SERMON NOTES:

chemotherapy treatment.

PRAYER REQUESTS
SEPTEMBER 4, 2011 Y Pray for all the children returning to school this week. Y Pray for Dave Nelson as he recovers from back surgery. Y Pray for a six year old boy named Carter Olson who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer.

DEVOTION
Following the terrible attacks on September 11, 2001, much of the world was united by compassion. Our hearts were grieved by the suffering that we felt; we wanted to help others; we were touched. That experience of compassion is a gift. The feeling of compassion can change the world. It is a much healthier response to suffering than anger or war. As disciplesfollowers of Jesuswe are called to be filled with compassion. The Scriptures give us wonderful stories about compassion. Jesus is a wonderful model. This week be in pray about how you can grow in compassion. Comments about the devotion can be emailed to pastor@colpres.org. Monday, September 12 Read Luke 10:25-37 A key part of this story is the response of the Samaritan when he looked at the man who was lying on the road, beaten, stripped and half dead. The priest and the Levite walked by. When the Samaritan looked at the man he was moved with pity. (verse 33). What the Samaritan felt was compassion. His insides were touched by the suffering that he saw on the side of the road. Being filled with compassion is an inward process. When a person is filled with compassion the

Y Pray for Ankur Chopra as he finishes army training. Y Pray for Dwight Zvorak as he returns home and recovers from the disease of alcoholism. Y Pray for Paul and Amys friends Katie & Greg Hansen. Y Pray for persons and process involved in property purchase for COL. Y Pray for Ben Simmer, a young man just graduated from college and has MS. He is currently receiving advanced treatments. Y Pray for Angelica Van Iperens friends, Paula and Ruben, and they struggle with infertility and limited resources to treat it. Y Donna Mc Cullen, Ken Mc Cullen's wife as she goes through more intense

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persons heart is touched by something in the world. Its easy to be callous of the pain of the world. We see so much pain that we can put a protective coat over our heart. We dont want our hearts to be touched by all the suffering that we see. Today as you pray, pray that your heart will be filled with compassion. Ask God to remove the protection that we can place over our heart. To be like the Samaritan and not like the Levite or priestwe are called to open our hearts and feel the pain of the world. Tuesday, September 13 Read Matthew 14:13-21 Like the Good Samaritan story the feeding of the 5,000 is very familiar to us. Its often forgotten that right before this story Jesus had learned of the death of John the Baptist. As we read in verse 13 when Jesus heard about this terrible news he withdrew to be by himself. We can relate to what Jesus was doing at the start. Jesus wanted to be by himself to grieve the terrible death of John. The crowds wouldnt let Jesus go. They traveled after him. And when Jesus saw the great crowd he had compassion for them (verse 14). It would have been easy for Jesus to turn the crowd away. We could have understood Jesus saying, I need some time to myself right now because I am hurting. Instead Jesus felt compassion. Jesus was able to get out of himself to help others. Often we dont feel up to compassion. Were so concerned about ourselves that we dont have the energy for others. Having the strength to feel compassion for others

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when we are hurting is a strength that can come from God. As you pray today, pray that no matter what we are feeling about ourselves we will have the spiritual strength to feel compassion for others. Wednesday, September 14 Read Matthew 15:29-39 This story is similar to the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus had just helped the mute speak, the maimed whole, the lame walk and the blind see. He called the disciples together and shared that he had compassion for the crowd (verse 32). The English word compassion comes from the Greek word splanchizomai. It denotes the innards of a person, the guts, or the seat of feelings. Jesus is a remarkable example for us because his innards were touched by others. He loved others from the inside and then acted on this love. Today as you pray, pray that Jesus can be your example. We might be able to have compassion like Jesus had, but we can reflect on how Jesus would feel about a situation. We can pray that our feelings will match what Jesus would feel in a situation. Thursday, September 15 Read Luke 15:11-32 Notice what the father felt when he saw his younger son coming backhe felt compassion (verse 20). His son didnt deserve compassion or wasnt even asking for compassion. But his father was so grateful that his son had come back that his heart leapt out to him. Compassion is much like grace. We dont deserve it and are not entitled to it, but we receive it from God. It is a gift, and it comes from our insides. The wonderful party that the father threw for his son would have

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never happened if he hadnt felt compassion. Can you share compassion with someone today? Pray that during your day, your heart can be touched by someone and then you will act. Talk with a loved one about a time when you felt compassion for another person. Pray that the father in the story can be your example. Friday, September 16 Read Matthew 18:23-34 This is the gospel story that was read this past Sunday. The king had pitya better translation would be compassionfor the slave. When the king realized how deeply in debt the slave was his heart went out to him. The slave couldnt share compassion when he was asked to have compassion on another person. The gift that he had received from the king didnt translate to his sharing compassion. To share compassion we need to understand the compassion we receive from God. Compassion is a profoundly spiritual process because it starts with our own realization and understanding of the compassion we have been given. Today as you pray, reflect about the compassion you have received from God through Christ. This is a gift that we could never repay, but one that is still given to us. When we realize the enormity of this gift it will be much easier to share compassion with others. Saturday, September 17 Read Matthew 20:29-34 Right before Jesus entered Jerusalem he encountered two blind men. The crowd tried to prevent the blind men from being with Jesus. But the shouting of the blind

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men reached Jesus. He asked what the men wanted. They said they wanted to be healed. Then Jesus felt compassion. Notice that the compassion preceded the healing. If Jesus had been so pre-occupied with his own life and concerns he might have kept walking and not healed the two blind men. But he felt compassion. Jesus is a wonderful example for us! Pray that we can continue to grow in the way we respond to the worldmay Jesus be our model!