Tag Archives: compassion

“…I will be a Father unto you…”

17 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by in Father, God Loving Me, Holiday, Leadership, Love, Relationships

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Today is Father’s Day; a day on which we celebrate the love, commitment, and sacrifice of our earthly fathers for us. But this morning, over 60% of American children will wake up without a father in the home. A vast majority of the other 40% will endure another day with an abusive father or maybe not see him at all. No matter where you fall, you can no doubt think of a time when your earthly father disappointed you, because he’s a sinful human! However, today we have the awesome privilege of expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father; the Father to the fatherless and to all nations.

Scripture is full of the fatherhood of God. It sets an example for you men who are fathers, and it brings hope, comfort, and love to those who are fatherless, or whose fathers are slacking in their responsibilities. It speaks the truth that, whether you have the best earthly father you could ask for, or are lacking one all together, God is holding you close to His heart in an expression of tender, loving care for you.

As a father pities His children, so the Lord pities them that Fear Him.

This word “pities” is an expression of deep love and compassion for someone. It exemplifies the should-be responsibility of a godly earthly father. It is the very same emotion that wells up in the heart of God for you!

…and his name shall be called…everlasting father.

Everlasting – a beautiful picture of what fatherhood should be. No matter what sin you’ve committed, what crime you call your own, He is your Father, and He’s not ashamed to call you His child.

Will you not cry unto me, “My Father! You are the guide of my youth!”

He wants you to call out to Him! He knows you need Him! He’s there for you! When He sees you in trouble, trying to mend your own brokenness with your own hands, His heart aches. He says, “Please, won’t you ask me for help? I’m here for you!“

I will lead you and cause you to walk in a straight way…you will not stumble, for I am a father unto you…

When you need that direction, that counsel, that person who understands you and will help you and not let you fall, God is that Father for you. He holds you up so you will not fall.

…thy father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Seek His favor. You may never measure up in the eyes of others, but in the eyes of your Abba Father, you are priceless, and your creative achievements for His glory will be rewarded, even if no one else knows about them.

…Your father knows what you need before you ask Him

What a promise! The worries and cares of life that weigh you down, the money you need, the love and encouragement you so desperately desire – God knows you need those things, and He has promised that if you ask in the power of HIS name, He will give them to you! It is the Father’s GOOD PLEASURE to give YOU the Kingdom!

…Your heavenly Father will forgive you

There is no sin too great. As far as the east is from the west (infinite), so far has be blotted out your transgressions from before His eyes. Our earthly fathers, in their humanness, may fail to forgive, but our Heavenly Father will not.

You have received the spirit of adoption and so you cry, “Abba, Father!”

You were rescued by the Father of the fatherless, bought with the precious blood of the only begotten, true Son of God. The true Son was sacrificed for the adopted ones. Isn’t this a marvelous picture of God’s fatherly love? And the Son was willing!

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as a son; for what father does not chasten the one he loves?

Yes – that painful chastisement that follows our sin. Sin has consequences. The story is told of a boy who was caught breaking the law. The father refused to do anything about it, but when the police came to take the boy away, he said to the officer, “Thank you for loving me enough.” The heart of God pursues his lost children; it breaks the leg of the lamb and carries it gently upon the shoulders of the Great Shepherd. Do not reject the chastening of the Lord.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Today, may fathers around the world be inspired to lead and father their children as the loving Heavenly Father does; and may all those who are “fatherless” find the heart of God, the Abba Father, for them.

Happy Father’s Day!

~Hannah Stelzl

~Eyes of Compassion

08 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in Love, Loving God, Mothers Day, Relationships

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Maybe…..Maybe not

Mother’s day is fast approaching! Some of us our wrapping gifts, sending cards or purchasing flowers, while others of us wonder how to get through yet another year without a mother or with a mother that just isn’t there for us anymore.

Over the past couple of years, as a leader and invovled in ministry, I have found myself in various counseling sessions with young ladies and parents with hurting hearts. I must admit that more often than not, I’ve had some pretty tough questions thrown my way and at times had no answers to give except a nod of the head, a big hug or joining in tears with them. I believe God has allowed this experience in my life to open my heart to carry a new-found compassion towards others. A compassion that I often lacked in years past when a self-righteous attitude only increased others’ pain instead of offering to them what Jesus taught us give: eyes to see, ears to hear, and a life that is willing to suffer for the behalf of others –love.

How do you see those around you…through the eyes of compassion?

Today I’d like to encourage you to ask God to open your eyes to the hurting….and If you are the hurting, I want to ache with you. Though I may never completely comprehend the sufferings of Christ on the cross, or your deepest sorrows, I pray God will give compassion to my heart –our hearts. More than anyone, He knows and understands pain: the Creator of the ends of the earth, His arms is not shortened from saving, His mercy and loving kindness never expires, and He is the healer of broken hearts.

“For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, andGod shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Rev.7:17

Friday’s post may come as an encouragement to you or someone you know –a “used by permission” article (written by Noel Piper, wife of John Pipe) shares an understanding of how some people hurt and what God holds out to them.

~Tiffany Martens

Intercessory Prayer Pt. 1 ~ Day 29

03 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by in Prayer, Spiritual Growth, The Heart, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

Yesterday, Tiffany shared about how prayer must be part of the foundational discipline of the Christian life because it is at the heart of our relationship with God. If we are lacking in prayer, we are probably also lacking in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ:

time spent  = depth of intimacy

In our relationships with people, we eventually get to the place where we can have “conversations” without ever saying a word. We learn to perceive attitudes and struggles through suggestive gestures and looks: our soul’s eye catches unrest, joy, disappointment, sorrow or frustration –and the list could go on and on. The more time we spend with these people, the more likely we will be able to understand the matters of their heart. In the same way, the more time you spend with the Lord, the more sensitive your spirit becomes to His Spirit, prompting you to enter into a deeper place of prayer: intercession.

Intercession is…

  • The outpouring of a sensitive spirit towards God on the behalf of others.
  • Something that is conceived in the heart that “sees” as God “sees” and “feels” as God “feels”
  • Fervent prayer; it stands in the gap for the soul of another person.
  • Evidenced by a large heart that allows God’s love to be channeled through it in prayer.
  • For those people and situations that are beyond human control.
  • Prayer that often comes in the dark hours, bearing heaviness and tears, and times of ardent words that sometimes take the place of sleep. It is sacrificial, self-giving prayer.
  • Wrestling in prayer until we come to peace, knowing we have prayed the will of God.
  • Determined faith – God is able to meet the need- accompanied by the earnest desire to see God move.

In the Greek, the word “intercede” means “to come between” (Strong’s OT #6293, NT #5241, 1793). An intercessor stands between a Righteous God and a mortal man. Jesus was the ultimate intercessor: “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Because He has laid His righteousness on us, we have been enabled to come between God and man in intercession.

As we learn to abide through prayer, we begin to understand the heart of God: realizing that our Heavenly Father looks down and sees every person as a unique creation of His own mastermind –they matter to the Him with whom we have built an intimate relationship with through prayer. Shouldn’t it matter to us that the people around us experience this same privilege? If it matters to you, then where does intercessory prayer start?

Intercession is preceded by a growing personal walk with God in a life of prayer.

Like so many other things, a ministry of prayer for others starts in your own heart and relationship towards God. Without time spent in the near presence of God, how can we understand His heart, His emotions over the sin, and the needs of other people?

Intercession is preceded by the awareness of a need and a willingness to be a channel through which God can meet it.

In Scripture, we see a young Jewish girl who is chosen to be queen of the greatest nation on earth – and for what purpose? She became her peoples intercessor when she became aware of a need and was willing to meet it no matter how much it cost her: “…if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

 Intercession is preceded by the belief that there is power in the prayer of faith.

“The prayer of faith shall save the sick (translated “weary” in the Grk.)…and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent (effective putting forth of power) prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:15-16). This re-emphasizes the importance of a growing relationship with God in the personal prayer closet. Without time spent in secret getting to know the Lord, there will be no faith. How can you have faith in someone you do not know? How can you trust someone if you’ve not allowed them to prove themselves faithful? Daily personal prayer will build the foundation for the ministry of intercessory prayer.

 Intercession is preceded by a godly emotional response.

David wrote, “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved; because they kept not thy Word” (Ps. 119:136, 159). God chooses His intercessors by looking for tender hearts that will weep when He weeps, rejoice when He rejoices, seek persistently as He seeks persistently, hate sin as He hates sin, love righteousness as He loves righteousness – be devoted partakers of the emotions of His heart. As we enter into the closet to intercede, we should be asking, “Lord, what are you feeling right now when you look at this person/situation” and be willing to enter into that with Him!

…it’s a calling…

These four prerequisites for intercession are part of our high and holy calling in prayer. In Part II of Intercessory Prayer, we’ll look at the act of entering into intercession and what that looks like in Scripture and in your life.

Be Blessed!
~Hannah

…endures f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

11 Sunday Dec 2011

Posted by in Abiding, Mercy, Promise

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“His mercy endures forever.”

It’s repeated over and over and over again, all through the Psalms, all through Scripture in multiple ways. The amazing grace of God – that in my neediness, He not only does, but He desires to draw near, and make me whole…complete…full. I fall every day. We all do. We slip in the dark, sometimes we slip in the light. Sometimes we just sit down to sulk. His mercy waits for us. His window of grace is open, being poured out, sometimes even on an unwilling heart, but there for the taking, nevertheless. Deserving? No. Yet, He sees our destitution before Him, whether we do or not. He knows our frame…dusty, frail, feeble. He pities. His Father-heart overflows with compassion for us. It is that compassion and love that causes us sometimes to be put in the furnace of affliction for greater refining. Yet the mercy is new and fresh ever morning. It endures. Not for today, not just for tomorrow. It endures forever…eternally given, eternally received. May we draw near, with thankful hearts, because we are fully assured of His love…that mercy will always pick us back up, and the grace of God will always abide near, to keep us in all our ways.

T&H

Spiritual Refreshment

10 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in Abiding, Renewed, Rest, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. ~ 1 Kings 19:7

Elijah was worn out – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The previous day had been a day of great victory. God had shown His superiority over the false gods of the Israelites in a dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel. You would think that Elijah would be rejoicing and praising God for the miracle that had occurred. But what do we see? The prophet fleeing to the desert and collapsing under a bout of suicidal depression. “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” Can’t you just hear the despair in his voice? Elijah feels all alone. His life has just been threatened. His fellow countrymen have turned their backs on their God. He is overcome by a crushing sense of failure and defeat.

But here, we see the incredible compassion of God, as He stoops down to touch His weary servant with rest. As Elijah slept under a juniper tree, the angel of the Lord awoke him and said, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” God doesn’t scold Elijah for not trusting in Him…He doesn’t tell Elijah to quit feeling sorry for himself and go get to work…instead, He provides rest and refreshment for the prophet. This is what God wants for us too. Rather than constantly pushing ourselves past the limits of our endurance, we need to step back every once in awhile and just rest. We need to give our bodies, our minds, and our spirits a chance to catch up with our hectic lives. When the journey is too great for you, when you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the little things – and sometimes the big things – just stop and allow God to refresh you.

Be Still

~Christen

He is Faithful

19 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in Chambers, Faithfulness, Gratitude, Immanent, Relationships, Songs, Trust

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“…thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” ~Ps. 36:5b

“But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.” ~Ps. 89:24

“Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.” ~Ps. 89:33

“…thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” ~Ps. 119:75

“…in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.” Ps 143:1b

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lam. 3:22-23

~

We serve a faithful God. He is not only good, holy, and sovereign, but he carries the characteristic that defines the most committed parent, the most joyful bridegroom, the most loyal friend. Faithfulness: it brings to mind someone you can intimately share your heart with. It describes a relationship that goodness, holiness, and sovereignty cannot create. Amidst all the attributes of God, perhaps one of the most comforting is His fatherly faithfulness to his children.

The Biblical Definition for Faithfulness is “a firm foundation; a place of security or stability; the source of truth; one who verifies the truth; moral faithfulness; exact accuracy.” It describes the duties and responsibilities given to a parent, fulfilled with perfection by the Almighty God. While “goodness” is simply “looking out for our welfare, giving joy, and causing things to go well for us,” faithfulness is a promise of protection, a place to run to, a foundation to build on.

Thomas Chisholm, in a letter to a friend, wrote: “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing car, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.” Despite his poor health, and being forced to step down from the ministry, Mr. Chisholm later penned the words to “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” evidence of his grateful heart towards the Lord:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father!

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not:

As Thou has been, Thou forever wilt be.

~

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars, in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness,

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

~

Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow -

Blessings all mine, with then thousand beside!

We serve not just the Almighty God, but the Father of all nations. He will not change, and His compassions will not fail. They cannot, for He is perfect. As He has been in the past, He always will be! Even nature is a witness of his faithfulness, mercy, and love. He offers pardon for sin, and peace that passes understanding. His presence, He gives in the night to guide you, to cheer you, to give hope. He promises strength for today, and hope for tomorrow, and blesses abundantly every day.

Still, do you find it hard to trust Him? Do you have second thoughts when things get hard…and perhaps wonder if your life is safe in His hands? Weeks ago, he proved himself to you in supernatural ways, but now that is past, and there is a new darkness. Will he come through yet this time? Oswald Chambers wisely said, “It takes the valley of humiliation to root the skepticism out of us. Look back at your own experiences, and you will find that until you learned Who Jesus was, you were a cunning skeptic about His power. When you were on the mount, you could believe anything, but what about the time when you were up against facts in the valley? The last time you were on the mount with God, you saw that all power in heaven and in earth belonged to Jesus – will you be skeptical now in the valley?“

May this be our prayer to the faithful God we are priviledged to have a relationship with: “In the morning sunrise, I behold your glory! All creation sings Your majesty and praise! I come before You resting in Your presence. My maker and redeemer, You’re the keeper of my days, and You are faithful to supply my needs! You are faithful, to give me joy abundantly. You are faithful to calm the storms of life for me! In the darkness of the night my heart is peaceful as I’m resting in the shadow of Your wings. For you alone can fill my deepest longing – You’re the imminent Omega, my Jehovah and my King, and You are faithful. I know that You’re all I need!”

Believe His Faithfulness!

T&H

How we Live

10 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by in Daily Living, Devotion, Life, Lords Prayer, Opportunity, Submission, Surrender

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is this not how we live: we ask to be filled by God’s Spirit, and then when the out-pouring comes, we run away from the circumstances that have brought on the grace in time of need…or, we give God a scenario of how our faith should be lived, but when He directs it to suit us, we doubt His plan and who He is.

Where is our surrender –the placing of ourselves completely under God?

It is not devotion or encouragement we lack, but gratitude and humility! Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Think of how He prayed: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,  in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, forgive us our  debts as we  forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory -FOREVER. Amen.”

Jesus, submitted himself to the control of God. “Amen”, was the conscience decision of submission to the will of God for His life; a statement of faith and obedience that His father’s plans were to be accomplished and were perfected. It was a lending of Himself to the complete service of God –a releasing of any plans or desires that grace might abound. It was an allowing of the Holy Spirit to control an earthly temple, that God might be glorified! Love was out-poured on the needy, and compassion to the hearts of those who would receive Him. Jesus was emptied that He might not have to restrain the forgiveness of sins. Was it not the delight of our Lord to do the will of His Father? It was needful, it was painful, but it was boundlessly unmeasurable!

Do not try to plan for God, but abide in Him, be still…be ready, be putting in mind the Words of Christ. Faith will arise as opportunities give way. An indwelt individual, will accomplish more in a moment, then one who spends a life time planning how God will work; only be surrendered to the “Amen” of life!

Be Challenged,

Tiffany

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 89 other followers