefore cannot be immortal.  See Ezekiel 18:4, 20 and Matthew 10:28.

The Bible nowhere teaches that man has an immortal soul.  In fact, the immortal soul doctrine was adopted by professing Christianity from pagan Egypt through the Greek philosophers.

But note that man, as God stated, is composed of the physical elements of the earth and is dust.  God plainly told Adam, who sinned, "For dust you are and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19).  But men do not want to believe God.  They do not want to believe that man's life is merely a physicochemical existence that will run down and stop - die.

Hence, they choose instead to believe the lie Satan told Eve when he said, "You will not surely die" (Genesis 3:4).  They believe that within this dusty body, as a sort of prisoner of the flesh, is an immortal soul that is unleashed at the death of the body and that continues in conscious life forever.

To be sure, man is not merely an animal.  For one, man is made in God's image and in God's likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).  And man's potential - that of being born into the God Family - is far mor incredible than the fate of any animal.

Further, God reveals that there is a spirit in man (I Corinthians 2:11) that gives man mental superiority over animals.  It is this spirit that imparts the power of mind to man and the power of moral decision, including the ability to grow in character.  but this spirit is not the man.  And it is not an immortal soul.  It is something in man that gives man a dimension of life above the animals.  It does not give him immortal life, however. 

To understand death requires that we know that man's life is merely a chemical process involving physical elements.  When that process stops, we die.  We are dust and when we die our bodies decay and return to the dust.

When we die, all conscious thought and awareness ceases.  Notice Psalm 6:5, "For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?"

And compare Ecclesiastes 9:4-5: "For him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.  For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing."

The apostle Peter knew that even the righteous die and lose all consciousness and bodily presence, for he stated:  "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day.... For David did not ascend into the heavens" (Acts 2:29, 34).  Even righteous David was not an immortal soul that left his body and went to heaven.  Even David was dust and decayed back to the elements.

Other scriptures supply even more detail about death, comparing it in a figure of speech to sleep (I Corinthians 11:30, I Kings 2:10).  When a person is asleep, he loses consciousness and is unaware of his surroundings.

The topic of death is in some ways unique.  Most people will not believe what God says if their senses tell them differently.  For example, Adam and Eve did not believe God's warning about the tree of good and evil, because the fruit of it looked good and desirable.  Yet, in the case of death, people will not believe God when He says death is what it indeed appear to be to the most casual observer - namely, the cessation of life.  People will not believe God no matter what He says, whether our senses tell us to agree or not.

But caution.  Nothing said here means to imply that death is the end of all hope of life.  It is not.  An old saying goes, "Where there is life, there is hope."  But the great God says, in effect, that even where there is death there is still hope - in fact, the main hope.

That hope is the resurrection of the dead from death to life again.  Notice Job's  question and answer about death: "If a man die, shall he live again?  All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come" (Job 14:14, AV).

And see further Christ's startling statement:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live" (John 5:25).

Jesus knew His statement might startle His audience, so He said further: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those have done good, to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation [judgment]" (verses 28-29).

The Scriptures are plain that all people will be resurrected, even those who will eventually be cast into the lake of fire to die the "second death."

The apostle Paul chose to comfort the living relatives of those true Christians who had died by reminding them of the wonderful resurrection to come (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

To alleviate their sorrow, Paul explained that the dead in Christ will be resurrected at Christ's return and that they - along with us, if we qualify - will forever be with Christ.

Yes, the truth about death is far less foreboding than the fanciful imaginations of well-intentioned but errant religionists.

When properly understood, this topic of death can fill us all with real hope, for then we know the wonderful truth that we will all see our beloved deceased relatives again.

Death is indeed an enemy but through the resurrection from the dead this enemy is annihilated.  Therefore Paul says in I Corinthians 15:26, 54-55: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death ..... So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is they victory?"

The Power of Temptation

Like the pull of gravity or the force of magnetism, there is an invisible power working on your mind. It pulls and tugs, trying to bend your will toward its source. If you allow it to draw you, its pull intensifies, and soon its power seems overwhelming. Finally, you give up all resistance and yield.
 
You have just succumbed to the power of temptation.
 
Temptation is a real force, and it is dangerous. Every person who has lived, including Jesus Christ, has felt its power.
 
As a Christian, you need to know how temptation works — and how to resist its subtle influences, which lead to sin.
 
Where does temptation come from? What is the best way to avoid or resist it? Is temptation sin?

During Jesus Christ's final night with His disciples, before His crucifixion, He gave them a warning: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).
 
Jesus well understood the subtleties and powers of temptation and the weakness of human beings. That's why He gave this admonition.
 
Temptation is not sin, but it is the forerunner of sin. Temptation is an appeal to the carnal, human mind and flesh to think or do something contrary to God's law of love. It's a force of attraction in the wrong direction.
 
Have you ever experimented with a magnet? If you place a small piece of iron not far away from a magnet, invisible lines of force will reach out from the magnet to attract the iron. If you place the iron piece just a little closer, the attraction will intensify. Nudge the iron still closer and it will be drawn all the way to the magnet.
 
Temptation works much the same way. For some people the object of wrong attraction might be money, for others drugs. Some are allured to overindulge in food and drink. For a great many the enticement comes from power and sex.
 
The original, classic case of temptation is found in the first book of the Bible. Eve, the first woman, was approached by a subtle serpent — Satan the devil — who aroused Eve's interests and desires by offering her a false image. In her deception Eve "bought" it (Genesis 3:1-6). Satan succeeded in enticing her and stirring up a wrong desire within her. Through Eve Satan tempted Adam, the first man, to sin, and the result is the world in which you live.
 
What Satan did to Eve he is doing to the whole world. The Bible calls him the "god of this world" (II Corinthians 4:4, Authorized Version). He is the father of lies (John 8:44), and we may also appropriately call him the father of temptations. He has created an atmosphere of lust, envy, jealousy and competition that has led billions of mankind into sin and resultant death. Satan, the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2), has been responsible for the wrong enticements, pulls and attractions that influence us in this world.
 
But as flesh-and-blood humans, we carry a burden of responsibility, too, for many of the temptations that draw us.
 
Speaking through the apostle James, God said: "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:14-15).
 
The apostle Paul frankly discussed his own battle with temptation: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me" (Romans 7:18-20).
 
As Jesus said, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
 
The Bible tells of many individuals and even whole nations that have succumbed to temptation. In the book of Judges, for instance, is the story of how Samson was unsuccessful in resisting Delilah's temptation (Judges 16:4-21). Samson, therefore, endangered his own life and the security of his people. II Samuel 11 shows how David became so obsessed with his desire for Bathsheba that he perpetrated both adultery and murder.
 
Joseph, on the other hand, was able to resist temptation in the case of Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:1-12). Joseph exercised a restraint and control that kept him from yielding to a persistent temptress — that kept him from sinning against God. How did he do it? Why was he able to resist when others could not?
 
Joseph was just as human as any of us. He wasn't perfect. He sinned in his life. The Bible says, "There is none righteous, no, not one... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23). Yet, in this and other situations Joseph was able to master temptation and keep himself from sinning. How?
 
Let's remember Jesus' admonition: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation." While David and Samson had temporarily forgotten this principle, Joseph apparently had not. He remembered he was human and vulnerable to temptation, and so stayed close to God in prayer, watchful of circumstances around him.
 
Forgetting how human we are is a serious mistake. It will lead us to lower our spiritual defenses and allow ourselves to draw near situations we ought not. Human nature or, more accurately, carnal mindedness is tuned in to temptations. It desires to go the wrong way. It is naturally attracted to Satan's lures. Unless we catch ourselves and resist soon enough, we will be caught off guard and pulled into sin.
 
Let's turn our attention now to the example of Jesus Christ. In the book of Hebrews we find this statement: "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
 
For 33 1/2 years, Jesus Christ successfully withstood all the pulls, tugs and enticements of Satan, this world and His flesh, and did not sin. Jesus followed His own advice. He knew His own human qualities and strengths were no match for the spiritual warfare He had to wage. He plainly stated, "I can of Myself do nothing" (John 5:30).
 
No human being has the strength to fight this spiritual warfare alone. But though we can do nothing of and by ourselves, Jesus also tells us, "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). When a person is spiritually close to God and relies on God's power, seemingly impossible tasks become possible. 

Speaking to those who had received God's Holy Spirit, Paul said, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7).
 
This is the way Jesus Christ fought all His battles and won. He had a full measure of God's Spirit. He had the very mind of God. He was able to overcome every wrong temptation.
 
The greatest time of temptation in Jesus' life, the confrontation between Himself and Satan, serves as the example of our learning. You can read about this titanic spiritual battle in Matthew 4:1-11. Satan three times tried to tempt Jesus into sinning against God and thus disqualifying Himself as Savior of the world. But Jesus rejected Satan's lures and thus qualified to replace Satan as ruler of the world at Jesus' Second Coming.
 
The confrontation between Jesus and Satan was a total success for Jesus. He had fasted and prayed and was filled with the knowledge of the Scriptures, and was well armed for the enticements and attractions that were put before Him. Jesus knew the enemy was not just Satan, but the fleshly pulls of His own body.
 
In Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians, God inspired these words: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:3-5).
 
Just as Jesus Christ needed the spiritual presence of His Father to assist Him with His struggles, so we need Jesus Christ's intervention and assistance in our struggles. He can help us literally capture every wrong thought before it leads us into sin. He can and will help us to overcome the temptation to sin, if we stay close to God spiritually.
 
Let's take seriously Jesus' helpful admonition to watch and pray.

True Friendship

True friendship is one of the most positive and rewarding aspects of human personality. 

Yet, sad to say, what we too often experience is only superficial, put-on friendliness that lasts about as long as a vapor on a windy day. How often "friendship" dissipates when the need for such support is most urgent.

God wants us to be friendly. "A man who has friends must himself be friendly," says Proverbs 18:24. But how does God define being "friendly"? The fact is that we need to develop friendships that are true and lasting, that are able to weather all the storms and tests of life, which go beyond a friendly smile and a passing handshake.

True friendship has depth and maturity. It has been cultivated and nurtured through intimate sharing of hopes, dreams, experiences and even tragedies. Real friendships are precious. God’s Word gives numerous examples of model friendships. The patriarch Abraham, for instance, was called "the friend of God" (James 2:23, Isaiah 41:8). This friendship was not of the fair-weather variety. It stood the test. Abraham valued his friendship with God beyond his personal status, the community where he lived or even the life of his son.

Ruth and Naomi had a special kind of friendship. All the comforts of home beckoned Ruth to remain among her own people in familiar Moab. But Ruth perceived that other values in life were more important, pledging, "Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God" (Ruth 1:16). That's commitment - that's friendship.

The friendship of David and Jonathan is also instructive; here, loyalty, mutual respect and godly love transcended selfish desires, politics and prestige. Jonathan, the heir apparent to Israel's throne, had the spiritual courage and faith to serve his friend, knowing David was anointed of God, rather than to selfishly cling to his position.

True friendship is not just based on mutual interests, likes or dislikes monetary gain or sublimated self-interest. A true friend will always help, even if it hurts: "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:5-6).

Of course, friends don't always see eye to eye or agree on every issue. Sometimes, friends may even be wrong. Yet friends stick together and pull together: "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend" (Proverbs 27:17).

As Christians, our friendship with God must be primary. How can we qualify for this highest relationship? God shows that wholehearted obedience to Him and reverence for His laws is the key to friendship with Him. Jesus taught, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:14).

Jesus sets us a perfect example of love, friendship and loyalty. He doesn't forsake us as He sees us struggling to overcome the hurdles of life. We, too, must not abandon friends during times of trial. "A friend is always a friend, he is a born brother for adversity" (Proverbs 17:17, Moffatt).

But our friendship with God is not to be exclusive. In John 15:12 Jesus commands that we expand our horizons and "love one another as I have loved you." And our commission as Christians is to eventually help all humanity come to know God and share with Him the type of friendship we now have!

Everyone could use at least one more true friend. Are we open to the challenge of having this kind of friend - or, better yet, being a true friend ourselves to someone else?

The Fate of Chronic Cynics

“Cynic?  Who, me?”   Isn’t that our typical response?  It isn’t that we don’t recognize it in others; but do we as Christians see it in ourselves?  Are you a “Christian” cynic?

The dictionary describes a cynic as a critical person who is pessimistic about almost everything.  A cynic doesn’t trust anything or anybody and takes delight in poking fun at what others consider sacred or important.

Some people, including many journalists, law enforcement officers and teachers pride themselves on being hard-nosed, pragmatic cynics.  Nobody can pull the wool over their eyes.  They’ve seen human nature at its rawest.  They’ve been conned by the best.  They know human beings are selfish and that human conduct is wholly motivated by self-interest.

They’re turned off to politicians, religionists, philanthropists, do-gooders at all social and economic levels.  They’ve found too many times that behind the shinning facade of altruism lies a dark, ugly desire for self-gain – get in the disguise of give.  Have you ever tended to agree?

God certainly has a lot to say about human nature in His Word.  You might even say Jesus Christ – the Creator of human beings, the One who suffered the most as a direct result of the acts of our human natures -- may have the best reason to be the world’s greatest cynic.

Jesus can see through the hypocrisy of human beings and He understands human nature.  But, in actuality, He’s not our worst critic.  He’s our Mediator before God the Father day in and day out.

As children of God we have also come to understand our own human natures and how they work.  We can quote Jeremiah 17:9 and other scriptures that show the innermost motivations of human beings.

Should we be the world’s greatest cynics then?  If not, should we be “balanced” in our cynicism – just critical enough to let everyone know we’re nobody’s fool, that we are easily taken in?

I think too many of us have taken that route.  Some of us pride ourselves that we can handle it – the truth, that is, about what really happens behind the scenes and why.  We heard that Mr. So and So really said, what he did, etc, etc, ……….  

As someone so aptly put it:  “A cynic is a man or woman who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

Cynicism in scripture is usually referred to as scorning or scoffing and is strongly condemned in both the Old and New Testament.  It is a bent of the spirit that God cannot accept.

Proverbs 13:1 (read) depicts a cynic as unyielding.  Receiving correction requires teachable spirit or attitude, a desire to improve and an acknowledgement that others may know more than you do – attitude not in a cynic.

Cynics are locked in a negative response pattern that requires them to see everything as a sham, pretense and hypocrisy.  This is the opposite of what Paul wrote to us in Philippians 4:8 (read).  So even if the information we have is true, we are not to meditate on it if is not noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report or has any virtue.

Who is the world’s greatest cynic?

None else than Satan the devil, the accuser of the brethren.  And not only is he the world’s greatest cynic, he’s the world’s first.  He was the first to cast aspersions on God and His plan for humankind in the Garden of Eden.  He told Eve the “real” inside story of why God didn’t want her to eat of the fruit and the “real” motivations behind God’s commands.

The world’s greatest cynic, Satan, who accuses us night and day before God, views all others, including God, through his own weaknesses.  And whenever you criticize, beware, you may well be revealing your own most personal problems to your family and friends.

God’s purpose for us is not that we should be others critics.  We are here to grow and develop in Christian character.  If we are forever picking at others, questioning motives, faultfinding, how can we work on our own shortcomings and prepare of a position in God’s Kingdom?  Those guilty of cynicism are probably far behind others in their development toward serving in God’s Kingdom.

How does God expect us to think about our brothers and sisters then?  Read Philippians 2:3.

As well, read Matthew 7:1-2.  Jesus continues in the next few verses to show who we should be examining and criticizing – ourselves.

This world, ruled by Satan, has become a vile, disappointing, ever worsening environment for human beings to live in.  At every turn we’re cheated, lied to, betrayed, maligned, hoodwinked by human beings deceived by Satan.

But no matter, let’s not allow what happens to us in the world to affect our attitudes toward God and our fellow man.  Let’s not let the world’s greatest cynic instill his negative, critical, faultfinding attitude in us.

Put simply, God cannot abide cynicism (read Proverbs 3:34; 21:24).  It is as foreign to His nature as anything imaginable.  Where cynicism is, God cannot be.

Stick-to-itiveness

Stick-to-itiveness is a rather unrefined word but I have a special fondness for it nevertheless.

I heard the word time and time again when I was young.  I was a creature of sudden and short-lived fascinations.

For a while I had a passion for collecting comic books.  My room was filled with them.

Then coin collecting was my fancy. 

Next baseball cards became my almost full time occupation, as I traded and bargained with my friends.

And then, it was music.  Going to concerts and collecting record albums of various artists and groups was my passion.

It was during these transitions from one enthusiasm to another that I would hear the reprimand from some: “You have no stick-to-itiveness.  You will never finish anything.”

Years later I learned that God's word had a better word for this same thing:  perseverance.  It is one of the marks of true character development and I have learned to admire those who exemplify it.

Perseverance means that we don’t stop, that we keep going.  We do not get discouraged, upset and quit when we find we are not yet perfect and that there is a long trek still before us.

Read James 1:12.

That’s the apostle James talking about the use of perseverance in our everyday Christian life.  James is saying that when we develop perseverance, we are on our way to becoming the complete person God wants us to be.

The whole concept of perseverance runs contrary to our time and culture.  Today there seems to be a rampant mentality that says, “If overcoming doesn’t come easy, forget it.”

It’s heard in statements like:  “I don’t like this job or my boss.  I’m going to quit and collect unemployment benefits.” “I know I have a little problem with drinking and I overeat sometimes and overspend my income but why not live to the fullest?”

This is how many people think today.  If things don’t come instantly, they take the easy way out, by running away from the problems.

We need to remember the way it was for Christ, our older brother.  Has anyone else ever experienced such merciless, lifelong pounding from within and from without?  Yet Christ set a perfect example of perseverance.

There is an old saying: “There is no royal road to anything.  One thing at a time, all things in succession.  That which grows fast withers as rapidly; that which grows slowly endures.” This quality of perseverance can and will help us in four key areas of our life.

Helps us develop the character that God wants.  That’s what James was talking about.  We need to be complete.  We all have certain qualities we need to develop in order to qualify for God’s family.

Many of these qualities - like self-control, sensitivity and patience - are difficult to develop.  That’s why most people progress slowly in these areas.

When the growing gets tough, some just up and quit.  They lack the spirit of perseverance that would keep them trying no matter how hard or discouraging the struggle becomes.

Helps us improve our relationships.  Friendships, marriage, work or school relationships all take effort to make them grow.  Don’t just give up on people if they disappoint you in some way.  Give them a chance, remember Matthew 18:21-22, “Until seventy times seven.”

Helps us improve our prayer life.  Christ told a parable about a woman who kept asking a harsh judge for justice until he gave it to her.  “And shall God not avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him?” (Luke 18:7).

Jesus was saying to persevere in our prayers.  If we pray for something or someone and don’t get an answer right away, we shouldn’t give up.  Keep on communicating with God.  He won’t ignore us.  He listens.  He responds.

Helps us reach our goals.  God has called us all to a bright future.  Peter explained it this way (read I Peter 2:9).

God tells us our potential.  He gives us a glimpse of what we can become and do.  He’ll surely help us get there if we don’t give up, if we persevere.

We all need what perseverance offers.  With it, we can endure, grow and develop godly traits of true leadership that we can use now and in God family.

Do You Hear Thunder?

As I watched the news recently there was a segment that focused on a medical school.  A required course for medical students was training in compassion.  I was amazed to find that compassion is no longer considered a natural human emotion or trait but a lost virtue that needs to be researched and taught in college.

Society is learning that humans need and crave a great amount of compassion.

It brings to mind a time Christ and His disciples journeyed to Jerusalem.  On the way they planned to rest at a Samaritan village.  The group sent messengers ahead to arrange accommodations but the village refused to cooperate.  Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and the Samaritans wanted nothing to do with the trip because of their animosity toward the Jews.

The disciples were furious, these villagers refused Christ!  “Lord do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” they asked (Luke 9:54).

James and John, nicknamed “sons of thunder,” were zealous for what they believed.  But they lacked an important ingredient: the compassion that comes from God’s Holy Spirit.

Sometimes it seems that those whom God is working with now are inclined to be more like the “sons of thunder” than compassionate Christians.

I have heard in the past from some that they have little sympathy for certain people in their trails.  They feel that afflicted people deserve their problems.  Or that those in trails should develop backbone and work their way out of the problems, without complaining or depending on others for solutions.  People have even told me that this world is not for the weak, and maybe we would be better off without these people to slow us down.

Strong words!  They have a degree of truth.  We often bring on our own problems.  And, when it comes right down to it, we are responsible for the character we build (or don’t build), and for working out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12).

Compassion in this world faces extinction.  Romans 1:29-31 paints a picture of our time.  II Timothy 3:2-3 says those living in the last days love themselves, boast, are brutal and abusive, and refuse to love others or forgive them.

Do we realize that these attitudes can easily poison us to affect how we deal with others?

Note what David had to deal with, Psalm 69:20.  Christ went through the same agony centuries later.

But what was David’s attitude?  Psalm 35:13-14 says that David mourned for his enemies when they were ill.  He had grief for them as he would have had for friends or family.  He hated their works and asked God to humble them because of their evil.  But once they were humbled, he took their trails personally and even fasted for them on occasion.

Compassion is sympathy with someone’s suffering and a desire to ease their pain.

Compassion means you literally help bear the afflicted person’s burden.  Compassion is concern to the point of personal involvement.

How can we build active compassion?

Avoid self-righteous attitudes. Read Romans 12:3-5.  We can’t condemn someone because of his or her circumstances.  God has called people in nearly every circumstance.  There’s a purpose in everything God does.  We can learn from those who seem a little weaker and slower than the rest of us in some areas.

And even if the other person’s trail is self-inflicted, we should put ourselves in that person’s situation.  Sure, they caused the problem but how they are suffering.  Think about the pressures and sorrow they are under.  How would we feel?

Build on the compassion God gives through His Spirit.  God’s Spirit prompts us with feelings of concerns and the desire to help.  Don’t ignore or squelch these feelings.  Use them to build compassion.

Learn the art of intercessory prayer.  Have we every asked about the progress of a sick individual when we hadn’t remembered to pray about them?  If so, those could have been vain words. If we were truly concerned, we would also have prayed about the situation.

God delights in answering the prayers we send up for others.  He loves to see unity, love, compassion and concern grow in His people.  Sometimes prayers are the only action we can take to help.  Our prayers will make a difference if we pray wholeheartedly, out of compassion for the one suffering.

Do what you can to help physically.  Prayers for the person are not enough if it’s in our power to do more (James 2:14-17).

Involvement takes effort and time.  It requires selfless awareness of other people.  It presupposes wisdom, since we need to know how to involve ourselves in another’s problems.  But, possibly the most important ingredient is patience with others in their faults and in their trails.

Be patient.  It’s so much easier to see situation clearly when we’re not the one suffering in it.  Sometimes it seems obvious to us what the solution is.  We can become impatient, “If he wont’ help himself, there’s nothing I can do.”  But, God requires us to suffer along with brethren.

Note what Job said in Job 6:14.  He is saying that we shouldn’t give us on a friend during a low period.

Help the afflicted person endure his or her trail until the end, when God’s purpose for the trail comes to fruition (James 5:7-11).  It may take longer than we had hoped, but, then, how many times has God had to wait patiently on us?

Read Romans 12.  It shows what God’s mind on the subject is and gives an outline of how to have compassion for our brethren.  Take the time to live this chapter.  You will be able have a part in another's growth by your compassion.  And more, you will begin to learn a trait that God will have us extend to all mankind.