The Greatest of These
is Love (Part 2):
Disciples of Jesus are commanded to love and serve God, to love
their neighbor, and share the good news of their salvation.
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Mark
16:15 NIV
He said to them,
"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Followers of Jesus learn that
the only way they can be bear fruit for God’s kingdom is with the help of the Holy Spirit. With this understanding we can then be confident that the true source
of all that is good and worthy is due to the work of
the Holy Spirit, whereby in a Supernatural way, through His power we are
changed to become more like Jesus. We also understand that God desires our
steadfast devotion and obedience to Him and not to the idols that we
build in our lives. We must rely on the
Holy Spirit to fill us with life, with Christ-like love, wisdom, power
and guidance to help us fulfill our mission and purpose for God.
Here are some Bible verses that remind us about the Spirit’s
influence in our lives:
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control
Romans 8:5-6 NIV
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
1 Corinthians 2:13 NIV
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
Acts
1:8 (New International Version)
But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The way we live our lives
and by the way in which we love others should be a reflection of our relationship
with Jesus. People
should know the reason and cause of our transformation into God-centered people.
They should know why we act differently, and why we desire to live a life that
is dedicated to God. To live God-centered means that we give recognition and
glory to God and not ourselves. In many
ways we attempt to die to self-interest for the sake of others and the kingdom
of God. We should live spirit filled lives so we can reflect Christ in such a
way that others would take notice and hopefully inspire them to seek after the
hope we have.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Revelation 4:11 NIV
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Ephesians
5:15-20 NIV
Be very careful,
then, how you live—not as
unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days
are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will
is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be
filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Another
way to show love to God is to live in obedience to Him. (Walk
with God).
The
life of Enoch is an example of one who walked with God.
Genesis 5:24 NIV
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Hebrews 11:5 NIV
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
God did not allow Enoch to
experience death. We can find an interesting parallel to one who is a follower of Christ in that they as
well will not experience spiritual death.
Noah was also a man who also walked with God. God saved Noah and His family from the Flood.
Genesis 6:9 NIV
This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis
7:1 NIV
The
LORD then said to Noah, "Go into
the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this
generation.
Enoch
did not experience death because of God’s providence and the fact that he walked
with God (Pleased God). Noah
was saved from the flood because of God’s sovereignty and the fact that Noah walked
with God. God also
recognized that Noah was a man who was righteous and blameless among the people
of his time.
As
believers we will not experience the sting of death because of our belief and
faith is In Jesus. Looking back at those who
pleased God, I find there is a powerful relationship of obedience, faith and
love that God recognizes in one
who
He considers a friend (ex. Abraham).
Genesis
15:6 NIV
Abram believed
the LORD, and he
credited it to him as righteousness.
James 2:23 NIV
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.
Receiving
God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus pleases God. God is calling us to
repent and receive Forgiveness
and eternal life through Jesus’ work on the Cross. Obedience to God’s commands
and desire For
our lives shows Him that we love Him.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
1 John 5:3 NIV
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
2 John 1:6 NIV
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
God also commands us to be
Holy.
1 Peter 1:16 NIV
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
We show love to God
love when we take His commands seriously. The command to be Holy is a tall
order to fill and and
it is impossible for us humans to be fully Holy in this life. But God does desire our hearts to be fully
connected to His
in
all areas of our life. This means we all need to consider making some lifestyle
changes of the things that are causing us
to be separated from Him. With the power from the Holy Spirit in our lives, we
will have the strength and desire to
make
these changes. And when we live authentically for God we are not only loving
Him, we are also modeling real faith
and devotion to others as well.
1 John 5:2 NIV
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
The
benefits of a life dedicated to walking with God can have a great and positive
impact on us, our families and our
friends as well. When we walk with God and follow His precepts we truly possess
pearls of wisdom and are fully
engaged in a process of being transformed into a person who is becoming more
like Jesus.
1 John 2:5-6 NIV
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Proverbs
3:5-6 NIV
Trust in the
LORD with all your
heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways
acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight
Romans
12:2 NIV
Do not conform
any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect
will.
Galatians
5:22-23 NIV
the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Philippians
2:13 NIV
for it is God
who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Colossians 3:12 NIV
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness
and patience.
Galatians 5:13 NIV
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather,
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather,
serve one another in love
We are encouraged to be
Christ-like Humble and loving, using our spiritual gifts to serve others:
Philippians
2:1-5 NIV
if
you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from
his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if
any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love,
being one in spirit
and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit,
but in humility consider others
better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as
that of Christ Jesus:
1
Peter 4:10 NIV
Each one should
use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its
various forms.
I
was once a total mess. A totally depraved human
being. Fortunately for me, my ever
deepening relationship with
Jesus has made a huge difference in my character and in my heart. Others,
especially my family, have benefited from
these changes in me, even though there are still times even now when I step
into the old self and do something stupid.
The
cool thing is, I have learned how to love others and desire to display that
love more so now than ever before. Yet this great new journey of life and
perspective does not bring about perfection nor is it void of suffering. It
is very helpful to remember that as followers of Jesus we are still a work in
progress. Until the day we are no
more,
we need to continue to mature in our faith and relationship with Jesus. We still
need to appropriate Godly wisdom and
strive to live a God-centered life.
The greatest change in me
has been brought about by God who loved me before I loved Him.
This is truth we must
comprehend and take to heart:
John
4:19 New International Version (NIV)
We love because he first loved us.
This
is love:
1
Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres.
1
Corinthians 13:13 NIV
And
now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Here is what we are called
to do:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
By sharing the hope we
have and what God has done and continues to do in our lives is an act of love
for others and shows that we Love God
by taking His command to love seriously. In fact, we are to go a step further
and are to make disciples. This is not an easy road to take because it goes
against a desire in most people to live for self. Making disciples means we
dedicate our lives to teaching and training others in the faith over other
things they may lead to a more comfortable and stress free life. We also know that our identify in Christ is
risky business because of the World’s hatred for Christians. But we know that Jesus is worthy of our love,
obedience, persecution and suffering.
No matter how good we
try to be in this life we could never save ourselves. That is why the greatest
act of love is what Jesus did on the
Cross. He paid the price for our salvation with His suffering and Blood. His
blood covered the sin
We could never pay
for. In turn, we are to love God and others in a supernatural way. Love is the
most important aspect of who God is. Love
should be at the forefront of everything we do.
Remember this one thing:
1 Corinthians 16:14 NIV
Do everything in love.
Just Sayin……………..Dave
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