TITLE: Fruitful Compassion
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 58:4
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
OBSERVATION: Through the prophet Isaiah, God admonished the Israelites to rid themselves of their pretentious sacrifices and fasts which have no quality of love or adoration toward their LORD. He saw beyond the outward appearances of men, deep into their hearts where there existed quarreling and greed toward their fellow brothers and sisters. Isaiah further admonished the people by assuring them that they could not expect their God to hear their cries of help because their devotion to him was insincere. God desired hearts of compassion, love and action toward those in need, not just ‘lip service’, and occasional periods of superficial sacrifice.
APPLICATION: Across our nation more then 90% of our citizens believe that there is a God, but like the Israelites in the days of Isaiah, many in our country lack the righteous lifestyle that God really seeks from us. What is the condition of your heart? Does your life bear the fruit of compassion and care toward those in need? Do you give of your time and resources toward others in your community? How would God judge the sincerity of your walk with him?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive those times when my selfish needs takes a front seat to others in my life that are in need. Impart in me a heart of love that stems from you. Provide me a fruitful compassion to help others in my family, workplace, and community.
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