God of Compassion

           

The title for this message came from verse 15 which says: Psalms 86:15(NKJV)  But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

The psalmist says because You, O God are all these things, I want to know more about You.

Psalms 86:11 (NKJV)  Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name.

 I have been a pastor since Oct. of 1987 and I am still learning about God’s ways. We will still be learning the day God takes us home. Learning about God is an ongoing process. Only the arrogant say they know it all and have an unteachable spirit, from them stay away. We are taught God’s ways by the Holy Spirit not for head knowledge, but for a better lifestyle. We will learn God’s way to live each day in the truth we are taught! We are commanded to:Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18  

We “grow in grace” as we understand that we are living by God’s grace alone—so everything we do is a result of that grace. We “grow in knowledge” as we search and study the Scriptures, pray, listen to sound teachers, and apply that knowledge to our daily lives. If we do these things, we will not need to fear being influenced by false teachers. Christ is Lord, divine and omnipotent; he is Savior, the one who accomplished humanity’s salvation.

We are to walk or live our lives daily in the truth of God’s word. We do not live by people’s opinions or advice, not by what we think the truth is but by the truth as found in God’s word. He created us and He knows best. To Him alone be glory now and forever more.

11:b Unite my heart to fear Your name.

Our hearts at times are divided. One minute concerned about the things of this earth and then concerned with the things of God. The psalmist knows only God can unite a person’s heart to focus totally on Him and His word. When we fear God we will live for Him alone.

Psalms 86:12 (NKJV)  I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore.

Notice Psalmist will praise God with an undivided heart, a heart that has been united by the Lord Himself. Glorify means to worship, adore, Deify, exalt, and say good things about God’s name. We know God as Jesus Christ! I will praise, honor and glorify Your name forevermore.

Why do we worship, adore, Deify, exalt, and say good things about God’s name?

 Look at Verse 13 below!

Psalms 86:13 NKJV  For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

God’s mercy – loyal love, kindness, compassion, sympathy toward us is great,-[boundless and unlimited.] Our souls, the spiritual part of us that never dies but lives forever have been delivered from the death and grave. 

 [2 Cor. 5:8] 'To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord"

Psalms 86:14 (NKJV) O God, the proud have risen against me, And a mob of violent men have sought my life, And have not set You before them.

Although God is merciful, some men are not! There are people all around us who are arrogant and violent. They would take your life for a dime. They live their lives with no thought of God, no respect for Him.  There are people who do not care for me as a Christian!

Psalms 86:15 (NKJV)  But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. We find the Lord full of compassion. God is full of compassion. He feels sympathy for us and is moved to help us with whatever situation we find ourselves in. Are we sorrowful?

Are we contending with temptation? His grace comes to our aid. Do we err? He is patient with us. Have we sinned? He is plenteous in mercy.

Are we resting on his promise? He will fulfill it with abundant truth. 

Psalms 86:16 (NKJV)  Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant. O God of compassion, turn to me and have mercy on me. Grant me Spiritual strength, strength in my soul, to exercise grace, perform my duty as a Christian, bear my cross, and stand up against all enemies, and hold out to the end. God grant me this gift; for I am Your servant.

Psalms 86:17 (NKJV)  Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Not only a sign by which I might know that my sins were pardoned, and my person accepted with You God, and that I am saved; but a sign visible to others, even to my enemies, by which they might know that God is on my side, You are compassionate toward me and You will do me only good.

Invitation: Have you taken advantage of God’s compassion? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked him to forgive you? If you have, are you living your life for Him? Do others see a sign that Jesus lives in you?