August 21
The Gift of Love
The Gift of Love
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13 NIV
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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The gift of the love.
Love, if understood in the manner that the Lord intends, is such an encompassing gift that it makes everything else possible.
If we could love as Jesus loves........there would be no limit to what we could accomplish for Him!
Is it not love that would put us at the feet of Jesus to ask for salvation for a lost loved one.
Is it not love that would cause us to be merciful to those who wrong us?
Is it not love that would enable us to completely and perfectly forgive?
Is it not love for God that would create in us a desire to seek Him in all things?
Is it not love for God that would make it so very easy to trust Him and believe Him for every part of our need.
We SAY the words so often.... but do we really MEAN them?
Have we sold out completely to the Lord Jesus Christ?
Have we surrendered to God , every part of ourselves?
Have we yielded to the Holy Spirit as He instructs and guides us?
things to ponder:
Do you eagerly desire to be used by God in any area that He chooses?
Are you always protective of others? Do you trust, hope and persevere because of your love for Christ Jesus and His bride-the Church?
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
13 If I speak in the tongues[b] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[c] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
******************************
The gift of the love.
Love, if understood in the manner that the Lord intends, is such an encompassing gift that it makes everything else possible.
If we could love as Jesus loves........there would be no limit to what we could accomplish for Him!
Is it not love that would put us at the feet of Jesus to ask for salvation for a lost loved one.
Is it not love that would cause us to be merciful to those who wrong us?
Is it not love that would enable us to completely and perfectly forgive?
Is it not love for God that would create in us a desire to seek Him in all things?
Is it not love for God that would make it so very easy to trust Him and believe Him for every part of our need.
We SAY the words so often.... but do we really MEAN them?
Have we sold out completely to the Lord Jesus Christ?
Have we surrendered to God , every part of ourselves?
Have we yielded to the Holy Spirit as He instructs and guides us?
things to ponder:
Do you eagerly desire to be used by God in any area that He chooses?
Are you always protective of others? Do you trust, hope and persevere because of your love for Christ Jesus and His bride-the Church?
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