November 1
TEN DANGEROUS POSSESSIONS
(GROWING UP IN GOD)
#8 AUTHORITY WITHOUT COMPASSION
According to Bill Britton:
-"It is absolutely necessary to have government, even in the things of God. Therefore, someone must be given
authority by the Spirit. But authority is dangerous, unless the person with it has a heart full of compassion for others.
Look at Saul, the king that Israel chose to serve over them. God told them what kind of man he would be, one that would make
slaves of them, and would think only of himself. He used his power without mercy, and would even have killed his own son had
not the people restrained him. Being David’s king, he had much authority in David’s life, even chose his wife
and the place he should live. David was a blessing to the king with his harp. But Saul had no compassion for others. And his
power and authority was a dangerous possession. It caused his downfall, the death of Jonathan, and would have destroyed David
had not God protected him." ( Ten Dangerous Possessions, Bill Britton )
-It is extremely important that we let God work into us HIS COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR OTHERS! Those who will rule
the nations in the coming age will be those who have had the character and nature of their Heavenly Father written upon their
hearts. Our Heavenly Father is not going to put people into positions of authority that have not learned compassion. Jesus
( in Matthew 9:36 ) saw the multitudes and was MOVED WITH COMPASSION FOR THEM, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad,
as sheep having no shepherd … As we can see, Jesus came to exercise authority over the multitudes, but He did it BEING
MOVED WITH COMPASSION. As well, the story of Joseph tells us of him ( Joseph ) being elevated to a place of authority and
leadership, but we also see that Joseph forgave, loved, and had compassion on his brothers who sold him as a slave into Egyptian
bondage.
According to Bill Britton:
-"Every man has authority in some area of his life. A man who is a husband and father has an authority delegated
to him in his home. He may be on the bottom of the heap on his job, or at church, but at home he has authority. Happy is the
home where this authority is accompanied by compassion and a love for his family. There are men who are mousy and submissive
in the world, yet are brutal to their children at home, or a dictator over their wife. Such a man needs help and deliverance.
The only place he has authority, he has no compassion. God could not trust such a one to rule over the nations. Rulers need
compassion and love for others." ( Ten Dangerous Possessions, Bill Britton )
-Let us be …
-MOVED WITH COMPASSION!-
