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.
Matthew 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Matthew 5:46 (MSG) 46 If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that.
THE FRUIT OF LOVE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY STORMS OR DROUGHT. IT WILL GROW AND DEVELOP WHEN IT IS ROOTED AND GROUNDED. IF YOU CUT A DANDELION OFF IT WILL GROW AGAIN FROM THE ROOTS.
Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 3:17 (MSG) that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love,
IS IT POSSIBLE TO LOVE WITH THE WRONG MOTIVES… LOVE LONG PRAYERS TO BE HEARD BY MEN NOT BY GOD.
Matthew 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
BEWARE THERE IS A CANCER THAT WILL GROW AND KILL REAL LOVE.THE FRUIT OF LOVE IN THE SPIRIT NEEDS LIGHT. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT DOES NOT SPEAK WITH A FORKED TONGUE. .. GOD’S FRUIT OF LOVE STARTS AT HOME
1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
THERE IS A DANGER THAT WE WILL LOVE BASED ON THE EXTERNALS. BEWARE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT OF LOVE MUST SEE BEYOND THE EXTERNALS.
James 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
Conclusion: I heard a young man say he wanted to go to hell. He stated that is where all his friends will be. My dear friend, there will be no friends in hell. Hatred will rule hell. The worse torment of HELL will be there will be NO LOVE in HELL. Hell will be the total absence of God. Where there is NO GOD, THERE WILL BE KNOW LOVE.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
