Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Loving God So I Can Love Others

My Utmost For His Highest
 
‘How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.’ CHAMBERS
 
If you were able to take a measurement of your life … as if your new life in Christ were a fluid that you could put in a measuring cup. The cup represents all of your life; How full would the cup be? ¼, ½,?  What remains unfilled in the cup is your old nature.  Does your life represent love . .toward God and others (Matt 22:37-39)?  Or does it represent love for yourself.  Here is a good indicator … see if this describes you … “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13)
 
Paul said earlier in that chapter …  “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”  It does not matter what we do if the motivation is not there … we are just making noise … and we are missing the point … John 15:13 “no man has a greater love than this .. than to lay down his life for his friends.”  If your measuring cup is not filling up... you, my friend, have a love problem. Go to the One who IS love. God is the One who fills it, not you.
 
“Fill my cup, Lord’  I lift it up, Lord.  Come and quench this thirsting in my soul.  Bread of Heaven feed me till I want no more. Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.”
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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