Sunday, November 3, 2013

The Stairway of Christian Character Part IX | Compassion

“And Besides This Add to Your Faith” (Part 9)
Stairway of Christian Character
II Peter 1:5-7
  • As our lives and minds are changed by God our hearts are filled with brotherly love.
  • When God changes our hearts, He changes our relationships with one another and the world around us. 
  • The Greek word for brotherly kindness is filadelfia - “philadelphia.”
  • Brotherly kindness expresses a compassion which reacts to the pain or suffering of others; it is active.
  • The heart of God will lead to the acts of God.
What is BROTHERLY KINDNESS?
  • Those at the Gate - The Rich Man and Lazarus - Luke 16:19-26
    • Jesus' story is a warning against two things:
      • Apathy
        • There is a difference between concern and compassion.
        • Apathy is more than being indifferent. It is feeling that a token gift to a great need is acceptable if it is more than others give.
      • Acceptance
        • We must not allow compassion burnout to defeat our efforts.
Understanding Poverty
  • Situational and Generational poverty are different.
  • A working definition of poverty is "the extent to which an individual does without resources."
  • The fundamental reasons for poverty are lack of education and the disconnection of family and/or community.
  • The keys to enabling an individual to break the bonds of poverty lie in relationships more than money.

Devotional Archive