Daily Bread_April 26, 2013

Title: Love is Supreme in All Seasons

Text:

Acts 13:18 (ESV)
¹⁸ And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)
⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Observation:

We began the week talking about love, and today we end the week talking about love. It is easy to love people when they are lovely and appreciative, but it's another story to love people when they are unlovely and unappreciative.

I read an article this week that used Acts 13:18 that refocused me on the article I wrote on Monday about love. The only love that will outlast everything is the love that is unconditional.

When we love others in spite of their performance or lack of it; we demonstrate a maturity in our character that reflects Christ like graces. God will give you these grace gifts in abundance; and, it's up to us to give them to others as gifts of love.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

One more thing I would remind you about love, and it is this. Love is a verb; it is something we do for others. However, our actions are not the only thing; our motives matter. People will accept your gifts if they trust your motives; be pure in heart.

1 Corinthians 4:4-5 (NLT)
⁴ My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.
⁵ So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, you have shown us what love looks like. Father, help us to practice love of others in the manner that you have loved us. Father, may our actions and our motives be pleasing in your eyes. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/