Known by their Love...

Happy Sunday!

Dr. Bill Winston continued his series, "The Power of Love".  This installment was entitled, "Know them by their love".

Love is more than a feeling!  It's easy to see this fact in our society, with people falling in and out of love.  Love is not a feeling, Love is a person.  1 John 4:8 says, "God is Love."

So if God is Love and we are the people of God, our lives should represent love.  But if Love is not a feeling, what is Love?  Glad you asked.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 holds the answer to this important question.

Love is patient  - WOW!  Love is patient!  Even with unruly, impatient, and unlearned individuals.

Love is kind  -  Love speaks kind words and lives a life full of kindness.

Love isn’t envious - Love is happy and grateful for the things it has.  Love trusts that God will give them the desires of their heart, so there is no need to envy what others possess.

Love doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about - Love is thoughtful and even if Love has a reason to toot their own horn they choose not to, in order to build up others.

There’s no arrogance in love - Love does not deal in pride.  Love does not think or act as though they are smarter, or wiser than others or God.  Love beleives the Word and trusts God.

It’s never rude, crude, or indecent - this one needs no explanation. Or does it?

It’s not self-absorbed - Pride is self-centered. Humility is God-centered.  James 4:6 says, "It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”

Love isn’t easily upset - Love does not wear their heart on their sleeve.

Love doesn’t tally wrongs or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 

Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 

Love will never become obsolete. Now as for the prophetic gifts, they will not last; unknown languages will become silent, and the gift of knowledge will no longer be needed.

Faith works by Love.  Love is not easy, but it promises great rewards!

"We know that those who have been born from God don’t go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can’t harm them." - 1 John 5:18 (God's Word Translation)

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Foxes

Happy Sunday!

Luke 16:10-12 says, "He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?" (Amplified)

My mother-in-law, Minnie Pruitt used to say, "The Bible is so easy that a child can understand it and a fool would have no reason to err."  What a true statement,  Now we even have thousands of translations and versions that make it even easier to understand. So why are we still depressed, dissatisfied, disgusted, and diseased?  Could it be that we haven't applied the scriptures in Luke 16? Are we being faithful in the small things? Jesus was speaking! Do we believe what we are reading?  If we really beleive what Jesus said, we will do what Jesus said!

So what are the small things in your life? Think about it this way!  If you can't manage one employee, how will you be promoted to manage 100 employees?  If you can't keep your one bedroom apartment clean, how will you maintain a 3000 square foot house?  If you can't tithe a dime on that dollar, can you really be trusted with the millions you desire? Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "the little foxes are destroying our grape-fields".  The little foxes digging under and burrowing under the grape vines can break the connection of the vine and the branches.  It's the little things that can keep us separated from our blessings.  Jesus said, "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples." John 15:5-8 (Message)

My work is cut out for me!  I've got things to do.  I'll be identifying and eliminating little foxes this week!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Deny

Happy Sunday!

Luke 9:23-24 says, "If any of you want to walk My path, you’re going to have to deny yourself. You’ll have to take up your cross every day and follow Me.  If you try to avoid danger and risk, then you’ll lose everything. If you let go of your life and risk all for My sake, then your life will be rescued, healed, made whole and full."(Voice)

Deny means to refuse to give something to someone, or to prevent someone from having something. It sounds so simple.  We have just come out of the season of Lent.  Christians as well as non-christians denied themselves things in an attempt to show reverence for the Lord.  Jesus told his disciples to "deny" themselves daily!  Daily?  How can I do that?  So glad you asked!  

Jesus was telling his disciples, that in order to take up your cross daily you must be willing to kill yourself daily in front of other people. Don't get me wrong. Jesus was not suggesting, or encouraging suicide.  Suicide is the ultimate act of selfishness! He was comparing the daily love walk with the most extreme torture of his day. Being unselfish, and considering others over ourselves is taking up the cross daily. Dr. Leroy Thompson, Jr. said, "We cannot be so in love with ourselves that we are not willing to lose our identity for the identity of Christ!"  True denial of self, is allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us daily in every situation. It's denying ourselves in traffic, at work, in our family relationships, with unreasonable people, and most importantly with those outside of the Body of Christ.  Jesus said, "our strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 (TLB) Did you get that? If you want to prove that you are truly a Christian, then it will be evident in the way you LOVE! It's not easy, but it's possible.  It is only possible however, by LOVE.

1 John 4:6-7 says,  "We come from God, and those who know God hear us. Whoever is not from God will not listen to us. This is the way we discern the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. My loved ones, let us devote ourselves to loving one another.Love comes straight from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and truly knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."(Voice)

Love and prayers, Cynthia