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Compassion: Learning to Love Like Jesus
Displaying the character of Christ is not always easy, especially in a society that promotes selfish ambition. In this booklet, Dr. Vernon Grounds brings clarity to the meaning of compassion as he examines the life of Jesus. Discover how you can become a channel of God’s love and kindness when you follow the example of Christ—the One whose compassion never fails.
My Brothers and Sisters
Several years ago when the Southern California economy took a downturn, Pastor Bob Johnson saw not only difficulty but also opportunity. So he scheduled a meeting with the mayor of his city and asked, “What can our church do to help you?” The mayor was astonished. People usually came to him for help. Here was a minister offering him the services of an entire congregation.
Together the mayor and pastor came up with a plan to address several pressing needs. In their county alone, more than 20,000 seniors had gone the previous year without a single visitor. Hundreds of foster children…
Dying for Others
I love birds, which is why I bought six caged birds and carried them home to our daughter Alice, who began to care for them daily. Then one of the birds fell ill and died. We wondered if the birds would be more likely to thrive if they were not caged. So we freed the surviving five and observed them fly away in jubilation.
Alice then pointed out, “Do you realize, Daddy, that it was the death of one bird that caused us to free the rest?”
Isn’t that what the Lord Jesus did for us? Just as one man’s sin (Adam’s)…
Doing the Opposite
A wilderness excursion can seem daunting, but for outdoor enthusiasts this only adds to the appeal. Because hikers need more water than they can carry, they purchase bottles with built-in filters so they can use water sources along the way. But the process of drinking from such a container is counterintuitive. Tipping the bottle does nothing. A thirsty hiker has to blow into it to force the water through the filter. Reality is contrary to what seems natural.
As we follow Jesus, we find much that is counterintuitive. Paul pointed out one example: Keeping rules won’t draw us closer to God.…
Broken and Shaken, but Far from Forsaken
I grew up in Chile; life was good then. My father had an important position in a large company and my mother worked as an army nurse. We led a carefree existence in a neighborhood away from civilization.
Blessed to Bless Others
Three months ago, I took a nervous step off a plane onto Australian soil (or rather, concrete pavements), after an incredible nine months in another country. This re-entry to my home country marked the end of a life-changing journey of working in a developing country.
Why We May All be Guilty of Racism
Last week, a friend of our family was walking with his wife in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago when he was attacked by a gang of young men and badly beaten. He ended up spending the night in the hospital with several cracked bones in his face and other assorted cuts and bruises.
What If Your Neighbor is a Prostitute?
A few scantily-dressed women flirt with passers-by in a dimly lit alley. Some of them strike up conversations and bargain with potential customers, while others wait around for customers to offer them a price.
Gentle Influence
A few years before he became the 26th U.S. president (1901–1909), Theodore Roosevelt got word that his oldest son, Theodore Jr., was ill. While his son would recover, the cause of Ted’s illness hit Roosevelt hard. Doctors told him that he was the cause of his son’s illness. Ted was suffering from “nervous exhaustion,” having been pressed unmercifully by Theodore to become the “fighter” hero-type he himself had not been during his own frail childhood. Upon hearing this, the elder Roosevelt made a promise to relent: “Hereafter I shall never press Ted either in body or mind.”
The father was true to…
So I Quit My Comfortable Job
It wasn’t an easy decision. I was comfortable where I was. Besides, I had spent more than half a decade in this environment. My workplace was basically the same university I had studied in.
Bringing all nations into relationship with God
“Good morning, Mr. Phelps. Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to . . .” Once a Mission Impossible fan hears those words, they know they’re in for some excitement—in some part of the world. Today on Discover the Word, the team uncovers a tremendously important mission. It’s found in Psalm 67 and the purpose […]
An Open Hand
In 1891, Biddy Mason was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Los Angeles. That wasn’t unusual for a woman born into slavery, but it was remarkable for someone as accomplished as Biddy. After winning her freedom in a court battle in 1856, she combined her nursing skills with wise business decisions to make a small fortune. As she observed the plight of immigrants and prisoners, she reached out to them, investing in charity so frequently that people began lining up at her house for help. In 1872, just sixteen years out of slavery, she and her son-in-law financed…
Serving from a place of brokenness
Do you feel like your flaws and your family’s imperfections have disqualified you from being able to serve God? Well, today on Discover the Word, the group shares how it’s our very brokenness that often makes us candidates for service! Hear the conclusion of the series “The Beauty of Broken,” today on Discover the Word!
Our Way of Life
I was struck by a phrase I heard quoted from a contemporary Bible translation. When I Googled the phrase “our way of life” to locate the passage, many of the results focused on things people felt were threatening their expected way of living. Prominent among the perceived threats were climate change, terrorism, and government policies.
What really is our way of life as followers of Jesus? I wondered. Is it what makes us comfortable, secure, and happy, or is it something more?
Paul reminded the Christians in Ephesus of the remarkable way God had transformed their lives. “God, who is rich…
Serving Christ
“I’m a secretary,” a friend told me. “When I tell people this, they sometimes look at me with a certain pity. But when they find out who I am secretary for, they open their eyes with admiration!” In other words, society often defines some jobs as less important than others, unless those jobs happen to relate in some way to rich or famous people.
For the child of God, however, any occupation, regardless of the earthly boss, can be held proudly because we serve the Lord Jesus.
In Ephesians 6, Paul talks to servants and masters. He reminds both groups that…
