TODAY! 21 day devotion by: H.R.Lister
Day 17: “Love will be all that’s Standing”
Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through LOVE…”
NIV “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love…”
Make no mistake about it, the most important component of your walk with God is your “LOVE WALK…”
Love will be the only thing standing in the end
1 Corinthians 13:8-13 “ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9) For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10) But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11) When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12) For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13) And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
-In the end when you’re standing before God, your college education won’t be an issue. How many books you read, how much of the Bible you can quote, how many times you went to church, how many of the rules you kept, how big or small your house was, what you drove or wore…
-There will be one subject and one subject only on trial that day and it will be: “How did you Walk in Love..”
Luke 10:25-37 “ And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26) He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27) So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 28) And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” 29) But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30) Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31) Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32) Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33) But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.34) So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.35) On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37) And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Much like the Lawyer, we’re not trying to find out how we can change our heart, we’re trying to justify our current behavior…
The lawyer knew the right answer, but Jesus demonstrated through a parable that “What you know about the Word of God means nothing if it’s not practiced…”
How did Jesus define “Who to Love” & “How to Love”?
The Priest making his way to the temple wasn’t the one Jesus said was demonstrating love.
The Levite following behind to go help the priest lead worship at the temple wasn’t His definition either…
It was the ordinary man that took what he had, HAD COMPASSION on a stranger who was in the ditch and fixed him….
*As the Church we have the ability to “FIX PEOPLE” that are in the ditch, if we’ll find our compassion….
*It takes sacrifice of our resources, our time, and our pride….
Acts 3:1-10 “Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
Matthew 9:35-38 “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36) But when He saw the multitudes, HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37) Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38) Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest…”
-The only way that THE CHURCH starts looking like “Jesus’ Bride”, will be when “COMPASSION” takes her over!
- if we’re not careful we can get caught up in ourselves and not be able to see the multitudes like Jesus sees them…
-We spend most of our time in the church getting things perfect for us and our families and being offended if it’s not the way we like it….
-Let’s be careful not to be the Church that lacks LOVE…. The church not in Love with Jesus and therefore not in love with what He’s in Love with…”
Revelations 2:2-5 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil, and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3) and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4) NEVERTHELESS I have this against you, that you have left your first LOVE. 5) Remember therefore form where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from it’s place— unless you repent…”
NLT “"But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first!”
Make no mistake about it, We will be judged on an individual level and as a Local Church on how we LOVED GOD WITH ALL, and OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELF…
-One thing I’ve noticed: “It’s hard to Love People and have Compassion if I’m hung up on how everything effects me…”
Love is hard and has to do hard things….
-Those things seemingly put us at the losing end of things…
-They do: You’re losing yourself, lowering yourself, denying yourself…
-That’s right where you need to be for God to use you the most effectively….