Love
Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Let’s talk about love.
Love, a word commonly used and thrown around effortlessly. So, what is love? There are many definitions of love in the world. Some say that love is a feeling, an emotion, a warm fuzziness that comes in us when we think of another person.
We do not understand what love is any more. So many ideas, emotions, actions are labeled and we assume that they constitute love. Many are confused and continue in the path of these ideas, emotions and actions and end up hating love, fearing love and perpetuating the wrong ideas about love. No need for confusion. Let us go to what scripture says.
It is inconceivable that scripture would not say anything about love. Scripture says that GOD is love. Love is the first fruit of The HOLY SPIRIT mentioned. Scripture also says that three things remain, faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.
Galatians 5:22-23 mentions the first fruit of The SPIRIT as being love. This means that, and I say conclusively that, love comes about as a result of The SPIRIT of GOD living in you. In other words, without The SPIRIT of GOD living in you and being in control of you, you are unable to love or perform acts of love. So, what we see in the world today being labeled love, a lot of it fails the scriptural test and this is confirmed by the disappointment many have felt when in love. It is because The MOST HIGH is not in it, not in the individuals doing the acts of love and not in act. Remember, our SAVIOR telling us that without HIM we can do nothing. Without our SAVIOR we cannot love. Without The MOST HIGH we cannot love.
A read of Galatians 5:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 13-14 reveal a good deal of similarities. Some of the words keep on resurfacing. Look and see.
Galatians 5:22-23 also states that the evidence of The SPIRIT of GOD in you is not only, love, but also joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. In other words without the SPIRIT of GOD, you cannot truly and authentically have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. 1 John 4:7-8. Some of these words resurface in 1 Corinthians 13.
Yes, many continue doing acts that on the face of it display these attributes. But a lot of it is for selfishness, publicity, photo ops, company policy or as an act of corporate social responsibility, for tax breaks, to be seen as a kind and good person, to fulfill religious laws and practice and many other reasons. Unless, The SPIRIT of the ALMIGHTY is behind these acts then they do not fall into the category of the love described in scripture. That is why; you find many evil and wicked people and institutions also doing acts that are widely considered as good and ‘loving’. Beloved, the scripture informs us that every work will be tested by fire, yes, even that proposal you made on one knee in the midst of a million roses while being serenaded by romantic music, including that donation you made to the poor and the under privileged.
What am I saying Beloved, in a nutshell, you must be saved and The HOLY SPIRIT must dwell in you and inspire all you do, otherwise you are operating in carnality, in the flesh, and you stand the risk of being told by The SAVIOR on judgment day, “ ..Depart, I do not know you” and then you start, “ But LORD, I removed devils in YOUR NAME....”. Beloved, get saved now and do all as led by The SPIRIT of GOD.
I Corinthians 13 continue to tell us more. These can also be described as the characteristics of love.
i. Love is patient. In other words, when you have love you are patient. That means you are tolerant, you endure, you don’t get tired easily, you don’t complain and you have peace and serenity around you. You exude peace. Our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, is also known as The PRINCE of peace. Everyone likes being around peaceful people. People who have been around HIM describe an amazing and indescribable feeling of peace. Peace and patience walk together.
Beloved, The MOST HIGH is patient with you while you are on this earth. After that time is up, you will face the consequences. Remember, Romans 8:28, all things work together for your good. Have peace and wait on The LORD. Psalm 37:3
ii. Love is kind. Kindness means being friendly, generous and considerate. The MOST HIGH is like this. HE calls us friends. HE gives generously and considers each and every aspect of HIS creation, including you, in their unique and joint circumstances. How then will you be authentically kind, if you do not know HIM and HE is not living in you? Most people can sense when someone is being kind to them with an end in mind. The MOST HIGH is kind, that’s HIS nature, to all. There is nothing you can give HIM. HE owns everything and everyone. HE can do all things. So, HIS kindness to you is the purest and most genuine form of kindness that can ever exist. HE lets the rain fall on the wicked and the good alike. He lets the wheat and the tares grow together that is while you are on this earth.
iii. Love does not envy. When you love, you will not be greedy or covetous or posses evil desire. You will not resent and spite those who have what you consider good and beneficial. You will be content and be happy for others. Remember, there is enough for all in this world as according to their purpose and needs. 1 Timothy 6:6-7, Godliness and contentment is great gain. You brought nothing to this world and you will leave with nothing. So, stop this even me I want what so and so has, I want to be like so and so, which is one of the foundations of idolatry. You are not so and so, you are you. Live with it.
iv. Love does not boast. When you have love you will not brag, show off and /or sing your own praises. Nowadays, just go on line, everyone is showing what they have, where they live, baring their bodies and souls, bragging without inhibition. Including Christian preachers and so called men of GOD. Then they start crying for privacy after they put it all out there. Can we please be serious? The MOST HIGH tells us to sing HIS praises not our own. Praise the LORD. AMEN
v. Love is not proud. When you have love you will not be thinking of yourself only, you will not be conceited, pompous, self –righteous, big-headed and arrogant. Remember satan, was once like this, with grand ideas full of pride. Beloved, are you proud? The LORD exalts the humble and ensures the proud are brought down. Deal with pride or The LORD will bring you down and we all know HE does not lie.
vi. Love does not dishonor others. When you have love, you will not go around dishonoring people, humiliating people, embarrassing them, washing dirty linen in public? This is not a behavior of children of The MOST HIGH. Children of The MOST HIGH sort out matters in private with decorum. Like Joseph, the husband of Mary. If someone has offended you, recording it and posting it and getting likes does not solve the issue. Actually, this is a form of bullying. In case of offense and or a problem, get the concerned party, and a trusted person, sort the matter out privately. Remember, what goes round comes around. One day the shoe will be on the other foot and you will not like it. I assure you. The MOST HIGH does not humiliate people. HE talks to them, sends them HIS servants to warn them of the danger of their seemingly private deeds. But we are so hard hearted, eventually our sin catches up with us and our sin exposes us because we are in this world where things are the way they are. But you a child of GOD, do not go around dishonoring people. Remember, that our LORD was dishonored for our sake, it was not pleasant. Don’t do it. Learn to follow scriptural procedure and protocol and when all else fails slink away quietly and let The MOST HIGH handle it. HE has the capacity.
vii. Love is not self seeking. When you love, you do so without having a hidden agenda or a personal agenda. People can smell agendas a mile away and will always treat it accordingly. They will either play along to see what they can also benefit from you or stay away from you. Remember, Beloved, The MOST HIGH sees not only your actions but your intentions and HE judges both.
viii. Love is not easily angered. Being angry is not a sin, but how you handle it will show if The SPIRIT of The LORD is anywhere near you. Erupting like a volcano and losing your senses is not beneficial to you or anyone else. Control your emotions and your actions. Do not let others and their actions control you. Be slow to anger like our FATHER, The MOST HIGH. Psalms 103:8; Psalms 145:8; Proverbs 16:32; James 1:19-27.
ix. Love keeps no record of wrong. Beloved, when you love, you will forgive in word and deed. Dwelling on past wrongs is not a characteristic of The SPIRIT of GOD. When you repent and change your ways, The MOST HIGH forgives and forgets your sin. On this earth, people will wrong you, forgive them before they ask you too, it may be hard to forget but ask The HOLY SPIRIT to help you. When they eventually come to you and ask for forgiveness, you must not treat them in light of their previous evil actions otherwise you have not truly forgiven. Hmmmm! Beloved, that is why we really and desperately need The HOLY SPIRIT. We need to hear HIM. WE need discernment and direction and in some cases we need HIM to keep certain people away from us. Without Him you can do nothing.
x. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. Beloved, lies, cheating and dishonesty are signs that the devil is your father. Say the truth, face the consequences. Beloved, celebrating evil, protecting evil, defending evil are also signs that you and The MOST HIGH are not on the same page. The MOST HIGH has zero tolerance for evil and sin including lies, deception, cheating in all formats including white lies and half truths. Be warned and align yourself accordingly.
xi. Love protects. When you love, you will seek to guard, to look after and shelter. You will not engage or support activities that endanger or harm especially when it comes to the people around you. Nowadays, protection is taking on another meaning as concerns the enemies of The MOST HIGH who want to be protected as they sin. For our purposes as children of the MOST HIGH, let us not harm others or ourselves or creation.
xii. Love always trusts. Beloved, even in these days when it seems that there is no one to trust, know that that is a lie from the devil. Elijah thought he was all alone, but The MOST HIGH reminded Elijah that there are still many people very loyal to HIM. Beloved, there are people on this earth who you can trust. Trust The MOST HIGH to bring them your way.
xiii. Love always hopes. Do not give up. Every single day the sun always rises whether you see or feel it or not. Do not give up. Keep hope alive. Even if things on this earth look doomed, things in our FATHER’s plan are not. No eye has seen and no ear has heard what The MOST HIGH has in store for you. HE has good plans for you. Do not give up. When you feel like giving up, it is a sign that you need to get closer to The LORD. Perhaps you are drifting away. Come back and rest in HIS presence. Let HIM have HIS way in HIS time.
xiv. Love always perseveres. Yes, beloved, love is not weak. Love is strong. The Song of Solomon says love is strong as death. Be strong in The LORD. Take adversity as a time and an opportunity to build and develop spiritual muscles. When Adam and Eve disobeyed our FATHER, HE could have thrown in the towel and given up in you. HE stayed with HIS plan and here you are. Persevere. What does this mean? It means persist, continue, keep at it, keep on, carry on, keep trying, stick with it, hold on. The MOST HIGH shows us how. Despite the massive failures of mankind, The ALMIGHTY still sticks with us, HE has not wiped us all off the face of the earth and the palm of HIS hand. You too beloved, keep on.
xv. Love never fails. The MOST HIGH will never fail. Never ever. HE will have HIS way. HE will have HIS way whether you like it or not. So, how about you get on HIS side and get your name in HIS Book of Life.
Beloved, note that the attributes and characteristics of love easily and without doubt can be translated as attributes and characteristics of The MOST HIGH. We are made in HIS image and likeness so we should be like that and demonstrate these attributes and characteristics all the time. Remember, you cannot do it unless The MOST HIGH helps you, unless HIS HOLY SPIRIT is living in you. This means that you first must accept the salvation offered to you by The ALMIGHTY through HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST. Believe in The LORD JESUS CHRIST and you will be saved. For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, that whosoever believes in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life. Believe in The LORD JESUS CHRIST and you will be saved. If not, you are in trouble, and your name is not and will not be in HIS book of Life.
Beloved, the scripture informs us, "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15.
Do you want to know JESUS as your personal Lord and Savior? Your eternity is at stake! JESUS has opened the door of salvation to every person. But there is coming a day when the door will be closed. Today is the day of salvation. Choose to be in the family of GOD. JESUS died so that we can spend eternity in Heaven with HIM. Don't delay! And if you want to begin a relationship with GOD or resume a broken one, say this: O GOD, I come to YOU today. I know I am a sinner. I believe that JESUS died on the cross to save me and HE resurrected on the third day. I repent of my sins and forsake them. I confess JESUS as my LORD and SAVIOR . I invite JESUS into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank YOU JESUS for saving me and making me a child of GOD. Amen
