A devotional site that lifts up Jesus our Lord as well as confronting the falling away of the modern church.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Without Love
WITHOUT LOVE
In order to love others you must have humility. And in order to have humility you must see others as more important than yourself. That is a very great challenge. Without humility you cannot have God's love, and without love you cannot follow Jesus.
Our praise is for Jesus who"humbled himself... even unto death, yea the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).
In order to faithfully follow the King of Kings and Lord of Lord we need to daily desire to humbly serve others.
Paul urged the saints at Philippi to develop righteous attitudes toward one another, he said, ". . . in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself, not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others" (Phil. 2:3,4).
Do we know the true Jesus? Do we know the true Jesus who willingly taught the Samaritan woman?
Do we know the true Jesus who made time for conversation with the woman taken in the act of adultery when certain people brought her to Him (Jn. 8:3-11).
Do we know the true Jesus who was found, at certain times, eating with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:11,12)?
Let us learn from humble Jesus not to be so selective about those whom we are willing to teach.
Let us learn from Him that "the blessed Gospel is for the ears of all sinners."
1Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
Even though a Christian can spout the correct doctrinal theology, they are still like a child sitting in the kitchen beating on pots and pans just to make noise. Love for the unsaved should be our doctrine.
1Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I can have my soul filled with faith and hope but if I do not have the love that Jesus had for the lost, I have nothing.
When we truly love Christ He will bless us with a love for the lost. Faith, hope and love are interlinked and we know that faith works through love and that without faith it is impossible to please God.
If we have no love for the lost, then we still don't understand what Jesus did on our behalf when He poured out His soul unto death. If we have no love for the lost, then we don't yet know the true Christ!
Can anyone here give some info on evangelical missions that are for real? I have been searching the web for missions to eastern Europe, Israel, Muslim nations etc. Any info will be appreciated.I want to give to missions that will bring the lost to Yahshua at this late hour. Thanks
I've been giving to this ministry for years...this ministry started in my home town of North Bennington, Vermont...
They are every bit of Matthew 25, feeding, sheltering, providing for the poor, preaching the gospel and expanding into many areas of the world...also providing housing for the elderly, those of misfortune, helping those with no income with trade schools ect...
I encourage you to log onto the website and e-mail any questions... Blessings
Psalm 90:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
God teaches that His house shall be a house of prayer. A man or woman can't be truly loving without being prayerful. Our prayer life needs to follow the format of Mathew 6:9-13 to truly honor God.
Multitudes worldwide are prayful but because they stubbornly pray amiss God is unwilling to draw them to His Beloved Son.
Oops, now I feel really foolish here. The comment "This is so true. Alleluia and a thousand amens" pertains to this post, not the Thank-You post, albeit both express graciousness.
And may I add...."a precious amen to Cheri's comment. So very true, so very true dear sister!
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up does not behave rudely, does not seek its own , is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 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.......
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6,13
Who can totally, with every fiber of their being, truly understand the depth of love Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior has for us?
That He, our Jesus, our LORD, our Redeemer, the Savior of this entire universe, would look down from that tree and still plead with His Father, our Father, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do," still to this day.....
brings deep, gut wrenching tears to my very soul that He would love me so much while a wretched sinner and still, yes still sinning until we receive our glorified bodies in heaven.
This is not cheap love in which the believer can just take it out of the store bag, crumple it up and throw it away. This love has no carnality, no flesh filled pleasure to even boast. This love is love like no other of which any man can boast or pride in...
The greatest love is Jesus Christ. Worship Him.
May all or you, dear readers, be loved by the King today as you delight in His Glory.
"brings deep, gut wrenching tears to my very soul that He would love me so much while a wretched sinner
Painfully, so very real and painful is the reality of this phrase by Anonymous at 6:40am. The sting of truth is all to real sometimes. All I can say is INDEED. Indeed it is gut wrenching and brings tears of awe to think He loves me even when I sin. I try not to, but I do. And it is so very hard to think He still loves me even when I am disobedient. I really fall short and do not deserve His love. But to believe Jesus is to believe all He says, and all He has done. It is hard to accept because our flesh wants to condemn. But with a grateful heart, I say Thanks Lord. I am undone.
The greatest love that man can experience is found in an intimate relationship with the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Desire daily to worship Him in spirit and truth.
So thankful you're back, Bro. Rick. I was worried.
ReplyDeleteGood words!
J.
Very true and well said
ReplyDeleteYes, a challenge I have fallen short on many times. Thanks for this post, Rick
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteOur praise is for Jesus who"humbled himself... even unto death, yea the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).
In order to faithfully follow the King of Kings and Lord of Lord we need to daily desire to humbly serve others.
Paul urged the saints at Philippi to develop righteous attitudes toward one another, he said, ". . . in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself, not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others" (Phil. 2:3,4).
Do we know the true Jesus? Do we know the true Jesus who willingly taught the Samaritan woman?
Do we know the true Jesus who made time for conversation with the woman taken in the act of adultery when certain people brought her to Him (Jn. 8:3-11).
Do we know the true Jesus who was found, at certain times, eating with publicans and sinners (Matt. 9:11,12)?
Let us learn from humble Jesus not to be so selective about those whom we are willing to teach.
Let us learn from Him that "the blessed Gospel is for the ears of all sinners."
1Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
ReplyDeleteEven though a Christian can spout the correct doctrinal theology, they are still like a child sitting in the kitchen beating on pots and pans just to make noise. Love for the unsaved should be our doctrine.
1Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I can have my soul filled with faith and hope but if I do not have the love that Jesus had for the lost, I have nothing.
Joel
ReplyDeleteWhen we truly love Christ He will bless us with a love for the lost. Faith, hope and love are interlinked and we know that faith works through love and that without faith it is impossible to please God.
If we have no love for the lost, then we still don't understand what Jesus did on our behalf when He poured out His soul unto death. If we have no love for the lost, then we don't yet know the true Christ!
God bless you!
Can anyone here give some info on evangelical missions that are for real? I have been searching the web for missions to eastern Europe, Israel, Muslim nations etc. Any info will be appreciated.I want to give to missions that will bring the lost to Yahshua at this late hour.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Evangelical Missions -
ReplyDeletehttp://lncministries.org
I've been giving to this ministry for years...this ministry started in my home town of North Bennington, Vermont...
They are every bit of Matthew 25, feeding, sheltering, providing for the poor, preaching the gospel and expanding into many areas of the world...also providing housing for the elderly, those of misfortune, helping those with no income with trade schools ect...
I encourage you to log onto the website and e-mail any questions...
Blessings
Amen to this post! Few words, yet powerfully true. Jesus never wasted words as well. May He be worshipped and glorified.
ReplyDeleteGrateful you are posting again. May our God be with you, Rick.
7:06 PM
ReplyDeleteWow, I live in West Dover VT. We are practically next door neighbors!!!
Thanks for the info, will check it out!
Time to pray for the people of Ukraine!
@Anonymous -
ReplyDeleteWe used to have family reunions in Dover years ago...My Mother is from Wilmington, VT...
ReplyDeletePsalm 90:14
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
God teaches that His house shall be a house of prayer. A man or woman can't be truly loving without being prayerful. Our prayer life needs to follow the format of Mathew 6:9-13 to truly honor God.
Multitudes worldwide are prayful but because they stubbornly pray amiss God is unwilling to draw them to His Beloved Son.
Josef Sefton
Without love......we wouldn't exist.
ReplyDeleteOops, now I feel really foolish here. The comment "This is so true. Alleluia and a thousand amens" pertains to this post, not the Thank-You post, albeit both express graciousness.
ReplyDeleteAnd may I add...."a precious amen to Cheri's comment. So very true, so very true dear sister!
Without the Author of love we wouldn't exist. And without love the quality of life is...well you decide.
ReplyDeleteReine Gnade
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up does not behave rudely, does not seek its own , is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 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.......
ReplyDeleteAnd now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6,13
Who can totally, with every fiber of their being, truly understand the depth of love Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior has for us?
That He, our Jesus, our LORD, our Redeemer, the Savior of this entire universe, would look down from that tree and still plead with His Father, our Father, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do," still to this day.....
brings deep, gut wrenching tears to my very soul that He would love me so much while a wretched sinner and still, yes still sinning until we receive our glorified bodies in heaven.
This is not cheap love in which the believer can just take it out of the store bag, crumple it up and throw it away. This love has no carnality, no flesh filled pleasure to even boast. This love is love like no other of which any man can boast or pride in...
The greatest love is Jesus Christ.
Worship Him.
May all or you, dear readers, be loved by the King today as you delight in His Glory.
"brings deep, gut wrenching tears to my very soul that He would love me so much while a wretched sinner
ReplyDeletePainfully, so very real and painful is the reality of this phrase by Anonymous at 6:40am. The sting of truth is all to real sometimes. All I can say is INDEED. Indeed it is gut wrenching and brings tears of awe to think He loves me even when I sin. I try not to, but I do. And it is so very hard to think He still loves me even when I am disobedient. I really fall short and do not deserve His love. But to believe Jesus is to believe all He says, and all He has done. It is hard to accept because our flesh wants to condemn. But with a grateful heart, I say Thanks Lord. I am undone.
your sister in Christ Jesus
The greatest love that man can experience is found in an intimate relationship with the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Desire daily to worship Him in spirit and truth.
ReplyDelete