How Do You Spell Love

“How Do You Spell Love?”

Luke 10:25-27

2-10-2008 PM

In today’s society we here some pretty strange definitions of love.

We have been told that it is not quantity but quality that counts.

Let me ask a simple question; how do you give quality without quantity?

I have not found a good answer yet.

Sometimes we skimp out with our families and say, “I do the best I can with the time given to me.”

Let’s do a little math:

I have 24 hours each day given to me, how many do you have?

I sleep 4-6 hours a day and some may sleep a little more, lets say we all get 8 hours a day sleep – 24 = 16 hours left.

Work is involved

Then our personal time

Then our exercise time

Then our Visit with others time.

Then there is the telephone time.

Then there is the TV time.

Somewhere in this time zone we need to read our Bibles.

So what is left?

I am not here to mock or make fun of anyone, we all struggle with time management in some sort.

I wonder what does God say about love toward Him?

Years ago there was a commercial that asked how do you spell relief? ROLAIDS. This was done so often that on spelling test relief was often spelt ROLAIDS.

Let’s look at love but spell it a little differently.

I. T – Tenderness [Heart]

I see the first thing listed hear is heart, and I found that the heart is more than just a muscle that pumps in our chest.

In fact the heart we see in our text has to do directly with the emotion of a person.

We see several examples of this emotion within the heart of man.

2 Kings 22:14-19 Vs.19 “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.”

Psalms 40:11 “Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.”

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

II. I –Individual [Soul]

I see the accountability of each person.

We cannot depend upon the actions or worship of our families.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalms 25:1 A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

III. M – Might [Strength]

I have spoken before of the training involved for an athlete to accomplish his/her task.

You can train as a team but we must all perform within this family on the strength that God gives to each person.

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

1 Chronicles 16:28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

Psalms 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalms 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

Psalms 71:18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

IV. E – Emotion [Mind]

Lastly we see the mind.