“The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

What Is Compassion?

• Dictionary definition: Compassion is a deep awareness of another’s suffering, accompanied by the desire to relieve it. The word literally means “to suffer together.” It is more than a feeling—it moves a person to action. While sometimes used interchangeably with sympathy, compassion embodies love in action toward those who are hurting.

• Biblical definition: The Bible defines compassion by showing us what it looks like in practice. One of the clearest examples is found in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), where compassion leads to concrete care for someone in need. Other verses also emphasize compassion in action:

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Prov. 31:8–9, NIV)

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18, NIV)

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:36 ESV)

Therefore

Since God is good and compassionate, we as His children are called to reflect that same compassion to others. When we see suffering, we cannot turn away—we must allow God’s love to flow through us in practical ways. True compassion is more than words; it is love expressed in action that mirrors the heart of our merciful God.

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isa. 30:18 ESV)

“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7)

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22–23 ESV)

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38)

What Is Living Water?

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13 describe God as “the spring of living water”—yet His chosen people forsook Him. In the New Testament, Jesus reveals that the living water is the Holy Spirit Himself. John 7:39 explains: “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

Simply put, living water is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, flowing out of a heart redeemed by God. This living water not only refreshes and strengthens believers but also overflows to bless others, bringing life and light to a thirsty and broken world.

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38 ESV)

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’” (John 4:10 ESV)

“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.’” (John 4:13–15 ESV)

Therefore

If you belong to Christ, you already have the source of living water within you—the Holy Spirit. Let the Spirit flow freely, refreshing your own soul and spilling over into the lives of others, so they too may taste the eternal life only Jesus can give.

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt. 17:20)

You Don’t Need Large Faith

Mustard seeds are tiny—usually only about 1 to 2 millimeters (0.039 to 0.079 in) in diameter. The point Jesus makes in this passage is that you don’t need large faith to move mountains. Even the very smallest amount of genuine faith will accomplish amazing things!

Consider the thousands of promises listed throughout the Bible covering every conceivable need you could possibly have. Each and every promise is already pre-approved by Jesus Himself! He has said “yes” to each of them for you (see 2 Cor. 1:20 below). You simply need to find them in the Bible, apply them personally, and then mix them with faith—because they are faith-activated (Heb. 4:2).

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor. 1:20 NIV)

Therefore

Don’t wait until you feel that your faith is “big enough.” Take hold of God’s promises with the faith you already have, however small it may seem, and act on them. Even mustard-seed faith, when placed in God’s power, will move the mountains in your life.

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

“By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:4 ESV)

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)

You Must Believe in Your Heart

I had “believed” in Jesus all my life, but only in the sense that I believed He once lived, was born in Bethlehem, and had parents named Joseph and Mary. In other words, I believed the Christmas story—but I didn’t know why it mattered personally.

The truth is, simply believing Jesus existed is not enough. Even the demons believe that and tremble (James 2:19). Salvation requires believing in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, and then confessing it openly with your mouth.

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Rom. 10:10 NIV)

How It Happened to Me

One day I read a simple gospel booklet that explained my sin and how Jesus died and rose again to save me. It included a prayer of confession and faith. I prayed it sincerely, and in that moment, I knew I was saved. From then on, I couldn’t keep it to myself—I had to tell others about Jesus!

Additional References

• “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.” (John 13:13 ESV)

• “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.’” (John 11:25 ESV)

• “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’” (John 6:29 ESV)

• “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:15 ESV)

Therefore

Therefore, salvation is not about knowing facts about Jesus but about personally trusting Him in your heart and openly confessing Him as Lord. Real faith brings real salvation—and it always leads to telling others about Him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I believe in my heart that You are Lord and that God raised You from the dead. I confess You with my mouth as my Savior. Help me to live boldly for You and share Your truth with others. Amen.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)

Why God did this wonderful thing

Many people know John 3:16, but the very next verse, John 3:17, reveals God’s heart even more clearly. Jesus did not come to point fingers, heap guilt, or condemn us for our sins. He came to rescue us from them. God’s plan was never about condemnation—it was always about salvation.

Imagine someone drowning in deep water

The lifeguard doesn’t stand on the shore shouting about how foolish they were to swim too far out. Instead, he dives in to save them. In the same way, Jesus came to save us when we were drowning in sin—not to condemn us, but to lift us out and give us life.

Therefore

When you think of Jesus, remember this: He didn’t come to condemn you—He came to save you. Trust His love, receive His grace, and live in the freedom of His salvation.

“But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)

“He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

John 3:16 is one of the most wonderful and personal promises in all of Scripture! You can personalize it by inserting your own name where the asterisks (*) appear below:

“For God so loved * that He gave His only begotten Son, that if * believes in Him, * should not perish but * shall have everlasting life.”

—Signed in His blood, Jesus Christ

It changed my life!

I personally received Jesus Christ into my life more than 50 years ago while driving down a busy road. I had just finished reading a small gospel booklet I found in a glove compartment. It explained how to pray a simple prayer of faith to receive Jesus as Savior.

I prayed: “Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross for me! I believe in You and I need You. Please forgive me of my sins and come into my life. I invite You to be my Savior. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

That simple prayer changed my life forever that day!

You must receive Him for yourself

Think of a gift wrapped and waiting under the Christmas tree. No matter how wonderful the gift is, it only becomes yours when you reach out and receive it. Eternal life is God’s gift in Jesus Christ—it must be personally received.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12 KJV)

Therefore

Remember this: God loves you personally, Jesus died for you personally, and eternal life is yours if you believe and receive Him.

“This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:9)

“For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Something you must do

Many of God’s promises include instructions or conditions to receive them. In the above verse, there are two promises: 1) God will forgive our sins, and 2) He will purify us from all unrighteousness. But these blessings come with a requirement—the small word “if”. If we confess our sins, then God, who is faithful and just, will act.

For example

Imagine a messy room, no matter how good the cleaning supplies are, the room won’t be clean unless someone actually uses them. In the same way, God’s forgiveness and cleansing are available, but we must take the step of confessing our sins to receive them.

Therefore

Whenever you read a promise, look carefully for instructions that show how to receive what God offers.

Don’t ignore the “if” in the promise at the top of the page. Confess your sins honestly, and you will receive His forgiveness and cleansing. God is faithful to do exactly what He promises.

Two examples promises with the word “if”

• “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt. 6:14-15 ESV)

• “For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.” (2 Chron. 30:9 ESV)

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

The world tells us there are many paths to God, but that is a lie from the enemy. The Bible is unmistakably clear—salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. He alone is the mediator between God and mankind, and apart from Him there is no access to the Father.

Imagine trying to board a flight without the right ticket. You could argue, try another gate, or insist on your own way, but only the valid ticket will grant access. In the same way, Jesus is the only “ticket” to eternal life. No amount of good works, religion, or philosophy can substitute for Him.

Therefore

Never be deceived into thinking there are many ways to God—there is only one way, and His name is Jesus. Trust Him, follow Him, and boldly share His truth with others.

• “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

• “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5)

“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)

I often hear people say they cannot memorize Bible passages: “I’m not good at memorizing anything,” or, “I have too many other things to think about during my day, so I don’t have the time.” But there are some verses that are extremely short and instantly memorable. For instance, “Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible. I bet you’ve already memorized it! Maybe you haven’t memorized its reference, John 11:35, but that’s easy to add. Just say it at the beginning and end of the verse: “John 11:35: Jesus wept. John 11:35.” That’s it—you’re done! Wasn’t that easy?

What can we learn from this two-word verse?

First, it shows that Jesus cared deeply and emotionally. He was moved by the sorrow of those He loved and cried alongside them. This is important because it refutes the common misconception of God as emotionally distant and out of touch with the world He created. Remember, Jesus and the Father are one. He said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

Second, it reminds us that it is okay to grieve, to process strong emotions, to face terrible situations, and to cry. Tears are not a sign of weak faith but of a heart touched by love and loss.

Challenge

Take a moment today to memorize John 11:35 and carry it with you. When you encounter someone who is grieving or burdened, remember that Jesus understands and weeps with them—and so can you. Sometimes the greatest ministry is simply being present with compassion.

Additional References

“As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.” (Luke 19:41)

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” (John 11:33)