July 19, 2015

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." I Corinthians 13:4-8

Love and the need for love are some of the most powerful human emotions. You've heard it said, "You do for love what you wouldn't do for money."

The Captain and Tennille sang, "Love will keep you together."

Thousands of songs have been inspired by love.

During the Summer we are studying this significant section of Scripture for four important reasons:

It describes the supernatural love God has for each of us!

It demonstrates how God desires us to love others!

It dares us to open our lives to receiving this love!

It details how we can know that we have received this love!

Paul called this love "the most excellent way".

John Wesley would call it "perfect love" which is another word for holiness. This description of love provides an excellent definition of holiness. Watch what happens when I substitute the world "holiness" for the word "love".

"Holiness is patient, holiness is kind. Holiness does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Holiness does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angers, it does not keep a record of wrongs. Holiness does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth. Holiness always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Holiness never fails." 

How do holy Christians love?

How do holy Christians live?

See the description above.......

July 18, 2015

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." I Corinthians 13:4-8

Wow! What a powerful and beautiful portion of Scripture! There is no more beautiful or instructive description of love than this!

Even if you aren't a Christian or a spiritual person you have heard this read at a wedding or two.

Love tops everyone's list because we are wired to need love. Each of us were created for relationships. For relationships to work well we must be adept at giving love and receiving it.

During the Summer we are studying this significant section of Scripture for several important reasons:

• It describes the supernatural love God has for each of us!
• It demonstrates how God desires us to love others!
• It dares us to open our lives to receiving this love!
• It details how we can know that we have received this love!

This Scripture not only describes the nature of God and godly love, it paints a picture of spiritual maturity. In fact, to make this point let me substitute the word "maturity" for the word "love".

"Maturity is patient, maturity is kind. Maturity does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Maturity does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angers, it does not keep a record of wrongs. Maturity does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth. Maturity always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Maturity never fails." 

How do mature Christians love?

How do mature Christians live?

See the description above.......

July 17, 2015

"And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

"Love is not self-seeking..." I Corinthians 13:5

Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself.

Paul said, "love is not self-seeking."

Those two sound contradictory. How do we reconcile these two statements? How can you love your neighbor as your self and not be self-seeking?

You must understand the true nature of love and then it will become very clear to you! In the Great Commandment Jesus offers the pattern for His people to love and in I Corinthians 13 Paul shares the particulars of this love.

It is important to realize you cannot fulfill the Great Commandment until you have been filled with the "agape" love detailed in I Corinthians 13.

God isn't calling you to conjure up warm fuzzy feelings of fondness in God's direction. Feelings have very little to do with the love referred to in the Great Commandment or in the "more excellent way". Faith and obedience have a LOT to do with them.

Only God can supply the love required to meet the requirements of His command. You provide the cleansed and consecrated will and God provides the grace to love Him. As you receive His love you find the grace to love others as He has loved you!

God doesn't call you to reproduce God's love in your own effort, He calls you to receive His love into your spirit.

That's how amazing God's grace is! It provides the means to complete everything He commands!

So, love is not self-seeking it is self-surrendering!

July 16, 2015

"It (love) is not rude. It is not self-seeking, is easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." I Corinthians 13:5

"A double-minded man is unstable in all he does." James 1:8

In my early grade school days I struggled with math but I eventually figured it out.

God's spiritual math is tougher to comprehend. Faith is the major factor in calculating God's math. Here is an example from James 1:8:

2 MINDS = 1/2 HEART

The formula shared by James expresses a problem - when you are double-minded you are half-hearted.

Does that add up for you?

It equals the truth expressed by Paul in verse five of Chapter 13, "Love is not self-seeking" Okay, think about it. If I am seeking God while also seeking my own will and desires, I am of two minds (double-minded). In all the areas where God's mind is different from mine, I will be in possession of two minds. But when I am divided in my loyalty my heart will be divided in two. Therefore, I will be half-hearted toward each.

Praise God, He is not half-hearted toward you or me! He has no duplicity of mind! His love for us is unlimited, unwavering and unconditional!

So, when He commands you to love God will all your heart, and all your soul and all your strength and all your mind He has every right to expect that measure of love!

Here is your spiritual math test:

Are you double-mind? 

Are you seeking what's best for you while also trying to experience the love of God?

Are you of the opinion that God's love is not enough for you?

If you feel that His love is not enough, that may be evidence you are half-hearted.

Love is not self-seeking because it leads you away from fully seeking God Who is the source of perfect love.

Why not try this math formula?

God's love + 0 = Perfect Love Multiplied In Your Heart!

July 15, 2015

"It (love) is not rude. It is not self-seeking...." I Corinthians 13:5

What are you seeking?

Would you know if you found it?

What is your life centered on?

If you were going to write your autobiography, what would be the theme of that book?

Who are you trying to impress with your life?

Who do you want to please?

Who are you serving?

Who are you working for?

Who are you most concerned about?

Self-seeking is the default setting for your life.

It's your life, why not live to please yourself?

Why not do what pleases you?

Why not serve your own needs and desires?

Why not work to get the best for yourself?

After all, didn't Jesus say, "Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF?"

There is a simple answer.

Do you know what it is?

July 14, 2015

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." I Corinthians 13:4-8

I am enjoying revisiting this portion of Scripture for the Summer! I love meditating on familiar verses and seeing fresh new insights!

What blesses me today as I studied is the thought that God is loving while I am not. 

How does that bless me?

It blesses me to be reminded that I don't love as I should.

It blesses me to know that God loves me like He does even though I don't love as I should.

It blesses me to know that I can receive the love God has for me!

It blesses me to know that He wants to give me His love and love through me if I will receive His love by faith.

God is patient. God is kind, God always behaves consistent with His holy character. He rejoices in truth and never rejoices in evil. He always hopes, He always trusts, He always hopes and He always perseveres. He never fails!

That is a wonderful list of things God is that I'm not but want to be. It is an inspiring list of wonderful things I can be through the power of God's love!

I am jealous, boastful, proud, rude, self-centered, irritable, vindictive, I rejoice in evil and resist truth. I not hopeful, I'm not trusting, and I give up easily. I often fail.

But I can be different!

The power of His love can change me from how I am to how He is!

I love that!

July 13, 2015

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3:13-18

The word "understanding" is a key word in this portion of Scripture. James used a word here that is used exclusively in this text and it connotes a "specialist". It takes a "specialist" to receive and properly apply wisdom. How would you like to be known as someone who specializes in wisdom? Could you live with that?

How do you know when someone is a wisdom specialist? Do they have a business card? Do they get a title? If you want to pick them out of a crowd what would you look for?

That is essentially the point of this portion of Scripture. A practitioner of wisdom demonstrates a very distinct lifestyle. He has attitudes and actions that set him apart from those who do not understand true wisdom.

So, wisdom is intensely practical. It is not just subscribing to a particular set of beliefs or creeds. Wisdom is not a matter of what you know but what you show. Knowledge is important and you certainly must know the correct things. But simply having head knowledge doesn't guarantee a change of heart or behavior. The world is filled with highly educated and very knowledgeable people who live ungodly lives because knowledge tends to puff up a person with pride. Pride and wisdom are mutually exclusive.

Show me a wise person and I will show you a humble person. The wise person understands that knowledge brings power and he respects that power. Wise people understand that there is a responsibility that comes with knowledge. Humble people live under accountability to the power and the responsibility of knowledge.

The wisest man who ever lived summed up the wisdom, knowledge and understanding interface this way, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6e

Do you need to "wise up"? Are you trusting in what you know or are you living out what you believe? Has your knowledge puffed you up with pride or has it humbled you? Do you seek to use your knowledge as leverage to promote yourself at the expense of others?

The truth remains, if you really believe it your life will show it.