Love: #1 Fruit Of The Spirit

LOVE, #1 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)

DO WE KNOW WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW? LOVE!

This is the first installment of 9 lessons dealing with the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. We find that we need A PLAN to be growing and developing THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. AS THE BLOSSOM FORMS BEFORE THE FRUIT, SO MUST FAITH AND PERSISTENCE THRIVE TO EXERCISE THE PRODUCT OF THE 9 FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. THIS IS LESSON #1 WITH 8 MORE TO FOLLOW. Of course we know these 9 fruit of the spirit is not a complete listing of the product we wish to grow. There are more traits to develop. WHERE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT THRIVES THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A SPIRIT FILLED LIVE. LOVE IS #1. LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

FRUIT IS THE MATURE OVARY OR OVARIES OF FLOWERS. WE FIND TWO TYPES OF PLANT LIFE: FRUIT OT VEGETABLES.

FRUIT IS THE FLESHLY OR DRY RIPENED OVARY OF A FLOWERING PLANT. FRUIT WILL ALWAYS ENCLOSE THE SEED OR SEEDS… TODAY OUR STUDY IS MORE THAN PHYSICAL FRUIT. LET US LOOK AT SPIRITUAL FRUIT.

The fruit of the spirit is a direct results of God’s presence and the Holy Spirit working on the external in internal forces within a person that is growing, developing and maturing believers.

1 Corinthians 13:4 (MSG) Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, 5 Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, 6 Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 7 Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

Define LOVE: a strong emotion,

GOD IS LOVE…

ENGLISH IS LACKING WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE. I love my dog? I love my car? I love flowers? I love my children? I love my church? I love my wife? ALL THESE ARE ONE WORD: LOVE. Let’s be real: I LOVE MY DOG MEANS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN MY LOVE FOR MY WIFE?

THERE IS 3 KINDS OF LOVE…

1. EROS LOVE: PUPPY LOVE, basic gratify, exotic, eye candy, fleshly attraction, friendship, desire, sexual.

2. PHILEO LOVE: deeper, stronger, longer lasting than EROS. FRIENDSHIP, sibling love, BROTHERLY LOVE, fondness, to like, family love, friends,

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Romans 12:10 (MSG) Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

*3. AGAPE LOVE: COMPLETE, the highest form of love, eternal love, growing love, not selfish, kind, unconditional, patient, to embrace the total person, sacrificial –giving, disciplined, no fear, no stress.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1 John is one of the most misquoted verses of the Bible. Many say the verse says: PERFECT LOVE CAST OUT ALL FEAR… You better look again… The Bible says the beginning wisdom is to FEAR THE LORD!

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Today many have lost their respect and fear of God and the Bema seat of God’s judgment. Love has to have a fear of God. (Not afraid, but fear to have love.)

LOVE NEVER FAILS…

1 Corinthians 13:8 LOVE NEVER FAILS…

We have a great assurance and promise, a guaranteed success rate if we operate in love.

LOVE GIVES: GOD ABSOLUTELY PROVED HIS LOVE TO US… HE GAVE US THE BEST ---

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

HOW DO WE KNOW IF THE DIAMOND IS REAL? WHAT IS A REAL CHRISTIAN GOING TO BE MEASURED?

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

THERE IS A DANGER OF ERO’S LOVE --- SURFACE LOVE THAT DIES WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH.