"CHRISTLIKENESS OF CHARACTER Part 4

< Good Evening to All!

Well, I would imagine, if I would just stick to the lesson, I could be almost done, but unfortunately, as I type I think of tid-bits I want to include, so it adds to the length, thereby lengthening the series. I promise tomorrow will be the conclusion. I may even get froggy and type two posts tomorrow so be sure and check both posts out. I might go ahead and conclude this lesson tomorrow afternoon, and then do my Bible Seed lesson tomorrow night. That way, I can stay on schedule and do the Bible Challenge Sunday. I have something new I am starting Monday. I belong to a site call Faithful Bloggers. Courtney, who is the owner of the site is starting something called "Faithful Blogging Prompts". This is where she comes up with a different post topic idea every Monday and we write about it sometime during the week and link it back to Faithful Bloggers. Sounds like it might be fun!

Now On With the Post: "Christlikeness of Character" Part 4:

6. "Compassion": "But when He saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd."
(Matthew 9:36) Truest compassion is only found in the nature of god, because only God knows the full depth of an individual's pain, need, or suffering. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus is seen in the essence of His feeling human weaknesses, fully sensing the ravaged condition of human brokenness.

Christlikeness calls us to learn Jesus' heart of compassion, a dept of sensitivity that can be worked in us through the Holy Spirit, reconditioning our hearts to be able to sense the pain of human bondage and to weep with those who weep. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
(Hebrews 13:3) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
(Romans 12:15) Jesus tears over the city of Jerusalem and His tears at the tomb of Lazarus reveal more than either a sense of rejection by the people of one city or a grief over the death of a personal friend. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, (42) saying If though hadst known, even thou , at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto they peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. (43) For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass the round. and keep thee in on every side, (44) And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. (Luke 19:41-44) His tears at the tomb of Lazarus reveal more than either a sense of rejection by the people of one city or a grief over the death of a personal friend. His compassion brought tears for the hardness of all hearts that were blinded by their sin and for the tragedy of all mankind's vulnerability to death. Love sees beyond the immediate and the personal and compassionately relates to the lost, the hurting the needy, the distressed. It moves more and more into the dimension of discipleship that discovers the compassion of Christ flowing through a person to care for and serve others. Jesus wept. (John 11:35)

If you think about it in my earlier posts I discussed about the attributes of Christ being the "Fruits of the Spirit" one of which is Love. I've also talked about faith, hope and love. According to 1 Corinthians 13:13, And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. To have love is to have compassion.

7. "Fullness of Joy"- These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11) Jesus points the way to joy, a divine quality of character that is possessed and given only by God. It is rooted in relationship with the Holy Spirit, not in earthly or material things. Christlike joy is seen in the description of His, (Hebrews 12:2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Joy is derived from the confidence that ht e price of dying to our will holds the inevitable certainty of eventually realizing the triumph of His. For Jesus, bring sons and daughters into fellowship with the Father was his delight, though the Cross was the means to that eventual joy. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (2:10) This very trait was prophesied of Messiah: "He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied." He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.(Isaiah 53:11) Thus the Savior's food (that is, His fulfillment) was to do the will of God and accomplish His work. Jesus saith unto them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
(John 4: 34)

I never really thought about it until a while back, but did you know there are two different kinds of joy. There is earthly joy which is when we are happy about the temporal things of this earth, and then there is the "joy unspeakable" that we can know through the love of God and the Holy Spirit. This joy is deep within our souls. It is a kind of joy that is impossible to explain. As earlier explained it is the kind of joy that Christ felt as His Body died on the Cross for us. He didn't want to die, but at the same time He knew what His death would mean for us, so He felt the "joy of satisfaction" knowing that God's will had been accomplished. It a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kgIuWW35q0w/TZavYNwkDBI/AAAAAAAAElE/h6-oL8OG-lM/s1600/Joy%2Bunspeakable.jpg">was a joy He felt knowing that mankind had a chance to be saved and spend an eternity in heaven with Him when the time comes. Once He had done His part, it is now left up to us. Whether we do our part by living for God and loving him as required. This should be our joy. The joy of Living for God and knowing that His will is being accomplished and that we are doing our part to end up in eternity with Him.

Tomorrow Afternoon's post will be the conclusion of this series. The last to topics are Peace and Sacrifice.

Tomorrow night's will be a Bible Seed Lesson.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!