This post was Updated on 4.22.15

Kingdom Principle:  Compassion and Service are expressions of Transformation of the Spirit of God.

Acts 4:5-12 Psalm 23 1 John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18

Good works are useless and no good unless they are produced by God in you first.

Does compassion flow through you to others or Are you selective on whom you are compassionate, or do you simply fake compassion when it’s the “right” thing to do? The Church is to be filled up with Compassion – as an overflowing expression of the transformation that Christ has set ablaze in our hearts through fellowship.

There is no price tag or self-gratification in compassion for as soon as there is, it ceases to be compassion. Compassion is love and passion in action.  The expression of compassion itself is the reward, but when it is expressed – it directs the recipient and the spectator to the transformation in your life, not to your own goodness or holiness rather by your testimony to that of Christ.

To increase the expression of compassion in your life, first stop trying to increase anything for the benefit of others rather ask that God my use your life to bring Glory unto Himself – in this you will…

1. Receive the compassion of the Great Shepherd. It is at the direction of Jesus that compassion comes and goes. Christ laid his life down and took it up again – our obedience to obey His commands gives us great confidence that we can do all things in Him. Receiving compassion from Jesus can be found in Ps. 23 – let him lead you and restore you, be guided and comforted by his counsel, allow his anointing to be your confidence in all of life.  In this you will be able to focus on what you have rather than what you lack. The world is trapped in the vice of comparison which cuts off compassion. Let the Lord be your shepherd such that you are not in want based on comparison.

2. Release the Spirit of God to flow through you. When we remain focused on ourselves and our own needs the ability of God to flow through us is closed off.  It is as a river dam shuts its gates being concerned only about its needs rather than looking at those “down stream”. The Church is to be an ever-flowing source of movement and power of the Holy Spirit – open the floodgates and let it flow. We cannot produce compassion, for when we try we run dry. Instead we must be the vessel by which compassion flows through us.  This requires both the “front” and “back” doors of your life to be open. (See last week’s post in relation to the church) The clamps of our dam are typically time and pride. Where Time = Money and Pride = Comparison.  Where time and pride (such as in the parable of the Good Samaritan) are calculated, measured and valued, compassion ceases to flow. To release the flow – turn the table on the typical measurement of your money and comparison. Ask not if you have enough; rather is my life open enough to that God can flow through?

Finally 3. Recognize that your life is not your own. If you have Salvation in the Name of Jesus then you have nothing else nor need anything else. If you don’t have salvation in the Name of Jesus you have nothing to give that is truly life-giving to others.  Goodness and mercy are following you everywhere as you dwell in the House of the LORD, and from there anything we ask for we received. We receive such not for our own, but as a testimony of Christ and to love others as he as commanded us.

Questions which invite greater transformation resulting in increased compassion:

1. Is it hard for you to let others love you? If so… in what ways do you struggle to love yourself?

2. For whom or what do you feel compelled to work?  Self, others God… all three can play a role here, but who gets the credit for the work? Who gets the benefit of the work?

3. If you cannot create compassion – or a Good work without God working it through you…  Where can you identify the Spirit of God flowing through you?