WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Exodus 34 Compassionate God – Publishing Date: 2021-03-20T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/exodus-34-compassionate-god/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.240 Hi guys, so today and tomorrow we turn to Exodus 34. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:10.200 Exodus 34. 00:00:10.200 --> 00:00:17.520 And Exodus 34 is the revelation of Yahweh to Moses. 00:00:17.520 --> 00:00:26.240 Exodus 34 happens after Moses breaks the first set of stone tablets and then he goes up a 00:00:26.240 --> 00:00:27.960 second time. 00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:34.840 And that is when Exodus 34 happens and that is the first time Yahweh reveals his character. 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:41.960 So it's a critical chapter in the Bible because it's the first revelation of Yahweh as this 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:44.400 is who I am. 00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:50.840 So if you read from 34.1, the Lord said to Moses, chisel out two stone tablets like the 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:56.120 first ones and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablet which you broke. 00:00:56.120 --> 00:00:59.760 Be ready in the morning and then come up to Mount Sinai, present yourself to me there 00:00:59.760 --> 00:01:01.200 on top of the mountain. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:05.480 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain, not even the flocks and the 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:07.800 herds that graze in front of the mountain. 00:01:07.800 --> 00:01:13.040 So Moses chiseled out two stones, two stone tablets like the first one, went up to Mount 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:17.720 Sinai early in the morning as the Lord had commanded him and carried the two stone tablets 00:01:17.720 --> 00:01:19.200 in his hands. 00:01:19.520 --> 00:01:26.200 That's when this whole revelation of God, for the first time happens. 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:32.200 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:33.600 Lord. 00:01:33.600 --> 00:01:39.600 And if you read some versions it actually says Yahweh and the Lord passed before him 00:01:40.600 --> 00:01:47.600 and proclaimed the name of the Lord as in he says that I am Yahweh. 00:01:49.600 --> 00:01:57.600 Yeah, the self-existent or eternal one, that's what he means when he says I am the Lord. 00:01:57.600 --> 00:02:03.600 And then it goes on to say that in verse 6, and he passed in front of Moses and proclaiming, 00:02:04.600 --> 00:02:09.600 The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in 00:02:09.600 --> 00:02:14.600 love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, forgiving 00:02:14.600 --> 00:02:19.600 rebellion, forgiving sin, yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished. 00:02:19.600 --> 00:02:23.600 Moses bowed, he punishes the children and the children's children for the sin of the 00:02:23.600 --> 00:02:25.600 parents to the third and fourth generation. 00:02:25.600 --> 00:02:29.600 Moses bowed down to the ground at once and worshiped. 00:02:29.600 --> 00:02:35.600 And so I want to focus today on Exodus 34 verse 6 and the title for today's teaching 00:02:35.600 --> 00:02:39.600 is Exodus 34, Compassionate God. 00:02:39.600 --> 00:02:42.600 Exodus 34, Compassionate God. 00:02:42.600 --> 00:02:46.600 So Exodus 34, 6 is what we look at today and it says there that the Lord is gracious and 00:02:46.600 --> 00:02:51.600 compassionate, full of mercy and rich in loyal love. 00:02:51.600 --> 00:02:57.600 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, full of mercy and rich in loyal love. 00:02:57.600 --> 00:03:03.600 So these two words usually pair together, gracious and compassionate, and it basically 00:03:03.600 --> 00:03:11.600 emphasizes God's undeserved favor on one hand, gracious as in undeserved favor, and 00:03:11.600 --> 00:03:18.600 compassionate, and this is why you find so many different translations, but the words 00:03:18.600 --> 00:03:19.600 are basically the same. 00:03:19.600 --> 00:03:26.600 Compassionate is tender mercy, but it's become such a Christian word that we don't know what 00:03:26.600 --> 00:03:31.600 it is, so we'll stick with the word compassionate. 00:03:31.600 --> 00:03:36.600 And right off the bat in Exodus 34, God says this is who he is, because there's a tendency 00:03:36.600 --> 00:03:41.600 to think of the Old Testament God as pretty nasty and the New Testament God as really 00:03:41.600 --> 00:03:43.600 nice, not true. 00:03:43.600 --> 00:03:48.600 The first revelation of God is one which is gracious, compassionate, full of mercy, rich 00:03:48.600 --> 00:03:49.600 in love. 00:03:49.600 --> 00:03:55.600 People who say that the Old Covenant is not merciful and who suddenly make the New Testament 00:03:55.600 --> 00:03:59.600 and the New Covenant full of grace and the Old Testament is not full of grace aren't 00:03:59.600 --> 00:04:03.600 really right because the first revelation of Yahweh, who Jesus then represents, who 00:04:03.600 --> 00:04:09.600 is the unchanging one, is that I am gracious, I am compassionate, I am full of mercy, and 00:04:09.600 --> 00:04:12.600 I am rich in loyal love. 00:04:12.600 --> 00:04:16.600 That I am full of tender mercies and I show undeserved favor. 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:20.600 This is the first thing he says about himself. 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.600 There is this principle of first mention. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:27.600 Whenever a person, I mean very often when you ask somebody, hey, what do you do? 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.600 They usually tell you what's most important to them. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:37.600 It's only now that on Facebook and Twitter everybody starts with husband of so and so, 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:39.600 proud father of so and so. 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:43.600 That's a recent thing because you need to be modest. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:47.600 But when, if Facebook and Twitter were to disappear tomorrow, we'd go back to what we 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:54.600 really are. 00:04:54.600 --> 00:05:00.600 And there's so many scriptures in the Bible that seem to indicate this idea of who God 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:03.600 is as a compassionate God. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:12.600 So Psalm 103 verse 13, I love what it says. 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:20.600 It says that as a father has compassion on his children, so God has compassion on those 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:22.600 who fear him. 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:24.600 As a father has compassion on children. 00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:30.600 And there's nothing as compassionate as that, as a father or mother who has compassion on 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:32.600 the children. 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:37.600 So the nature of this compassion that we are talking about is very fatherly. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:41.600 And two, it takes into account your frailty. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:45.600 One of the reasons parents are so compassionate towards their children is when they look at 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:50.600 those children lying there, they just think to themselves, what can this child do? 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:54.600 What can I but show except compassion? 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:59.600 There's a frailty to these, to the compassion that God shows. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:01.600 And guess what? 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:06.600 Because it's a father who treats his children with compassion, it is he who first loves 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:09.600 and then shows compassion. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:14.600 I'm just trying to explain or describe the nature of God's compassion. 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:19.600 Psalm 51 verse 1, David had just committed adultery. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:26.600 And his statement in Psalm 51 is, I'm going to wait for your love because according to 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:30.600 your great compassion, you're going to blot out my transgressions. 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:31.600 He depended on that. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:36.600 David knew something about God's compassion where after committing adultery, after murdering 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:43.600 the husband of the woman he committed adultery with, he has not just the audacity but the 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:48.600 humility and the dependence to go to God and say, oh God, according to your compassion, 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:53.600 I know you can blot out my transgressions because of your unfailing love and therefore 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.600 I will wait. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:59.600 And so there's this simple equation that we need to look at which is at the center is 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.600 love and on one end is mercy and on the other end is compassion. 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:06.600 And they always go together. 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:12.600 And this has been since the beginning of time and will be forevermore. 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:14.600 Got to depend on this, eh? 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:17.600 I was listening to a song called Already Yours. 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:22.600 One of the lines in that song really got me where God is singing it and he's saying, 00:07:22.600 --> 00:07:26.600 you have won my heart so you can take all my time. 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:28.600 You have won my heart. 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.600 You've already won my heart so you can take all my time. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.600 Meaning you can take my time. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:38.600 My time is for you because my heart is for you. 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:42.600 This is how he always is. 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:49.600 Love is at the center, mercy goes out one way, compassion goes out another way. 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:57.600 Isaiah 30, verse 18, Isaiah 30, verse 18, Isaiah 30, verse 18. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:02.600 I love this because it says, I long to rise up and be gracious. 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:04.600 I long to show you my compassion. 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:10.600 God is speaking and he's saying, I long to rise up and show you my graciousness and my compassion. 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:12.600 As in he yearns to do it. 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:17.600 Isaiah 30, verse 18, the Lord longs to rise up and be gracious. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:20.600 The Lord longs to show you his compassion. 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:24.600 It is not something that we wrestle out of him. 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:26.600 It is his longing to show it. 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:31.600 Which means I must move into position to receive it. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:38.600 His compassion is really anew every morning because the word mercy and compassion are so closely knit together. 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:46.600 He knows my frailty and he knows how well I'm trying to do in my frailty. 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:49.600 This is his primary nature guys. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:55.600 This is his primary nature and this is his nature towards me in everything he does. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:58.600 Don't forget that. It's critical to remember that. 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:00.600 So pay attention to this guys. 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:05.600 This is the first revelation of Yahweh to the earth. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:09.600 And because this is the first revelation of Yahweh to the earth, 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:15.600 he is saying to them, I want you to know the essence of my nature right off the bat. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:18.600 And then he says, this is the essence of my nature. 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:21.600 I am gracious. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:23.600 I am compassionate. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:26.600 I am merciful. 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.600 I am rich in loyal love. 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:33.600 That's his first revelation. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.600 It should be your first revelation every morning. 00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:46.600 Wake up and go climb Mount Sinai and say, Oh God, I recognize you as one who is gracious to me today. 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:48.600 One who is compassionate to me today. 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:51.600 One who is merciful to me today. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.600 One who is rich in loyal love. 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:56.600 I declare it. I receive it. 00:09:56.600 --> 00:09:59.600 I let the world know that this is the God I believe in. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:02.600 What a way to start the day. 00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:04.600 It's his first revelation to the earth. 00:10:04.600 --> 00:10:07.600 This is who Yahweh is. He's telling them. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.600 And then he goes on to say, and I'll forgive. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:11.600 I'll forgive wickedness. I'll forgive rebellion. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:13.600 I'll forgive sin. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:18.600 Maintaining love to thousands. 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:22.600 We get hung up with, but he also said that he'll punish the third and fourth generation. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:25.600 And then he did something about that too by sacrificing himself. 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:33.600 Any questions? 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:41.600 But Jacob, this is not my experience. 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:45.600 Quite true. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:48.600 We may have experienced otherwise. 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:52.600 But again, it's an old phrase that I keep using. 00:10:52.600 --> 00:11:00.600 Our experiences don't determine color or exaggerate or distort the nature of God. 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:03.600 Because who he says he is, is who he is. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:08.600 And now I press into experiencing his nature because he is true. 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:11.600 Let God be true and every man a liar. 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.600 So I must press into experiencing his nature. 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:19.600 Because only in experiencing his nature do I make it visible to the world. 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:24.600 Only in experiencing his nature am I able to make it visible to the world. 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:29.600 Manoj, can you shift the light a little? 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:32.600 Because I can't see you. 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:38.600 Just a tiny bit. 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:41.600 Yeah, that's good. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.600 Am I still looking good? 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:44.600 Okay. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:48.600 Yeah. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:50.600 Is it too dark? 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:53.600 I can suffer under the lights if it makes me look better. 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:57.600 Okay. 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:04.600 Guys, a global revival is basically an outpouring of God's compassion for nations and people. 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.600 A global revival. 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:07.600 A global revival. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:09.600 If you go back to what we said in Shekinah, 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:27.600 then a global revival is a profuse, uninterrupted, intentional outpouring of God's compassion on peoples and nations. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:55.600 We are incapable of doing this on our own. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:13:01.600 My human love is incapable of showing the kind of compassion that God wants to show. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.600 It's almost like this idea of the moon. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:08.600 The moon doesn't produce any light of its own, but it reflects the light of the sun. 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:11.600 And so compassion is the depth. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:15.600 Compassion is the depth of God's love. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:18.600 Compassion is the depth of God's love. 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:31.600 Compassion is the depth of God's love reflected through us, to strangers and then friends. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:35.600 This is basically what the Good Samaritan story is about. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:40.600 Compassion is the depth of God's love reflected. 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:43.600 Compassion is the depth of God's love reflected. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:49.600 We are incapable of this kind of compassion, but we are called to embody this kind of compassion. 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:56.600 This really helped me that, oh God, I may be incapable of it, but I am capable because of who you are. 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:06.600 To reflect in situations, in relationships, to reflect the depth of your love through me to strangers. 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:09.600 And when you do this, a strange thing happens. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:16.600 Mercy comes into judgment. 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:20.600 You may judge things correctly, but you introduce mercy. 00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:24.600 You forgive your captors like Jesus did at the cross. 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:27.600 You forgive your captors. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:31.600 What are you showing in forgiving your captors who are tormenting you and who've nailed you to a cross? 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.600 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they're doing. 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:36.600 We always think, oh, that's just Jesus. 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:38.600 No, that is a compassionate God. 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:44.600 I've heard of so many stories where people forgave their captors and their captors start weeping. 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:46.600 Because they don't understand this kind of compassion. 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:49.600 It's not from the earth. 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:59.600 It's got such divine quality that it breaks the hardest of people. 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:06.600 Compassion is one way to pray. 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:09.600 God will begin to hire you to pray for him. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:13.600 Compassion is one way to pray. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:16.600 God will begin to highlight nations. 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:20.600 I don't know if anybody here knows anyone from Honduras. 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:27.600 But one of the nations that's going to be touched first in this global revival is Honduras. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:36.600 Compassion can direct you to where God is going to move next. 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:45.600 I remember waking up with such mercy and compassion in my heart for Honduras. 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:47.600 I don't even know where Honduras is. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:51.600 Thank God for the map in my, the map I can roll myself up in. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:59.600 That map in my house because you can find Honduras there. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:03.600 Don is trying to look for it on his laptop right now. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:06.600 He was looking below Singapore and he realized it's not there. 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:11.600 The point is guys, sometimes compassion that God has towards something 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:19.600 can help you preempt where he's going and be there when he gets there. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:25.600 One of the nations that's being highlighted by God is Honduras. 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:31.600 Where you begin to, if not weep, at least begin to cry out for that nation 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:38.600 because you can see the outpouring, the profuse uninterrupted intentional outpouring 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:41.600 of God's compassion on peoples and a nation. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.600 It's the same way with prayer. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:49.600 I remember recently suddenly feeling such compassion for, of all the people, 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:55.600 Tiger Woods in a sport that I highly dislike. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:58.600 Having such a compassionate heart towards him, 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:02.600 either in lying in hospital or at home now. 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:07.600 Where your heart begins to pray, not like you would pray for someone's salvation, 00:17:07.600 --> 00:17:14.600 but as if it mattered to you because it matters to God. 00:17:14.600 --> 00:17:19.600 When you pray with compassion, you unpack God's heart before you unpack a promise. 00:17:19.600 --> 00:17:24.600 When you pray with compassion, you unpack God's heart before you unpack a promise. 00:17:24.600 --> 00:17:25.600 What do you mean by that? 00:17:25.600 --> 00:17:26.600 So you can pray for nations. 00:17:26.600 --> 00:17:30.600 Oh God, in the name of Jesus Christ, I just claim the scripture right now and release it, 00:17:30.600 --> 00:17:33.600 saying ask for the nations and I will give it to you as an inheritance. 00:17:33.600 --> 00:17:37.600 So in the name of Jesus Christ, I declare Honduras is my inheritance and I claim it. 00:17:37.600 --> 00:17:38.600 Nothing wrong. 00:17:38.600 --> 00:17:42.600 You should use scripture to claim things. 00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:48.600 But compassion has the ability to unpack God's heart before it unpacks a promise. 00:17:55.600 --> 00:18:00.600 So this is a deliberate teaching. 00:18:00.600 --> 00:18:04.600 Most of these teachings nowadays on Saturdays and Sundays are towards an end. 00:18:04.600 --> 00:18:07.600 They're not piecemeal. 00:18:07.600 --> 00:18:12.600 So today we are talking about Exodus 34, the compassionate God. 00:18:12.600 --> 00:18:16.600 Tomorrow we'll take another characteristic of God, which I'll let you know at the end. 00:18:16.600 --> 00:18:22.600 Compassion is also being moved by someone else's sorrow, 00:18:23.600 --> 00:18:27.600 someone else's unjust treatment, someone else's pain. 00:18:27.600 --> 00:18:35.600 Compassion is also being moved by someone else's sorrow, someone else's pain, 00:18:35.600 --> 00:18:40.600 someone else's unjust treatment. 00:18:40.600 --> 00:18:54.600 Compassion is being moved by someone else's sorrow, unjust treatment and pain 00:18:54.600 --> 00:18:59.600 in a way that motivates you to act to help the one suffering. 00:18:59.600 --> 00:19:02.600 The actual Greek word, I don't even know how to pronounce it, 00:19:02.600 --> 00:19:05.600 so I'll just tell you the actual Greek word basically means, 00:19:05.600 --> 00:19:09.600 when it talks about compassion, it talks about your bowels, 00:19:09.600 --> 00:19:14.600 as in it is something that moves you so deeply that it tears up your insides. 00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:19.600 That's the actual word. 00:19:19.600 --> 00:19:22.600 You know what's fascinating is you see compassion right at the bat. 00:19:22.600 --> 00:19:26.600 Adam and Eve just destroyed the perfection of paradise. 00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:29.600 Adam and Eve had just destroyed the perfection of paradise. 00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:32.600 And God moves towards them in compassion. 00:19:32.600 --> 00:19:35.600 He slaughters an animal from his pristine creation 00:19:35.600 --> 00:19:39.600 to clothe the very pair that introduced death and destruction. 00:19:39.600 --> 00:19:45.600 Instead of moving away from them, instead of maybe restarting, 00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:48.600 Adam and Eve just destroyed the perfection of paradise. 00:19:48.600 --> 00:19:50.600 God moves towards them in compassion. 00:19:50.600 --> 00:19:53.600 He slaughters an animal from his pristine creation 00:19:53.600 --> 00:19:59.600 to clothe the very pair that just brought in death and destruction that is with us even today. 00:19:59.600 --> 00:20:03.600 What about Jesus at Lazarus' tomb? 00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:08.600 Jesus grieved the death of his friend even though he knew he was about to raise him from the dead 00:20:08.600 --> 00:20:12.600 because he felt the hurt of others. 00:20:12.600 --> 00:20:16.600 What kind of God is this and therefore what kind of people should we be? 00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:23.600 Jesus grieved at the death of his friend Lazarus even though he knew he was about to raise him up from the dead 00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:27.600 because he felt the hurt of others. 00:20:27.600 --> 00:20:29.600 What a cool thing to be. 00:20:29.600 --> 00:20:32.600 I'm going to do a miracle but I grieve for you because while you're waiting for me 00:20:32.600 --> 00:20:40.600 I know how much you're hurting. 00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:46.600 This is what allows God to move as he wants on earth through a people 00:20:46.600 --> 00:20:49.600 and do what he wants on earth in a revival. 00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:54.600 These are very deliberate teachings so that my heart changes, your heart changes. 00:20:54.600 --> 00:20:59.600 Because as we said last weekend, if we are to bring to pass Isaiah 58, 00:20:59.600 --> 00:21:03.600 we must have compassionate hearts. 00:21:09.600 --> 00:21:14.600 Compassion effectively loves, not compassion just loves, 00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:23.600 Compassion effectively loves and pursues the rescue of the perishing, 00:21:23.600 --> 00:21:28.600 of the addicted, 00:21:28.600 --> 00:21:35.600 of the mentally ill, 00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:40.600 of the mentally ill, 00:21:40.600 --> 00:21:45.600 of the enslaved, 00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:50.600 of broken people, 00:21:50.600 --> 00:22:01.600 of sinners and tax collectors and prostitutes. 00:22:01.600 --> 00:22:13.600 Compassion effectively loves and pursues the rescue of the demonized. 00:22:13.600 --> 00:22:20.600 You see how critical this is because this is how God operates. 00:22:20.600 --> 00:22:23.600 Compassion is the avenue through which his power, 00:22:23.600 --> 00:22:29.600 Compassion is the avenue through which his kingdom and his nature and his power flows. 00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:36.600 Take away the avenue of compassion and what you are is a salesman. 00:22:36.600 --> 00:22:41.600 A very good salesman who has the skills, has the ability, has the authority, 00:22:41.600 --> 00:22:48.600 has the know-how, has the company credentials, has street cred, but still a salesman. 00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:53.600 I cannot afford that anymore. 00:22:53.600 --> 00:22:58.600 My acts should be motivated by the same things that motivate the heart of God 00:22:58.600 --> 00:23:07.600 because otherwise I might do what he wants but I do not convey his heart. 00:23:07.600 --> 00:23:15.600 Compassion effectively loves and pursues the rescue of the demonized, 00:23:15.600 --> 00:23:20.600 the perishing, the addicted, the mentally ill, the enslaved, broken people, 00:23:20.600 --> 00:23:25.600 sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes. This is how Jesus did it. 00:23:25.600 --> 00:23:31.600 A heart that is this way, a heart that is immersed in compassion this way, 00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:36.600 will overcome barriers, will overcome barriers, 00:23:36.600 --> 00:23:42.600 will overcome cultural barriers, superficial barriers, societal barriers, 00:23:42.600 --> 00:23:47.600 fear, will overcome barriers. 00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:54.600 And then what happens is like I just said, you will release the nature 00:23:54.600 --> 00:24:01.600 and the power of the King and the Kingdom. 00:24:01.600 --> 00:24:06.600 This is the story of the Good Samaritan. 00:24:06.600 --> 00:24:10.600 This is the story of the Good Samaritan. 00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:13.600 It overcame barriers. He was a Samaritan. 00:24:13.600 --> 00:24:20.600 The man lying there was half dead, beaten, Jew. 00:24:20.600 --> 00:24:22.600 It overcomes barriers. 00:24:22.600 --> 00:24:25.600 The Samaritan regarded the man as his neighbor, 00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:28.600 but he was not a Samaritan. 00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:32.600 The Samaritan regarded the man as his neighbor because of the compassion of his heart. 00:24:32.600 --> 00:24:38.600 In Luke 1033 it says that the Samaritan had compassion. 00:24:38.600 --> 00:24:43.600 The Samaritan regarded the man as his neighbor because of the compassion in his heart. 00:24:43.600 --> 00:24:47.600 You cannot say that the Levite and the priest did not have love in their hearts. 00:24:47.600 --> 00:24:53.600 That's what we arrive at after listening to the Good Samaritan story multiple times in Sunday School. 00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:59.600 We arrive at the conclusion that the priests and the Levite were unloving people. 00:24:59.600 --> 00:25:03.600 But we cannot say that the Levite and priests did not love in their hearts. 00:25:03.600 --> 00:25:09.600 But concern for their safety or for their purity, ritual purity, 00:25:09.600 --> 00:25:17.600 killed their compassion and does it not happen to us too? 00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:20.600 I mean, they're all traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. 00:25:20.600 --> 00:25:22.600 There are bandits on the way. 00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:25.600 They're probably going to the temple. 00:25:25.600 --> 00:25:30.600 There are two issues there, either concern for safety or concern for ritual purity. 00:25:30.600 --> 00:25:32.600 Because they don't know if he's dead or alive. 00:25:32.600 --> 00:25:39.600 You cannot touch one who is dead, even though the Lord did make room for it. 00:25:39.600 --> 00:25:44.600 And isn't that the same with me, where there is enough compassion but I'm scared? 00:25:44.600 --> 00:25:48.600 What if I get involved? How long is this going to take? 00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:50.600 Will this get too complicated? 00:25:50.600 --> 00:25:52.600 I didn't know before, man. 00:25:52.600 --> 00:25:58.600 I remember this young kid outside where I was staying in Richmond being hit by a car. 00:25:58.600 --> 00:26:02.600 And I run to him and I cradle his head. 00:26:02.600 --> 00:26:08.600 And his head is bleeding because his skull was broken. 00:26:08.600 --> 00:26:10.600 I'm holding his head and he's bleeding. 00:26:10.600 --> 00:26:14.600 And I've hardly been in Canada for 20 days. 00:26:14.600 --> 00:26:17.600 I'm holding him there and just praying out loud. 00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:21.600 People are standing at a distance and some are saying, don't touch him. 00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:23.600 If anything goes wrong, you'll get sued. 00:26:23.600 --> 00:26:25.600 I'm thinking of it as a stuff it. That's not true. 00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:31.600 So little knowing that there are other possibilities. 00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:35.600 I know there's a good Samaritan rule now, but not in those days. 00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:45.600 The point being, there's so many things that bring concern now where we would rather not get involved. 00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:58.600 Compassion will help me stride into fear, stride into the shame that people may be experiencing, 00:26:58.600 --> 00:27:06.600 stride into places of brokenness, stride into the lives of the least of these, even if it costs me dearly. 00:27:06.600 --> 00:27:13.600 My prayer today when we end shortly is, oh God, could you help me overcome the barriers that I have constructed 00:27:13.600 --> 00:27:20.600 because of my concern for safety? It's too small a cost to pay. 00:27:20.600 --> 00:27:26.600 Matthew 25.40, when did we see you hungry? When did we see you naked? When did we see you in prison? 00:27:26.600 --> 00:27:30.600 As much as you did to the least of them. 00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:43.600 I think churches should ban token visits to prison, soup kitchens, street ministry. 00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:49.600 Happens once a year, twice a year. The one in summer is like a fun time. 00:27:49.600 --> 00:27:52.600 The one in winter is miserable because it's raining and cold. 00:27:52.600 --> 00:27:57.600 After the winter one, you feel a little more noble. The summer one is just sheer fun. 00:27:57.600 --> 00:28:07.600 These random acts of compassion are not very helpful because it makes you go home thinking you've done your bit. 00:28:07.600 --> 00:28:11.600 Well, this is a regular way of living. 00:28:11.600 --> 00:28:21.600 Compassion relieves suffering and if it cannot relieve suffering, it walks with you through it. 00:28:21.600 --> 00:28:28.600 Compassion relieves suffering. Guys, I wish I could say, imitate me and you will learn this. 00:28:28.600 --> 00:28:34.600 It is so not my strong point and I'm ashamed that it is not. 00:28:34.600 --> 00:28:42.600 Not I'm ashamed, I'm embarrassed that it is not. I'm not ashamed yet. I'm embarrassed that it's not. 00:28:42.600 --> 00:28:49.600 Well, I know some of you, I can name you and you'd feel so embarrassed if I did. 00:28:49.600 --> 00:28:53.600 For you, this has become so natural. 00:28:58.600 --> 00:29:07.600 Compassion relieves suffering and if it is not able to relieve suffering, it will walk with you through it. 00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:17.600 I was reading excerpts from a book by a Jesuit priest called Gary Smith who used to work in the inner city of Portland 00:29:17.600 --> 00:29:25.600 and decided that he was going to dedicate the rest of his life and he's been doing it for 10 years now, loving the unloved. 00:29:25.600 --> 00:29:35.600 So he's written this book called Radical Compassion where he wants to show compassion to the dying, the poor, the addicted, the mentally ill and the exploited. 00:29:35.600 --> 00:29:40.600 The book is basically very bleak and has these stories on the street. 00:29:41.600 --> 00:29:51.600 A line from his book got me and I just want to read it out to you because this is along the lines of things we spoke about last week. 00:29:51.600 --> 00:29:53.600 Here's the line. 00:29:58.600 --> 00:30:08.600 It's a question. If you want to know about the indignity inflicted on another human being, talk to a woman off the streets. 00:30:09.600 --> 00:30:17.600 Do you want to know the indignity inflicted on another human being made in the image of God? 00:30:17.600 --> 00:30:24.600 Talk to a woman off the streets. I read that line and it turned my insides. 00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:48.600 So for us to take up those two causes of caring for the homeless and rescuing those trapped or drowning in the sex trade is something that God will thoroughly enjoy doing because he loves rescuing. 00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:54.600 More than that, and I said this last week and I was watching the video again and I thought to myself, why did I say it? 00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:59.600 But God is going to bless your children and your children's children because of what you do. 00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:06.600 It's like this bonus promise that he's assuring you of. 00:31:06.600 --> 00:31:24.600 Let me end. Jesus' earthly ministry demonstrated compassion particularly when it came to healing. 00:31:24.600 --> 00:31:34.600 I want to end with that because I really believe that, like I said at the beginning of the service, that we are at this threshold. 00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:42.600 And if we cross over, we'll begin to see the things we talk about, dream of, teach about. 00:31:42.600 --> 00:31:55.600 And one of the things we're going to see is this inability that decay, death, grave, the demonic disease and damage. 00:31:55.600 --> 00:32:04.600 It's inability to prevent, stop the hand of God from moving from city to city to city to city. 00:32:04.600 --> 00:32:13.600 Even though this revival will be known for its purity, especially among the young. 00:32:15.600 --> 00:32:21.600 When we read out the promise first, we also talked about it being a place of power and signs. 00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:33.600 And my prayer today is that we become a church that has this new dimension added to us, that I become a person that has this new dimension added to him of compassion. 00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:46.600 What a cool thing if over the next 10 years that could be cultivated in my life so that when I die, about 40 years from now, you guys will have to include that word on the gravestone. 00:32:46.600 --> 00:32:54.600 Here lies one of the most compassionate people we've met. I know you're laughing now, but it could happen. 00:32:59.600 --> 00:33:10.600 I want that. Why? Because it's one of the essence, it's the essence of my father, it's the essence of the son, it's the essence of the spirit. 00:33:10.600 --> 00:33:20.600 It was there in the first revelation of God to the earth. How can I continue without that being a marked nature in me too? 00:33:20.600 --> 00:33:30.600 I am Lord your Lord, I am gracious and compassionate, I'm full of mercy and rich in loyal love. My God, man! 00:33:30.600 --> 00:33:43.600 Jesus' earthly ministry demonstrated compassion every time he healed. He felt compassion on the harassed crowds in Matthew 9.36, on the sick in Matthew 14.14, in Matthew 9.36. 00:33:43.600 --> 00:33:53.600 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, healing every disease and sickness. 00:33:53.600 --> 00:34:00.600 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. 00:34:00.600 --> 00:34:07.600 Is it possible? I believe it is. Can the Holy Spirit do it? I believe he can. Can it happen in a day? I believe so. 00:34:07.600 --> 00:34:12.600 Can it be sustained over a period of many years? There perhaps he'll need our cooperation too. 00:34:12.600 --> 00:34:18.600 But can it be that a people call Acts 29 and 8, that they are not able to do it? I don't know. 00:34:18.600 --> 00:34:25.600 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. 00:34:25.600 --> 00:34:36.600 There perhaps he'll need our cooperation too. But can it be that a people call Acts 29 and anyone else who wants to take part in this could walk the streets with this kind of an attitude that Jesus had? 00:34:36.600 --> 00:34:46.600 Where every time he looks, it used to bother him and it would move his heart with compassion that here were people that were harassed and helpless. 00:34:46.600 --> 00:34:49.600 Mark 14, 14. Sorry, Matthew 14, 14. 00:34:55.600 --> 00:35:03.600 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and he healed their sick. 00:35:03.600 --> 00:35:18.600 It was compassion that became an avenue through which the restorative nature of God, who threw a stick into a bitter pond in Exodus and healed its waters. 00:35:18.600 --> 00:35:28.600 That same God, his nature flows through compassion. Jesus used to have healing flow through the avenue of compassion. 00:35:28.600 --> 00:35:39.600 I had this happen to me once and it was so powerful, so powerful. I was in Shillong and we got photographs of this. Someone clicked every stage of what was happening. 00:35:39.600 --> 00:35:49.600 You can literally put it on TV and it would be like a storyboard. And so this guy comes up to me. I think his name was Dunbar or something. 00:35:49.600 --> 00:35:56.600 He comes up to me and he's got pus flowing out of his left ear and his left ear cannot hear. 00:35:56.600 --> 00:36:09.600 As he comes up to me, this is the first time I ever experienced this thing called compassion during healing because usually I pray out of knowledge that God is healer, that healing is the will of God. 00:36:09.600 --> 00:36:28.600 But this time it was just nothing like that. It was sheer compassion. He comes and tells me what he's doing and so much kindness and mercy and compassion and love grabs my heart that I'm just weeping like a kid because I know what God is going to do. 00:36:28.600 --> 00:36:38.600 I know I don't have to touch him. And there are these four photographs. I'll try and see if I can retrieve them tomorrow. 00:36:38.600 --> 00:36:48.600 And all I'm saying to him is, Dunbar I think his name was, God loves you so much that he's healing your ear. 00:36:48.600 --> 00:37:00.600 And as I'm saying that, and I'm not touching him, as I'm saying that he just goes down on his knees because his ear is being healed. The pus is drying up, his ear is opening, he can begin to hear. 00:37:00.600 --> 00:37:10.600 And the last scene, the last photograph is him down on his knees and me weeping over him. And nobody touched him, nobody prayed healing. It was a sheer compassion of God. 00:37:10.600 --> 00:37:22.600 I've always longed for that experience when I pray for healing, but sometimes healing is so hurried, so professional, so promised, a promise pact that you miss out on the nature of God. 00:37:22.600 --> 00:37:42.600 That's why those lines that I quoted make so much sense. You already want my heart or want my love. You can take all my time. God likes to take time to do things. God likes taking time to do things. 00:37:42.600 --> 00:37:52.600 He's got oodles off it, but he loves taking time to do things. 00:37:52.600 --> 00:38:08.600 He had compassion on the hungry in Matthew 15, 32. Matthew 15, 32. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I have compassion for these people. 00:38:08.600 --> 00:38:18.600 They've already been with me three days and I have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry or they may collapse on the way. 00:38:18.600 --> 00:38:28.600 Now if you guys here on the sound crew, if you guys had been here for three days, I'd have compassion too. But right now, it's only been an hour. 00:38:28.600 --> 00:38:34.600 Matthew 15, 32. Compassion on these people. They've been with me three days. They've had nothing to eat. He has compassion on the blind. 00:38:34.600 --> 00:38:44.600 Matthew 20, verse 34. Matthew 20, verse 34. The only reason I'm going through each of these scriptures is because it's Jesus. 00:38:44.600 --> 00:38:54.600 It's fun reading everything and anything he did. Reading verse 32. Jesus stopped and called them. What do you want me to do for you? He asked. 00:38:54.600 --> 00:39:00.600 Lord, they answered. We want our sight. Jesus had compassion on them and he touched them. He touched them. 00:39:00.600 --> 00:39:10.600 Mark 141. Mark 141. He had compassion on the leper. Mark 141. In this case, Jesus had compassion on the leper. 00:39:10.600 --> 00:39:20.600 Mark 141. He had compassion on the leper. Mark 141. He had compassion on the leper. 00:39:20.600 --> 00:39:32.600 Mark 141. Mark 141. He had compassion on the leper. Mark 141. In this case, the compassion showed itself in indignation. 00:39:32.600 --> 00:39:42.600 Sometimes compassion, because of the injustice, comes out as indignation. We might talk about it a little tomorrow. 00:39:42.600 --> 00:39:48.600 But a man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees. If you're willing, you can make me clean. Jesus was indignant. 00:39:48.600 --> 00:39:54.600 He reached out his hand and touched the man. I'm willing. Be clean. 00:39:54.600 --> 00:40:06.600 If you read the KJV, they translate the word as compassion. Mark 141 or NKJV. Jesus moved with compassion. Put forth his hand and touched him. 00:40:06.600 --> 00:40:13.600 But I believe it was a, on one hand he felt compassion towards the man, but felt such indignation against the disease. 00:40:13.600 --> 00:40:22.600 You must hate sickness. If you do not hate sickness, you will tolerate it. And the first place you learn to hate sickness is in your own body. 00:40:22.600 --> 00:40:32.600 As in it is something that is off the world, yes, but it is not something from my father. 00:40:32.600 --> 00:40:39.600 And that Jesus paid a price for it, a very, very severe price for it. 00:40:39.600 --> 00:40:59.600 Mark 922. Mark 922. He had compassion on the demon possessed. Mark 922. 00:40:59.600 --> 00:41:05.600 He has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you do anything, take pity on us and help us. 00:41:05.600 --> 00:41:13.600 If you can, Jesus said everything is possible for one who believes. And then he cast out the deaf and mute spirit. 00:41:13.600 --> 00:41:21.600 Here is a, it's a pleading by the father to say, hey, could you have compassion? Could you show pity? Could you show mercy? 00:41:21.600 --> 00:41:31.600 Where people begin to see that Jesus is that way. And now the appeal is not to his power. The appeal is to his compassion. Beautiful, eh? 00:41:31.600 --> 00:41:39.600 Can you imagine a healing crusade that is advertised as come and experience the compassion of Jesus? 00:41:39.600 --> 00:41:50.600 How is it usually advertised? Come and experience the power of Jesus. 00:41:50.600 --> 00:42:02.600 One last scripture, Luke 713, Luke 713, where it's the bereaved that he has compassion for, Luke 713. 00:42:02.600 --> 00:42:08.600 I love the way the NIV reads it. Verse 12. 00:42:08.600 --> 00:42:16.600 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. 00:42:16.600 --> 00:42:25.600 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, don't cry. What kind of God is this, man? Who talks like this? 00:42:25.600 --> 00:42:31.600 I mean, which God talks like this? Oh, my heart goes out to you, don't cry. 00:42:31.600 --> 00:42:42.600 Where is God, man? He embodied compassion, and he continues to want to embody it through us. 00:42:42.600 --> 00:42:51.600 He embodied compassion, he embodied compassion, and then he left his body behind, and he continues to want to embody compassion through us, 00:42:51.600 --> 00:42:57.600 pouring out the balm of his love through us so that it heals, so that it restores. 00:42:57.600 --> 00:43:02.600 The avenue for healing is compassion. May we get it, we need it. 00:43:02.600 --> 00:43:07.600 He longs to rise up and show us compassion, but we must embody it too. 00:43:07.600 --> 00:43:10.600 We're going to pray now. 00:43:10.600 --> 00:43:19.600 Tomorrow, today we dealt with the compassionate God. That's one side of the equation, and it is part of what a global revival is about, 00:43:19.600 --> 00:43:29.600 because it is an intentional, profuse, uninterrupted outpouring of God's love and compassion for nations and peoples. 00:43:29.600 --> 00:43:36.600 So today was 34.6, the Lord is gracious and compassionate. Tomorrow we deal with, he's a jealous God. 00:43:36.600 --> 00:43:43.600 That's in 34.14, jealous God. Today was compassionate God, tomorrow is jealous God. 00:43:43.600 --> 00:43:52.600 It is in the same revelation, fascinating. It's not one or the other. It's both. 00:43:52.600 --> 00:44:05.600 Today we want to pray that God would begin to affect our lives with compassion. 00:44:05.600 --> 00:44:11.600 Michael just sent me a text saying, what happened to that boy who was hit by a car and his head was bleeding? 00:44:11.600 --> 00:44:17.600 It took him months, but he recovered. Yeah, it took him months, but he recovered. 00:44:17.600 --> 00:44:23.600 I saw him in a school. I used to play guitar in that school and teach them all kinds of funny songs, 00:44:23.600 --> 00:44:29.600 and then began to teach them Christian songs and didn't know that was not kosher. So then I had to leave. 00:44:36.600 --> 00:44:41.600 It is good Christian songs like, do ba ba do ba, those kind of songs. 00:44:41.600 --> 00:44:46.600 And then it would be a Christian line. 00:44:46.600 --> 00:44:52.600 We got the Lord on our side, on our side, do be do ba ba. 00:44:52.600 --> 00:44:57.600 Yeah, we got the Lord on our side, on our side. 00:44:57.600 --> 00:45:01.600 Sue Ruth and Jonah are so tired of this song when I sing it because they've heard it a million times. 00:45:01.600 --> 00:45:06.600 We got the Lord on our side. Chris used to play this too. On our side. 00:45:06.600 --> 00:45:11.600 Yeah! 00:45:11.600 --> 00:45:16.600 So Psalm 84 verse 6. 00:45:16.600 --> 00:45:21.600 Psalm 84 verse 6 is such a cool scripture. 00:45:21.600 --> 00:45:26.600 I pray God that this is how we become. 00:45:26.600 --> 00:45:31.600 As we pass through the valley of Baka, we make it a place of springs. 00:45:31.600 --> 00:45:36.600 As we pass through the valley of Baka. Baka means weeping. 00:45:36.600 --> 00:45:41.600 What if, because of the compassion that now begins to flow through us, 00:45:41.600 --> 00:45:46.600 every time we pass through the valley of weeping, we make it a place of springs. 00:45:46.600 --> 00:45:51.600 The autumn rains cover it with pools. 00:45:51.600 --> 00:45:56.600 So, hey Michael, would you stop texting me in the middle of the teaching? 00:45:56.600 --> 00:46:01.600 If we learn to hate sickness in ourselves, 00:46:01.600 --> 00:46:06.600 but healing is slow in coming or doesn't arrive, 00:46:06.600 --> 00:46:11.600 how do we still hate it but not become hardened and bitter? 00:46:11.600 --> 00:46:16.600 Diana, I have the answer to that question. 00:46:16.600 --> 00:46:21.600 Okay? 00:46:21.600 --> 00:46:26.600 So, 00:46:26.600 --> 00:46:31.600 yeah, so, 00:46:31.600 --> 00:46:36.600 I want to try and keep this answer short so that's why I'm thinking. 00:46:36.600 --> 00:46:41.600 I have to come to a place in my life 00:46:41.600 --> 00:46:46.600 where I'm convinced of the nature of God in different areas. 00:46:46.600 --> 00:46:51.600 Once I'm convinced of the nature of God in a certain area, 00:46:51.600 --> 00:46:56.600 then even if I get bitter, get sad, get disappointed, 00:46:56.600 --> 00:47:01.600 feel let down, 00:47:01.600 --> 00:47:06.600 I can keep going back to the nature of God because I'm so convinced of it 00:47:06.600 --> 00:47:11.600 that it is not possible to deviate me from it anymore. 00:47:11.600 --> 00:47:16.600 I'm like, too bad I know my reality is different, 00:47:16.600 --> 00:47:21.600 but there's something that I'm so convinced beyond this reality 00:47:21.600 --> 00:47:26.600 about the nature of God that I just can't but go there. 00:47:26.600 --> 00:47:31.600 So lament, so cry, so argue, so sometimes lash out at God, 00:47:31.600 --> 00:47:36.600 beat his chest, and then after that when you're tired, 00:47:36.600 --> 00:47:41.600 you can come and say, but after having done all that, I just want you to know that I know this is who you are. 00:47:41.600 --> 00:47:46.600 I've got no other choice but to come back and start afresh with you 00:47:46.600 --> 00:47:51.600 because I just can't get over who you are. 00:47:51.600 --> 00:47:56.600 And all of us have areas in our life where we are very convinced of certain 00:47:56.600 --> 00:48:01.600 aspects of the nature of God. For all of us, it differs, eh? 00:48:01.600 --> 00:48:06.600 But begin to 00:48:06.600 --> 00:48:11.600 have more and more such areas in your life about the goodness of God, 00:48:11.600 --> 00:48:16.600 about the healing power of God, and the only person that 00:48:16.600 --> 00:48:21.600 you can actually be responsible for when it comes to recognizing, tasting, 00:48:21.600 --> 00:48:26.600 experiencing, and making visible the goodness of God and the healing of God is your body, your life. 00:48:26.600 --> 00:48:31.600 You can't do it for your wife, you can do it for your small children, you can't do it for anybody 00:48:31.600 --> 00:48:36.600 but yourself because there may be a hundred reasons why things are happening in other people's lives, 00:48:36.600 --> 00:48:41.600 but you know the reasons for your life and so you begin to work with it. 00:48:41.600 --> 00:48:46.600 And then there have been teachings done at Acts 29 in the past which give you an easy 00:48:46.600 --> 00:48:51.600 way to figure out, especially when it comes to sickness, where is the source lot? 00:48:51.600 --> 00:48:56.600 If you know the source, then you know how to deal with it. If you don't know the source, you won't know how to deal with it. 00:48:56.600 --> 00:49:01.600 Is it really an attack from the devil like it happened with Job? Is it really 00:49:01.600 --> 00:49:06.600 my foolishness because I ran around half dressed in the dead of winter? 00:49:06.600 --> 00:49:11.600 Ain't happening in my case. 00:49:11.600 --> 00:49:16.600 Is it because of discipline, 00:49:16.600 --> 00:49:21.600 especially in terms of strife in the body? Is it because of something that is 00:49:21.600 --> 00:49:26.600 hereditary? Is it because of anxiety and fear? 00:49:26.600 --> 00:49:31.600 Is it because of... 00:49:31.600 --> 00:49:36.600 There's one more. Ah yeah, is it because of sin? 00:49:36.600 --> 00:49:41.600 I mean that's like, don't ever talk about that in churches because it will make people feel guilty, 00:49:41.600 --> 00:49:46.600 but we also have a guilt remover. 00:49:46.600 --> 00:49:51.600 So these are the different reasons. Once we know the source, then we can deal with, 00:49:51.600 --> 00:49:56.600 we know how to deal with it, otherwise it can be so confusing where you beat yourself up really badly. 00:49:56.600 --> 00:50:01.600 So that's the long answer, that's the actually short answer to a question. 00:50:01.600 --> 00:50:06.600 So let's just pray Psalm 84 verse 6 and other 00:50:06.600 --> 00:50:11.600 ways of talking about God's compassion. So I'm just going to have a mic 00:50:11.600 --> 00:50:16.600 placed here and if people want to pray that the church begins to 00:50:16.600 --> 00:50:21.600 walk in this kind of compassion, feel free to come and pray into it. If you guys want to pray 00:50:21.600 --> 00:50:26.600 loudly from your livestream, then maybe 00:50:26.600 --> 00:50:31.600 Don can hook you up with some way of being heard. 00:50:31.600 --> 00:50:36.600 You'll have to text Don. It will complicate his life, but then 00:50:36.600 --> 00:50:41.600 it's a Saturday and his life has been pretty boring today. So let's pray. 00:50:46.600 --> 00:50:51.600 Father, wouldn't you like Acts 29 to be a church that walks 00:50:51.600 --> 00:50:56.600 in the first revelation of yourself that you gave the earth, 00:50:56.600 --> 00:51:01.600 gracious and compassionate? Wouldn't you like its pastor to be like that? 00:51:01.600 --> 00:51:06.600 Wouldn't you like me to be gracious and compassionate? Wouldn't you like me to be full of mercy 00:51:06.600 --> 00:51:11.600 and rich in loyal love? Wouldn't you want us to be like that? 00:51:15.600 --> 00:51:20.600 Wouldn't you want us to be able to reflect the depth of your love 00:51:20.600 --> 00:51:25.600 to strangers, to friends? Wouldn't you want us to judge 00:51:25.600 --> 00:51:30.600 things well but bring mercy into judgment? Wouldn't you like us to pray 00:51:30.600 --> 00:51:35.600 over nations because suddenly in the middle of the night we wake up 00:51:35.600 --> 00:51:40.600 and we are weeping over Honduras, we are weeping over Tiger Woods. 00:51:40.600 --> 00:51:45.600 Wouldn't you like to lead us with compassion? Wouldn't you like us to meet 00:51:45.600 --> 00:51:50.600 you in places where you already are weeping like you did 00:51:50.600 --> 00:51:55.600 over Jerusalem? Wouldn't you like us to set aside our 00:51:55.600 --> 00:52:00.600 concern for safety and ritual purity so that it doesn't kill compassion? 00:52:08.600 --> 00:52:13.600 Wouldn't you like us to have the kind of compassion that pursues the rescue of the 00:52:13.600 --> 00:52:18.600 perishing, the sinner, the demonized, the addicted, the enslaved, the broken? 00:52:21.600 --> 00:52:26.600 Wouldn't you want us to go restore the dignity after the 00:52:26.600 --> 00:52:31.600 indignity inflicted on another human being, especially the women who work on the streets? 00:52:31.600 --> 00:52:36.600 Wouldn't you want healing to display your love and compassion 00:52:36.600 --> 00:52:41.600 rather than your power? You are such an odd God, you want an odd 00:52:41.600 --> 00:52:46.600 people, you want to rise to the occasion. So I'm just going to ask those questions 00:52:46.600 --> 00:52:51.600 and step aside and then I'll come and conclude Father. But Father 00:52:51.600 --> 00:52:56.600 the problem with having these two services every week is it seems like every week there's 00:52:56.600 --> 00:53:01.600 something new you want us to learn and it seems like how are we going to catch up, how are we going to 00:53:01.600 --> 00:53:06.600 keep track, how are we going to make sure what happened last week is taken care of and your 00:53:06.600 --> 00:53:11.600 response is very simple. Let my Holy Spirit place in you what I'm teaching you 00:53:11.600 --> 00:53:16.600 and when necessary I will bring it to remembrance and I will help you walk and work it out. 00:53:16.600 --> 00:53:21.600 It's very simple Father. Today it's compassion so we focus on compassion. 00:53:21.600 --> 00:53:26.600 Changes of God because the Earth is at stake, 00:53:26.600 --> 00:53:31.600 changes of God because a couple of generations are at stake, changes of God 00:53:31.600 --> 00:53:36.600 because this has to continue for two or three years, changes of God because a whole 00:53:36.600 --> 00:53:41.600 group, bunch, nations of young people are going to turn to you, changes of God 00:53:41.600 --> 00:53:46.600 because Honduras awaits. 00:53:46.600 --> 00:53:51.600 I just marvel that you picked us Father. 00:53:51.600 --> 00:53:56.600 So I'll step away and 00:53:56.600 --> 00:54:01.600 if someone can leave a mic here so you can come and pray then I'll come and conclude. 00:54:15.600 --> 00:54:20.600 Father break our hearts Abba. 00:54:20.600 --> 00:54:25.600 My heart says wherever my heart is hard and is looking out for itself 00:54:25.600 --> 00:54:30.600 wherever my heart is saying today is Saturday, the service is almost done 00:54:30.600 --> 00:54:35.600 yeah Father please give me some compassion. 00:54:35.600 --> 00:54:40.600 Father I don't want that. I really want to be like you. This is not about compassion. This is about you. 00:54:40.600 --> 00:54:45.600 It's about being like you. Can you give me my Father's eyes? 00:54:45.600 --> 00:54:50.600 Can you give me my Father's eyes? Eyes full of compassion. 00:54:50.600 --> 00:54:55.600 Can this be how I see the world, how I see people, how I see 00:54:55.600 --> 00:55:00.600 ones I don't know, how I see the stranger. Can it be this way? I'm pleading for it 00:55:00.600 --> 00:55:05.600 for us. Please oh God it doesn't take away anything from me 00:55:05.600 --> 00:55:10.600 it adds things to me. 00:55:10.600 --> 00:55:15.600 For the entire church, for every heart, all of us have hard 00:55:15.600 --> 00:55:20.600 places in our heart. How we bring it to you so that it is first 00:55:20.600 --> 00:55:25.600 us who receive your compassion. So here I stand oh God to receive your 00:55:25.600 --> 00:55:30.600 loyal love. We stand to receive 00:55:30.600 --> 00:55:35.600 your mercy upon our lives. We stand to receive your 00:55:35.600 --> 00:55:40.600 graciousness, undeserved favor. Bring it on Aba. 00:55:40.600 --> 00:55:45.600 We stand to receive the depth of your love poured out upon us 00:55:45.600 --> 00:55:50.600 not out of a syringe but out of a bucket. 00:55:50.600 --> 00:55:55.600 I stand to receive your compassion Aba. Where you 00:55:55.600 --> 00:56:00.600 walk with me or relieve me from my suffering. 00:56:00.600 --> 00:56:05.600 This is your nature. This is the first revelation of who you were 00:56:05.600 --> 00:56:10.600 to Israel. I stand to receive it. Oh God having 00:56:10.600 --> 00:56:15.600 received it, having received it today, going to receive it tomorrow I pray that I might 00:56:15.600 --> 00:56:20.600 be able to give it to others. 00:56:20.600 --> 00:56:25.600 They deserve it too. They don't deserve it too. 00:56:25.600 --> 00:56:30.600 That's the way to say it. They don't deserve it too but they deserve you. 00:56:30.600 --> 00:56:35.600 They don't deserve it too but they deserve you. Jesus 00:56:35.600 --> 00:56:40.600 please Lord, please I want to beg you for this. 00:56:40.600 --> 00:56:45.600 It can be life changing oh God so I'm begging you for this. Not because you are 00:56:45.600 --> 00:56:50.600 a reluctant giver but because I need it 00:56:50.600 --> 00:56:55.600 desperately because I don't have this. I beg you please let me have it. 00:56:55.600 --> 00:57:00.600 Let this church have it. 00:57:00.600 --> 00:57:05.600 Father I pray 00:57:05.600 --> 00:57:10.600 that you 00:57:10.600 --> 00:57:15.600 forgive me. 00:57:15.600 --> 00:57:20.600 Father I pray that you 00:57:20.600 --> 00:57:25.600 forgive me. 00:57:25.600 --> 00:57:30.600 Father I pray that you 00:57:30.600 --> 00:57:35.600 in the story that Jacob read about you had 00:57:35.600 --> 00:57:40.600 compassion when you fed the 5,000 Father but it was a compassion 00:57:40.600 --> 00:57:45.600 that cost you and it didn't cost you but it cost your disciples being 00:57:45.600 --> 00:57:50.600 willing to set aside their fears to change their mindset to be willing to step 00:57:50.600 --> 00:57:55.600 out Father. So I pray that we set aside our fears. We set aside 00:57:55.600 --> 00:58:00.600 the chaos and the feeling like things aren't going right in our own house 00:58:00.600 --> 00:58:05.600 and that we're willing to go out. We're willing to go out and see 00:58:05.600 --> 00:58:10.600 have compassion for those around us even when things in our own house don't seem like 00:58:10.600 --> 00:58:15.600 they're necessarily all going perfectly. When it seems like there's chaos and we don't have time. 00:58:15.600 --> 00:58:20.600 But that we are willing to go out 00:58:20.600 --> 00:58:25.600 and I'm reminded of something I saw where everything was going wrong 00:58:25.600 --> 00:58:30.600 but this fellow felt like there had been somebody he'd seen on the street who 00:58:30.600 --> 00:58:35.600 had an injury and he went out and talked to her even though everything 00:58:35.600 --> 00:58:40.600 where he was where he was supposed to be things were being overwhelmed but he went out 00:58:40.600 --> 00:58:45.600 and sought this woman and as he sought this woman she led him to somebody else who needed his help 00:58:45.600 --> 00:58:50.600 and so I pray that we go out and seek those you're leading us to and as we seek those you're leading us to 00:58:50.600 --> 00:58:55.600 they will lead us to more Father. They will lead us to more and we 00:58:55.600 --> 00:59:00.600 you will save more because we're going out to seek Father. So I pray that we go out to seek 00:59:00.600 --> 00:59:05.600 with compassion with your compassion Father and we put aside our fears 00:59:05.600 --> 00:59:10.600 because we don't respond like the Levites and the priests who were maybe afraid 00:59:10.600 --> 00:59:15.600 of what might happen but that we go out to seek Father to seek with your compassion 00:59:35.600 --> 00:59:40.600 Abba I just want to ask that 00:59:40.600 --> 00:59:45.600 you give us a heart that when we pray 00:59:45.600 --> 00:59:50.600 and when we act with your compassion that we're always living out of the 00:59:50.600 --> 00:59:55.600 unpacking of your heart that we're constantly in that space 00:59:55.600 --> 01:00:00.600 that when we interact with anyone that you place before us we are always 01:00:00.600 --> 01:00:05.600 in that overflow of the unpacking of your heart and so Abba I just 01:00:05.600 --> 01:00:10.600 ask that you soak each of our hearts every single person here in this room 01:00:10.600 --> 01:00:15.600 everyone in the church soak our hearts in so much of your deep and loving compassion 01:00:15.600 --> 01:00:20.600 that wherever we go we will overcome barriers and then we will release your 01:00:20.600 --> 01:00:25.600 nature and power the power of your kingdom to everyone around us 01:00:25.600 --> 01:00:30.600 In Jesus name I pray 01:00:55.600 --> 01:01:00.600 guys let's sing the first verse 01:01:00.600 --> 01:01:05.600 and the chorus of that song 01:01:05.600 --> 01:01:10.600 everyone needs compassion 01:01:10.600 --> 01:01:15.600 yeah let's just sing that song and conclude 01:01:15.600 --> 01:01:20.600 and we'll see you next time