1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD
VERY BRIEFLY I WANT TO REASON WITH YOU ON THE THOUGHT
THESE THREE -FAITH –HOPE AND LOVE
MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS
IN THE CHAPTER THAT IS BEFORE US
THE APOSTLE PAUL PRESENTS A PERSUASIVE AND STRONG CASE
FOR THE PREEMINENCE ---
THE PERMANENCE AND THE
PERFECTION OF CHRISTIAN LOVE
BY LINKING LOVE WITH TWO
INDISPENSABLE GIFTS THAT SHOULD
BE FOUND IN EACH OF OUR
SPIRITUAL TOOL BOX
FOR HE SAYS
NOW ABIDETH FAITH , HOPE AND LOVE
AND IT`S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND THAT
THESE 3 WORDS ARE LABELED AS THE 3 GRACES
AND THEY ARE LABELED AS THE 3 GRACES
BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT THE
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF
CHRISTIANITY
SO HE TAKES THESE 3 WORDS AND
COUPLES THEM WITH A VERB IN THE SINGULAR
AND REVEALS TO US THE NECESSITY
AND THE EXCELLENCE OF THESE 3
GRACES
AND IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER
SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PAUL IS SAYING TO US
WE 1ST MUST LOOK AT THESE 3
WORDS INDIVUALLY AS WELL ALL 3 WORDS COLLECTIVELY
**************************************
NOTICE ---NOTICE ---NOTICE
WHAT HE SAYS
NOW ABIDETH FAITH
AND IT`S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND THAT FAITH IS NOT
THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF RELLIGION
BECAUSE EVEN SCIENTIST WHO
PROCEEDS TO TRY UNRAVEL THE
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE MOVES BY FAITH
BECAUSE THEY MUST HAVE FAITH IN
THE FACT THAT UNIVERSE IS LAW ABIDING
AND FAITH FORMS THE VERY AXLES OF THE UNIVERSE
YOU SEE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER
IS
MANKIND DON`T KNOW THE MILLION
PART OF ONE PERCENT ABOUT
ANYTHING
WE DON`T KNOW WHAT WATER IS
WE DON`T KNOW WHAT LIGHT IS
OR WHAT GRAVITATION IS
WE DON`T EVEN KNOW WHAT
ENABLES US TO STAY ON OUR FEET WHEN WE STAND UP
EVEN THOU MANKIND HAS A THEORY
ABOUT THESE THING
BUT WE DO NOT LET OUR
IGNORANCE ABOUT THESE THINGS
DEPRIVE US OF THERE USE
BUT IT IS BY FAITH WE USE THEM
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
FAITH IS AN IMPORTANT VIRTUE
BECAUSE IT IS A COMMITMENT TO
JESUS CHRIST
A VECHILE THAT GOD USES TO
ENRICH US WITH SPIRITUAL GROWTH
BECAUSE WHEN OUR FAITH GROWS
WE DO TO IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD
BECAUSE IT`S OUR FAITH THAT
UNITES US WITH JESUS CHRIST
AND SECURES OUR FORGIVINESS AND JUSTIFICATION
***********************************
WELL NOT ONLY DOES PAUL SAYS NOW ABIDETH FAITH
BUT THE RECORD REVEALS HE SAYS
NOW ABIDETH FAITH AND HOPE
AND THE WORD HOPE MEANS TO
OPEN THE EYES WIDE AND WATCH
FOR WHAT IS TO COME
YOU SEE HOPE IS THE DESIRE OF EXPECTANY OF THE FUTURE
BASED ON FAITH IN IT`S ULTIMATE REALIZATION
BECAUSE HOPE IS THE MINISTER OF STRENGHT
HOPE ELEVATES –STRENGHTENS AND INSPIRES
CAN I BORROW A SKINNY MINUTE
AND TELL YOU WHAT I`M TALKING
ABOUT
YOU SEE
HOPE IS TENANT OF THE HEART
THAT HAS BEEN BROKEN AND HEALED AGAIN
BECAUSE HOPE IS THE DESIRE
COMBINED WITH EXPECTATION
OF THE BLESSING THAT IS PROMISE
TO US AS BELIEVERS
IN THE WORD OF GOD
***********************************
BUT NOT ONLY DOES PAUL SAY
NOW ABIDETH FAITH AND HOPE
BUT THE RECORD REVEAL THAT
NOW ABIDETH FAITH HOPE AND LOVE
AND THE GREATEST OF THESE THREE IS LOVE
YOU SEE IN THIS 13TH CHAPTER OF THIS 1ST LETTER
TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH
PAUL REVEAL TO US
WHAT LOVE DOES
WHAT LOVE SEEKS TO AVOID
WHAT LOVE BEARS
AS WELL AS WHAT LOVE
BEARS –BELIEVE—HOPES AND ENDURES
FOR HE SHARES WITH THE CORITHIANS
THAT LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND
HE LETS THEM KNOW THAT LOVE IS
NOT
JEALOUS OR BOASTFUL
ARROGANT OR RUDE
IRRITABLE OR INTOLERANCE
IT DOES NOT REJOICE IN WRONG BUT IN RIGHT
AS WELL THAT LOVE BEARS ALL
THINGS
BELIEVES ALL THINGS
HOPES ALL THINGS
AS WELL ENDURES ALL THINGS
***********************************
WELL WE HAVE LOOK AT THESE 3 GRACES SEPARATELY
BUT NOW LETS LOOK AT THEM
ACTING AND RE-ACTING WITH EACH
OTHER
BECAUSE THESE 3 GRACES
ARE INTERWOVEN WITH EACH OTHER
AND ARE VAIN WITHOUT EACH OTHER
BECAUSE ALL 3 OF THESE ABIDING
PRINCIPLES SEAL OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
AND THE REASON WHY IS
WE COME TO GOD BY FAITH
WE TRUST GOD BECAUSE OF THE BLESSED HOPE
AND WE SERVE GOD OUT OF THE
SPIRIT OF LOVE
YOU SEE
HOPE WITHOUT FAITH IS A IDLE DREAM
BECAUSE FAITH HAS NO TIME FOR DOUBT
AND HOPE HAS NO TIME FOR DESPAIR
AND LOVE HAS NO DEALING WITH HATE
BECAUSE FAITH IS WHAT KEEP HOPE
HOPING
AND HOPE IS WHAT KEEP FAITH TRUSTING
AND LOVE KEEPS FAITH AND HOPE
LIVING
AND THE REASON WHY IS
FAITH IS IN -REACHING
HOPE IS OUT-LOOKING
AND LOVE IS IN -BEING
IT`S BY FAITH WE STAND
IT`S BY HOPE WE SOAR
AND IT`S BY LOVE WE ARE SONS AND
DAUGHTERS OF GOD
BECAUSE BY FAITH WE BELIEVE GOD`S PROMISES
BY HOPE WE WAIT PATIENTLY UPON
THEM
AND BY LOVE WE TESTIFY TO WHAT WE BELIEVE AND HOPE
BECAUSE FAITH IS THE OUR
FOUNDATION
HOPE IS THE WALL AND LOVE IS THE ROOF
YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
HOPE BUILDS ON FAITH AND BUILDS ON GOD
FOR BY FAITH WE ARE SAVED
AND WITHOUT IT WE CAN`T PLEASE GOD
FOR WITHOUT HOPE WE WOULD BE MISERABLE
AND WITHOUT LOVE WE WOULD`NT
HAVE NOTHING
BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE
**************************************
FOR I HEAR PAUL SAYING THESE 3
AND YOU DO KNOW THAT 3 IS AN IMPORTANT NUMBER
BECAUSE 3 STANDS FOR THAT WHICH IS
SOLID--REAL—SUBSTANTIAL –
COMPLETE ---- ENTIRE---UNIFIED AND PERFECT
BUT I ALSO HEARD PAUL SAY THE GREATEST OF THESE 3 IS LOVE
AND AS I GO TO MY SEAT CAN I TELL
WHY LOVE IS THE GREATEST
BECAUSE IT WAS LOVE
THAT STEP OUT OF ETERNITY INTO
TIME
GOT ON HEAVENS ELEVATOR CAME DOWN THROUGH 42 GENERATIONS
AND THE BOTTOM FLOOR WAS A VIRGIN NAME MARY
LOVE WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
REARED IN NAZARETH
BAPTIZE IN THE JORDAN
TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS
BETRAYED BY ONE OF HIS OWN
LED UP A MOUNTIAN CALLED CALVARY
NAILED TO AN OLD RUGGED CROSS
DIED ON THAT CROSS FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE
PLACE IN A BORROWED TOMB
BUT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
LOVE GOT UP WITH ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IN HIS HAND
THAT’S WHY THE SONG WRITER
TOOK A PEN AND PUT IT TO PAPER
AND WROTE THE WORDS
I WAS SINKING DEEP IN SIN FAR FROM A PEACEFUL SHORE
VERY DEEPLY SINK WITHIN SINKING TO RISE NO MORE
BUT THE MASTER OF THE SEA HEARD OUR DESPAIRING CRY
FROM THE WATER LIFTED ME NOW SAVED AM I
YOU SEE IT WAS LOVE LIFTED ME
WHEN NOTHING ELSE WOULD HELP LOVE……………. LIFTED ME
AIN`T GOD ALRIGHT
