Ephesians 5 5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. [ a ] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light i...
I first told you about Trudy over a year ago. She has survived horrific abuse at the hands of people. ..abuse that never would have happened if that person had ANY compassion. Compassion.
Compassion- a feeling of deep sympathy or sorrow for another who is stricken with misfortune, accompanied by the strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
I want my children to have compassion and I think an easy way to start is to build a compassion towards those who have no ability to give anything... no ability to help themselves... animals. I hope that compassion towards animals would easily bloom into compassion towards people, made in God's image.
It amazes me the example of compassion my children have been able to see from people and animals at Save The Horses. Sweetie is an old mare that guards Trudy, the blind horse, from other horses that might bite her because she can't see their body language and can't retreat from their challenges of dominance. So, Sweetie, the old Madea of the Horse recue, keeps all the other horses straight. She even follows and protects Trudy when Trudy is led out on walks... (See photo above).
Some might think that Trudy isn't beautiful as one of her eyes turned cancerous and had to be removed...but I truly think she is beautiful...
Now, Albert.... his is a 12 year old Nubian goat who weights 280 pounds. He has been at the rescue for 11 years. On December 4th, he was found laying on the shavings 'star gazing'..and unable to get up. He was loaded in a trailer and taken to the Animal hospital at University of GA . The doctors reported that Albert most likely Goat Polio which is thiamine deficiency. He spent a week there. .... but he still was unable to get up. The volunteers at the rescue brought him back to Save The Horses and now, Albert gets thiamine 3 times a day, sublingual B12, oregano oil on his skin, homeopathic remedy daily, goat drench daily, drinking PH water called Kangen water, turmeric, Reike 2 times a week and Bowen therapy. The rescue get him up with a sling. He has strong back legs but weak front. He hasn't stood for 15 days....but we aren't willing to give up.
Peebles (to the left) missed Albert . My children and I go help Albert twice a week. Some might say why waste your time on a goat. ..Why? Because we see value in all of God's creation. We think compassion in action is clearly stated in the Bible. Jesus showed that he had compassion.. Matthew 9:.35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 14 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on themand healed their sick.
2 Corinthians ..
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. Collisions 3 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. The gospel is the ultimate in compassion. In His word, we see the Father designed a world for us.... only to have us sin against Him. Yet, He pursues us and brings all who believe in Jesus in to a right relationship with God through the shed blood of Jesus. That is compassion; when someone who knew no sin, became sin for us and died on a cross so that we could have life eternal with God! Our Compassionate Father!
( 2 Corinthians 15) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. In case you don't think the Lord, compassion extends to animals. I would say consider just two of many verses... Proverbs 12:10...A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Psalm 50: 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.
Psalm 36 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. 7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.
Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of God...so we must long for Compassion.
Before you jump to the conclusion that I am saying Christian are "brainless" sheep, read this post completely. If you still aren't sure, read this post: Are Christians brainless? Why does He call us SHEEP? ( The Bible makes reference to sheep no less than 220 times). A few of the more notable passages that come to mind are the 23 rd Psalm, Isa. 53:6 and John 10. There are many references to His People being sheep. So why not something more powerful, like a ram or horse? Why not something more graceful and valued, like a prized bird? Well, God chose to use the word sheep to identify His followers, as we are "His sheep." Our shepherd, Jesus, is leading the way, so let's look at the facts about sheep-the nature of sheep. Let's look at the facts about sheep- *Sheep aren’t intelligent . Sheep are not known to be smart or cunning animals when it comes to safety; rather, they are susceptible and tend to wander away from the pro...
I hit a milestone. I turned 50 years old. I am thankful that I don't feel 50. I am thankful for things God has taught me throughout those 50 years. . I have learned that God loves mercy and when I feel a sense that justice needs to happen over mercy, all I need to do is remember that I am thankful for when God gives me mercy instead of a just punishment. (Micah 6:8 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) ( Luke 6: 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ) I have learned that hurt people end up hurting people. When I am able to see that I didn't hurt them but I am bearing the results of that persons hurt inflicted by other people, it helps me forgive whatever hurt they pushed onto me and move on. (Romans 12 : 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ) I have learned that a...
Study and learn. Be changed. Ephesians 2 Made Alive in Christ 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9...
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