Bless you reader. Bless your thoughts and your hopes.

Continuing in the ‘Love Chapter’

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”  1 Cor. 13:2

Prophecy, understanding all mysteries, all knowledge, all faith, moving mountains! Wow, who is this guy? And then he follows with “I am nothing.” I am nothing! Does that seem just a touch extreme? Not in the least.
What Paul is saying is that these things; knowledge, faith etc. are awesome things to possess, but they will not pick a friend up at 4 am when you’d rather be sleeping. They will not show your children forgiveness, not teach them forgiveness (read first post), but show them forgiveness. They will not, they cannot, selflessly reach into someone’s life simply just to love them in some real way in Jesus’ name.

Jesus said,
The diagnostic approach to the disease is necessary then the plan of treatment is required the includes the herbal cialis canada pharmacy remedies and also the dietary recommendations and lifestyle modification. Facts about ED According to the studies a person practicing cialis viagra levitra the habit called smoking and alcohol consumption are likely to get a sexual problem in life. It is made from herbs without any side effects such as extreme dizziness, cialis line order breathlessness, skin rashes or chest pain. Glycine is believed to help stimulate the pituitary and the hypothalamus to disseminate sperm. levitra viagra online “This is my commandment. That you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this. That he lay his life down for his friends. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:12-14

“greater love hath no man.” “love one another, as I have loved you.” “lay down his life for his friends.” “Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.”

How do you measure up? I know I don’t. Doesn’t it almost appear hopeless? It well would be if it weren’t for the fact that God’s love and His salvation, as we will learn, is not based on our performance. Remember that phrase, “It is finished.” Praise Him for not leaving something so important in our hands. I would have lost, broken, or somehow offended it by now. The point here, though, is that Christ’s life was a continual sacrifice for all of us and for so many people he went to and reached. It is clear He often did things He did not want to do for the glory of God as well as the good of others. It is clear He did not want to sacrifice His life, but He did. “Not my will, but Thine be done.” We serve an awesome Lord and one who is very aware of our desire to do and not do what we want to either please ourselves or God.

It is important to note that the word ‘life’ in this verse is the Greek word psyche which is meant to encompass all of life, but mostly the part of us that is the seat of our feelings, desires, and affections. Therefore we may serve the Lord, by degrees, in ‘laying down’ parts of our lives in sacrifice for the good of others. (This is easy when we love them. Not so easy when they have harmed us are maybe think us a fool or actually despise us.) Paul goes further on this point in verse 3.

God is love. Without His love “I am nothing.”

1. Trish Says:
   June 17th, 2010 at 10:04 am

   I love the way you throw in the conversational commentary like “Wow, who is this guy?” and the realistic self-reflective comments like “How do you measure up? I know I don’t”—but you balance it with strong analysis of the passage itself and the phrases in there and the whole etymology thing. That could be a running motif in your writing that helps tie it all together—the same way your album has certain musical ties.

2. Joanna Says:
   June 22nd, 2010 at 6:40 pm

   God’s love is so amazing! It’s even more absolutely, amazingly wonderful that it doesn’t come with a price tag! No one would ever afford such love. Such a refreshing difference from the love of the world that ALWAYS comes with a prerequisite. I love you because you are beautiful. I love you because you make me laugh. I love the way you make me feel. So love dies when you are old and gray and lose the beauty of youth. It dies when one loses their sense of humor. It dies when someone no longer feels. Sad. God’s love on the other hand, is different. God doesn’t love. God IS love. God’s love is simply love and can be nothing else! AMEN!

3. amy periair Says:
   June 29th, 2010 at 1:47 am

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