Study and learn. Be changed. Ephesians 2 Made Alive in Christ 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not
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Love Never Fails?
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So love can fail if I don't feel that my spouse or friend isn't being easy to love? So my love can fail if I feel someone else can love me better? So my love can fail if being together isn't fun anymore? So my love can fail if I feel that God wants me to be happy ...even though Christ was a "man of many sorrows"? (Isaiah 53:3).
We KNOW these things aren't true...but we often choose not to live this way.
Read 1 Corinthians 13
1If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or[c]in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.
4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as [e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand [f]fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been [g]fully and clearly known and understood [[h]by God].
13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
God calls us to glorify Him. ... To glorify is to reflect HIM! How can we do that if we choose to not love those we feel aren't lovable? After all Christ loved us when we were yet sinners and He died for us. (Romans 5:8 and 1 John 4:10) . We aren't children anymore. It is time to put on our big girl panties and act like BIG girls.
Study the example of love God has set for us.... Then, choose to die to self and serve others out of humility (Phillipians 2) . Joy always comes from obedience to God. He will bless our efforts. Be encouraged...He isn't done with us... let's not be "done" with others.
dyedsALove that song! I have played it on my iPod many times, but haven't lately. So pretty! In going through Kay Arthur's book, Lord I Want To Know You, this past week she wrote that to glorify is "to give the correct opinion or estimate of". Woman is the glory of man, 1Corinthians 11:7... As a woman I am to treat my husband in such a way as to give a correct estimate of him as a man. In relation to God... I am glorifying Him by giving others a correct estimate of who He is by loving them. He is loving! If I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives through me (Galatians 2:20), than that is a task I need to continually surrender to Him to help me to do. Loving others that are not so loving is hard when we attempt to do it by the world's standards (Our own doing or flesh) but in surrender to God, He enables us... and the correct opinion or estimate of Him is revealed to others. He loved us despite our ugly rebellion towards Him. Most amazing God! Makes me smile! Thanks for sharing!
Big laugh!! That "dyads" at the start of my last comment was my attempt to put the code in to put it on your blog. I mess those things up quite a bit. So not a techy person! Ug! Now to do it again to post this! :D
Before you jump to the conclusion that I am saying Christian are "brainless" sheep, read this post completely. If you still aren't sure, read this post: Are Christians brainless? Why does He call us SHEEP? ( The Bible makes reference to sheep no less than 220 times). A few of the more notable passages that come to mind are the 23 rd Psalm, Isa. 53:6 and John 10. There are many references to His People being sheep. So why not something more powerful, like a ram or horse? Why not something more graceful and valued, like a prized bird? Well, God chose to use the word sheep to identify His followers, as we are "His sheep." Our shepherd, Jesus, is leading the way, so let's look at the facts about sheep-the nature of sheep. Let's look at the facts about sheep- *Sheep aren’t intelligent . Sheep are not known to be smart or cunning animals when it comes to safety; rather, they are susceptible and tend to wander away from the prote
I hit a milestone. I turned 50 years old. I am thankful that I don't feel 50. I am thankful for things God has taught me throughout those 50 years. . I have learned that God loves mercy and when I feel a sense that justice needs to happen over mercy, all I need to do is remember that I am thankful for when God gives me mercy instead of a just punishment. (Micah 6:8 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) ( Luke 6: 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ) I have learned that hurt people end up hurting people. When I am able to see that I didn't hurt them but I am bearing the results of that persons hurt inflicted by other people, it helps me forgive whatever hurt they pushed onto me and move on. (Romans 12 : 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ) I have learned that anyone who thinks they have God
At a certain age... I suppose 18 or so... half-birthdays are no longer as important to you as when you are young. Right now, the kids love having their 1/2 birthdays celebrated. We don't do much. We tell them "Happy half-birthday!"... and they are allowed to choose what we have for dinner (within reason... no super expensive choices .. like crab legs or sushi). And, they do get to have a cake. John-Michael is 8 1/2 today. I haven't had any of my children ask for a character-cake in quite some time...until last night. We were out very late watching the laser light show at Stone Mountain Park. A few hours before... John-Michael springs on me that he wants a Rayman Rabbids cake for his half-birthday. Now, I have church in the morning and knew I wouldn't get home before midnight last night... not much time to figure our how to make that kind of cake. So, like most things...I just went for it. I bought Twinkies ...pretty sure the first Twinkies ,,,. th
dyedsALove that song! I have played it on my iPod many times, but haven't lately. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteIn going through Kay Arthur's book, Lord I Want To Know You, this past week she wrote that to glorify is "to give the correct opinion or estimate of". Woman is the glory of man, 1Corinthians 11:7... As a woman I am to treat my husband in such a way as to give a correct estimate of him as a man.
In relation to God... I am glorifying Him by giving others a correct estimate of who He is by loving them. He is loving! If I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives through me (Galatians 2:20), than that is a task I need to continually surrender to Him to help me to do. Loving others that are not so loving is hard when we attempt to do it by the world's standards (Our own doing or flesh) but in surrender to God, He enables us... and the correct opinion or estimate of Him is revealed to others.
He loved us despite our ugly rebellion towards Him. Most amazing God! Makes me smile!
Thanks for sharing!
Big laugh!! That "dyads" at the start of my last comment was my attempt to put the code in to put it on your blog. I mess those things up quite a bit. So not a techy person! Ug! Now to do it again to post this! :D
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