R1171 Christian Compassion

We all need encouragement and will find it together today in the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton of the Bible itself today. Dr. Welton takes us to Matthew chapter 9 as we study the word. Be sure drop our website tewonline.org. He is a remarkable resource you're gonna love about how to be alone but not lonely tewonline.org large with Dr. Don Wilton as I walked in here today with a prison outfit on. I couldn't help but think that you may be greatest in our civilian clothes and we look good but you know that the Bible says that all of us are born in prison. We all dressed like this in our hearts were all members of the county jail. That's what sin does some sin has no distinction Bible says all about Simpson and come short of the glory of God. I love you guys.

Today you very precious to me really love you and you know it's like this uniform like this outfit we've seen hundreds of people dressed like this. This week precious people sons and daughters you know whether you're on the inside of the outside. Jesus set you free.

When you trust Jesus as your Savior. He set you free. Removes the shackles of your son and what we've seen. Even this week is a an incredible picture of Christian compassion frames. This is the church. This is what we should be doing and what we are doing here at Camp Voyager in Kentucky missions and soup kitchens and I mean the list just goes on and doesn't. This is what God has called us to be, you know, even in a year of presidential politics, I think there are people who are making a significant difference in Washington, but I want you to know, and I want to go on record today to say to you that the message of Christ is what it's all about friendliness. The heart of man changes. Not even the greatest person in Washington can never change the very basic fabric of our lives, because only Jesus Christ can forgive us for our sin, set us free. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can give us a full and meaningful life for what will it profit you if you gain the whole world, but you lose your own soul and some of you today are so engaged in trying to gain the world, your life comprises of of a party to greater and lesser degrees.

It's it's the you're searching for something on your trying to find that in in your marriage and in your work and making money in being educated in these things are good.

I do know how many times mirror image. We congratulated young inmates this week for studying hard for getting the GED's almond education. Sigh. I believe in that but what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and he lose his own soul.

And what we've seen before open God's word just briefly today is we've seen such an incredible picture of Christian compassion, you know, there are many compassionate people in the world I see a lot of good things going on. There are a lot of wonderful things that happen in our world. People giving of themselves in contributing to society and and and doing wonderful things, but am a Christian man. See given my heart and life to Jesus and so have these young people and what God has done for us is he saved us free, and we have compassion Christian compassion means that those of us who ourselves have been changed by the message of Christ have something to share with you. You looking monitor your searching. You think you going to find it in their bottle of alcohol in that party in that fun, you get a search I search I searched for years. I just kept looking and I never found and what we've seen. Even this week with mirror images. A picture the fourfold picture number one. It's a picture of real people on mission. These are real people I want to testify to that. I'm telling you, you talk about these young people.

I want to congratulate our parents. These are as fine a real young people as you live a fun goodness me a love that we had the best fun.

Someone told me one time when I was a teenager. You know, you become a Christian you don't have any more fun yeah right. Listen, since Jesus came into my heart. He made me a real person because I have real meaning.

These are real people on mission that also real people on mission to have a real relationship with Jesus you know something about these students.

Folks, you know this. I know that you do, but I have a real relationship. I could see if we could see if you can see it in their faces not just watching that video moment ago Stephen and looking on the faces of our teenagers as they ministered you could see that literary image that reflection that joy. It's an amazing thing.

It's just real and it's because of a real relationship. I have a real Jesus to talk to you about today. He's real, it's a real relationship.

My Christianity is not a religion. How many people talk about religion you know we even had people this week in Chicago and Buffalo and and and in Pittsburgh and places all over the country.

You know they were saying man we coming to a religious gathering and I would remind them even as they would dressed like I am today.

This is not about religion it's about a relationship with Jesus. But there's 1/3 picture that mirror image presented this week. Again, and it's a real world in crisis world is in crisis, folks.

America has a moral dilemma where people in crisis. There are people hurting everywhere you all your in crisis launcher you're looking and most of the time you're trying to cover yourself in a smokescreen.

You're masquerading in the world is in crisis.

People are looking for love that you looking for meaning and looking for hope. The bowl game doesn't lost beyond the final whistle. It's no longer just simply about a national championship or a bank balance. The world is in crisis all year's plane is looking for a bailout in the European Union all yes we got brave men and women give up their lives. I was so deeply blessed by Wilford McAbee's testimony in our newspaper yesterday about his brother. I was deeply moved.

As I read the front page of our newspaper one about alone and I thought about Wilford, and I thought about his brother, and I thought about the life that he day way back then in 1945 and I thought how that that impacted me and I thought how much better I am today because of the heroes of Normandy and the D-Day about veterans of people who have given up and done such great acts of valor, but then I find myself still in Christ. It's a personal crisis and in a crisis.

It's deep in my heart. Mirror image showed such compassion this week because they were a real people on mission and they were in a real relationship with the Lord Jesus, and they entered into a real world in crisis that you you watching me today and you're looking at me and your life is in crisis and you know it and I want to present to you today real results because that's the fourth picture real results to celebrate I got so many illustrations today.

I wish that I could stand it. Mirror image and tell them the stories you not remember leaving that one person where we were out of doors. That'll give you a clue, and as I lifted my wife Karen was standing there with me and they would leading us through the gate and they would to prison officials standing there and Karen noticed with the one prison guard that he had tears in his eyes, and she very respectfully just moved off to the buses and left me alone in this man began to talk to me and I looked at him and I said to him, sir. Thank you for letting our students come into this prison.

He said all know we need to thank you. I said well you got no idea asset management so much to us as mirror image. He said all know, so it wasn't about your students. I said well I tell you it it it meant so much to the to the prison residence to the inmates. Look how many he said all know it wasn't about them either. He said you came here today for me. I just gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ. Folks, I'm going to tell you that happen time without number. Britt Dillard reminded us this morning that in one of the facilities in which we are in the power of God came down and began to move. You could feel the presence and the power of law takes a whole hour hour and 1/2. Our boys get out of the boxes and just moving the equipment into these prisons going through security getting checked out, sitting up in the girls following taking all these goals through these prisons, like moving a herd of buffalo across the plains of Africa and blow me down if they don't have to go to the bottom six times on the way and all together at the same time and finally we get in there everybody gets in position and then they bring in these rows of inmates holding the cellblocks in one place in which we were.

You could since it was difficult. It was hard. It was hot. It was in the middle of the afternoon and we would tie it was tough and at the end of it.

The hidden person in that prison came up to me and Stephen said to me tell you about these young men. These young man in this prison in Pennsylvania with the most convicted Hartman juvenile criminals in the entire state.

And as we began to share the love of Christ and show them Christian compassion.

The power God came down and in that one prison is Britt reminded us because he was seated at the back with all the mechanical stuff and as those hands were raised in the presence of the Lord. 17 of the administrators, the superintendents and directors. The mages and the lieutenants Sam and Dean adults gave their lives to Christ in that prison. 17.

One man in one state came up to me and to me reverently said, I cannot imagine he said I'm here representing the governor of our state and he said in all my views working in penitentiaries and prisons. He said I have never seen anything like this.

He said I want you to know I'm going straight to the government. He's gonna hear about it, the superintendent of prisons is going to hear about it. I believe in what you're saying you see folks they were real results to celebrate God because of a group of people who showed Christian come after. Please forgive the interruption will be back with the rest of today's message Christian compassion by Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment the doctor done what you know were here to pray with you anytime at 866899 word at 866899673 or on a website. The TW online.org while you're there, be sure and sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don TW online.org is the place to sign up and it will definitely fill your email box with a powerful Encouraging Word every day. You can sign up online@twonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching Dr. Don Wilton. Let me show you something. Matthew chapter 9 Matthew chapter 9 and verse 35 yes what the Bible says Matthew chapter 9 and verse 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 when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples, gentlemen.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Also the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest for you me show you look at Jesus just for a minute with me.

When you look at Jesus in this passage.

What we see number one, a real man. Jesus is real.

My friends and he loves you he loves you as we go into these prisons we encounter people from other religions as you can imagine one of the people that I encountered from another worldwide religion. It's pretty militantly anti-America came up and began to talk to me and in those brief moments of my conversation I looked at this man and I sent him my friend. I want you to know that the Jesus about whom we speak is alive. He's really he's the son of God, and he came down to this earth, and he was born of a virgin. I need lube upon this earth, and he ministered at the end of his life.

They crucified him upon the cross for your sin and for Myron and he was buried in the grave he was pronounced dead. But on the third day, by the power of God.

He was raised up to walk in newness of life is real, look at Jesus in this passage.

Not only do we see a real man, but we see real effort.

This passage says that Jesus traveled all over the place. It is very difficult if not impossible to show Christian compassion from your armchair folks. We don't need just to come to church. We need to be the church to be the church is the greatest calling America to die and be the church. We got it going all the world. I'm so grateful to God for you. Just look at what's happening.

Just look at what's going on when I think of Kentucky missions. When I think of college students going to Haiti the teams off the teams that are going to build orphanages in South Africa. The groups that are going to Europe. The basketball camps through upward reaching out beyond themselves.

When I look at the people who stand in helping ministry centers and serve less fortunate people than we all those udon aprons and cooked meals both to stand up and be counted for Jesus Christ look at Jesus. A real man gave him real effort we see 1/3 picture and that is real action. It's one thing to give up real effort, but you gotta combine that with real action.

What you've seen at camp Voyager what you will see in Kentucky and what you will see in mirror image quieter is real action in this passage. The Bible tells us that Jesus went about preaching and teaching and healing. It's a doing word. It's an action it's an activity. I told our gathering this morning with the time has arrived.

Even in this congregation that we stand up and we getting the real action for Christ that we take this Encouraging Word we share this truth of God with the searching world and we do what ever it takes to do the water picture when you look at Jesus.

A real man real life and real action combined with real compassion. I love that verse there in verse 36 when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. How many times mirror image. Did we not stand up and say we care about you.

We love you will respect you.

We come to share with you. This means a lot to us. You could see it in their faces. I want to say something to you today. I really care about you frame your not a statistic. Some of you are carrying tremendous hurting your heart you been abused for years you've got every right to be hostile and angry you been written so many times carrying burdens in your hearts, your marriage is a wreck your life is a wreck everywhere you look you see failure.

Some of you today who are worshiping you're looking and you're saying that to me. I'm not talking about the convoy today. I'm not talking about when we're in the crowd. I'm not talking about when we sit around the barbecue pit. I'm talking about that deep inner self. When you know within you that you cry out and sign the Lord please help me for what Charlotte profit you my friend, if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul and some of you are losing your soul. Some of you are members of this church and you losing your soul. I've yet to find anywhere in the Scripture where it says because you're a member of a church that your soul is in the palm of the hands of God. Some of you today. The first thought you've given to the things of God have been this morning and you're searching and when we look at Jesus care we see a real man I'm really real compassion real action and real compassion, but we see real crisis Jesus from the lenses of any says they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. You know, I find that the further a person moves away from God. The more radical they become in their opinions about God, the more they lecture the world about God, the more you put the more you react, and some of you are fighting God and you've lost respect the greatest respect you've lost is you've lost respect for yourself. Satan the thief is coming to Rob in this field and destroying he's got you. He's got you. He's got Jesus save but I've come that you might have life and you might have it more abundantly. The world is in crisis. We see it in Jesus we see real man real life and real action real compassion real crisis but folks, the bottom line is we see when we watch Jesus here a real request. Listen to what Jesus said. He turned to his disciples turn to those who claim to love him turn to the church is looking at you and me right now us. This is what he said the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Also the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest such powerful teaching from Dr. Don Wilton on this edition of The Encouraging Word and is our prayer that you cannot just heard this wonderful South African brother of Dr. Don but you've heard the voice of God calling out to you letting you know that you are loved. God has a plan for your life and opportunity to have your sins forgiven a purpose for living, and a place in heaven. Would love to speak with you that you can call us anytime at 866886689673 or perhaps you need to call out to us directly to the Lord himself referred Dr. Don is he's been teaching from the pulpit. Now, as he steps in the studio. Open your heart to what he wants to share next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

Dear God, I know that Arneson and I know that Jesus died for me today. I repent of my sins and by faith I receive you into my heart in Jesus night, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news.

Maybe you just pray along with Dr. Wilton. Moments ago to give your life to Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family of God, or perhaps now you realize it's time for you as a follower of Christ to rededicate Dr. Don Wilton has prepared wonderful free resources for you if you made one of those decisions today to give your life to Jesus Christ for the first time or to rededicate your life what you call us and let us in these resources to you. It's 866899 word jot the number down. It's available 24 hours a day, 866-899-9673 will connect with one less. We are thrilled to give you this resource from Dr. Wilton and know that we will pray with you and also find ways to connect with us on our website@twonline.org that's TW online.org. We would love to hear from you and I'm so glad that we been able to share together by means of radio today you just mean so much to me and how thankful we are for the word of God to get you can call right now and connect with me at 866-899-9673. Did you get that 868999673 call and connect with me right now, but stay connected between now and next time on The Encouraging Word by meeting our website, tewonline.org, RG that's TW online.org is Dr. Don said we would love to encourage you and right now there is a powerful resource called loneliness, how to be alone but not lonely right there on her website. Check it out at tewonline.org you and why are there. Be sure and sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don on her website. TW online.org