February 12th 2017
The Entire Law Is Summed Up In A Single Command: "Love Your Neighbor As Yourself." (Galatians 5:14)
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.
Love is patient, love is kind. We hear about road rage, and how someone is cut-off in traffic, and then they follow the person who cut them off to get revenge. They may even be willing to kill the other person, if they get an opportunity. For those of us who are still sane, we cannot understand how someone could be so hateful and impatient and unkind! Yet we may be upset by such an incident too, and think about retaliation. Always ask yourself, WWJD!
It (Love) does not envy, it (Love) does not boast, it (Love) is not proud. When you think about someone who seems almost perfect, or they seem to be leading an almost perfect life, it may cause you to be envious of that person. Some people will express hatred toward such a person. Since love is a gift from God, we should never be proud or boast about our perceived goodness. Everything we have is a gift from God, especially our ability to love.!
It (Love) is not rude, it (Love) is not self-seeking, it (Love) is not easily angered, it (Love) keeps no record of wrongs. Love is seeing the good in a friend, although your friend is not really a good person! Love is seeking a relationship with another person without any real expectation that they will desire a relationship with you. Love is being a friend to another person not really expecting to gain anything for yourself from such relationship! Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love is finding out that one of your family members has defended you against a friend of theirs, when you did not really believe your sibling really liked you! It (Love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love is being willing to fall on a hand-grenade and die to protect the other members of a team or squad. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (1John 3:16)
Love never fails. How can anyone say, "love never fails?" In this day in age, we see love failing all over the place. We hear about people ending their marriages, because "We just don't love each other anymore!" We hear about parents abusing their children, and sometimes children abusing their parents. We hear about children killing each other in the schools they attend. Then we read our Bible and Paul tells us that "love never fails!" Can this be true?
On the other hand, we hear about people risking their life to save a stranger. We hear about people celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and claiming they will always be together. We likely know of parents who would and do offer their lives for their children, or children who take in their parents when they become too old to live alone. People take jobs that put them in jeopardy every day, people serving in the Military, Police and Firefighters come to mind. People all around this world are losing their lives, because they refuse to deny Jesus Christ.
So maybe there is a type of Love that never fails! What then is the difference between love that flourishes and love that fails? Love never fails when it is based upon love given by God! If we try to love each other, because of common interests, or physical attraction, or similar desires, and God is not directly involved, it will likely fail. Even if we involve God part of the time in our lives the love we have can be very frivolous. When "love never fails" it is obvious that God is involved. For God is love!
We cannot truly give love unless we are tapped into God's love. It is true we are made in the image and likeness of God, but we do not have love from anything within us. It is only present in us through the indwelling of God in our heart.
The love Paul is telling us about is the unconditional love of God. We can share in this kind of love through our connection to God. While in this life we cannot maintain this complete connection for long periods of time. When we again make that permanent connection with God, as was in Eden, then we will experience His love completely and forever! Do not wait until then though to attempt to keep the connection.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
Wishing you a loving,
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.
Love is patient, love is kind. We hear about road rage, and how someone is cut-off in traffic, and then they follow the person who cut them off to get revenge. They may even be willing to kill the other person, if they get an opportunity. For those of us who are still sane, we cannot understand how someone could be so hateful and impatient and unkind! Yet we may be upset by such an incident too, and think about retaliation. Always ask yourself, WWJD!
It (Love) does not envy, it (Love) does not boast, it (Love) is not proud. When you think about someone who seems almost perfect, or they seem to be leading an almost perfect life, it may cause you to be envious of that person. Some people will express hatred toward such a person. Since love is a gift from God, we should never be proud or boast about our perceived goodness. Everything we have is a gift from God, especially our ability to love.!
It (Love) is not rude, it (Love) is not self-seeking, it (Love) is not easily angered, it (Love) keeps no record of wrongs. Love is seeing the good in a friend, although your friend is not really a good person! Love is seeking a relationship with another person without any real expectation that they will desire a relationship with you. Love is being a friend to another person not really expecting to gain anything for yourself from such relationship! Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love is finding out that one of your family members has defended you against a friend of theirs, when you did not really believe your sibling really liked you! It (Love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love is being willing to fall on a hand-grenade and die to protect the other members of a team or squad. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (1John 3:16)
Love never fails. How can anyone say, "love never fails?" In this day in age, we see love failing all over the place. We hear about people ending their marriages, because "We just don't love each other anymore!" We hear about parents abusing their children, and sometimes children abusing their parents. We hear about children killing each other in the schools they attend. Then we read our Bible and Paul tells us that "love never fails!" Can this be true?
On the other hand, we hear about people risking their life to save a stranger. We hear about people celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and claiming they will always be together. We likely know of parents who would and do offer their lives for their children, or children who take in their parents when they become too old to live alone. People take jobs that put them in jeopardy every day, people serving in the Military, Police and Firefighters come to mind. People all around this world are losing their lives, because they refuse to deny Jesus Christ.
So maybe there is a type of Love that never fails! What then is the difference between love that flourishes and love that fails? Love never fails when it is based upon love given by God! If we try to love each other, because of common interests, or physical attraction, or similar desires, and God is not directly involved, it will likely fail. Even if we involve God part of the time in our lives the love we have can be very frivolous. When "love never fails" it is obvious that God is involved. For God is love!
We cannot truly give love unless we are tapped into God's love. It is true we are made in the image and likeness of God, but we do not have love from anything within us. It is only present in us through the indwelling of God in our heart.
The love Paul is telling us about is the unconditional love of God. We can share in this kind of love through our connection to God. While in this life we cannot maintain this complete connection for long periods of time. When we again make that permanent connection with God, as was in Eden, then we will experience His love completely and forever! Do not wait until then though to attempt to keep the connection.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
Wishing you a loving,
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak