Above Only Daily Devotional
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Saturday, November 19
Empathizing With the Suffering & Persecuted
Hebrews 13:1 & 3 (NIV)
Let brotherly love continue. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. *Keep on loving each other as brothers.
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
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A major part of our priestly duty as children of God is to stand in the gap and to intercede on behalf of others. This is a major area that God wants us to occupy until Christ comes and we cannot do this effectively if we do not have the love and compassion of Jesus in our hearts. Compassion causes you to not only put yourself in the shoes of others but to be concerned enough to take some action. We are not supposed to be like the Priest and Levite in Luke 10:30-36 who were so busy with their activities and 'service unto God' that they could not stop and render help to a man who had been attacked and was terribly wounded. We are to be like the Good Samaritan in that passage who was willing to go out of his way to ensure that the wounded man was adequately cared for and nursed back to health.
Let brotherly love continue. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. *Keep on loving each other as brothers.
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
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A major part of our priestly duty as children of God is to stand in the gap and to intercede on behalf of others. This is a major area that God wants us to occupy until Christ comes and we cannot do this effectively if we do not have the love and compassion of Jesus in our hearts. Compassion causes you to not only put yourself in the shoes of others but to be concerned enough to take some action. We are not supposed to be like the Priest and Levite in Luke 10:30-36 who were so busy with their activities and 'service unto God' that they could not stop and render help to a man who had been attacked and was terribly wounded. We are to be like the Good Samaritan in that passage who was willing to go out of his way to ensure that the wounded man was adequately cared for and nursed back to health.
Empathizing with the suffering and persecuted was a major attribute of the early church. In 2Corinthians 8:1-4, Apostle Paul wrote about how the grace of God was mightily working in the believers in the Macedonian church; such that despite their many difficulties and challenges, they pleaded for opportunities to give and be a blessing to other believers that were being challenged. May this grace fill your heart today and may it fill the entire Body of Christ also. So many believers today are being persecuted both in our nation and in so many nations around the world. Our fervent effectual prayers for them will cause much of God's power to become available on their behalf. However, because God's justice requires more than empathy, we must be compelled to action which translates to practical help, support and encouragement.
PRAYER FOCUS: Pray for God's abundant grace upon every believer who is suffering, is in bondage or is being persecuted in any way.
BIBLE IN A YEAR READING PLAN: Acts 7-8
Empowered to Occupy Till He Comes...
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