THE GREAT VIRTUE – Sunday August 20th 2017
Memorise: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1st Corinthians 13:13
13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
13:2 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.
13:3 And
though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my
body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
MESSAGE:
“The
LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with
an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.”
Jeremiah 31:3
Love
is a decision of commitment that is expressed as a strong feeling of
affection and attraction.
Based on God’s nature and actions, the
Scripture gives us insight into the source, character and value of love.
The Bible teaches that God is the source of love and that His very
character is love. If you have ever been deeply in love with someone to
the point of obsession, you will discover that you may lose your
appetite and forget to eat because of that person (Song of Solomon 5:2-8).
Your mind will become occupied with nothing else but that person. The
object of your love is the last thing you think of when you go to bed
and the first thing you think of when you wake up. Love involves the
totality of a person’s thoughts, feelings and actions. Love is a central
theme of the Christian faith and is a primary characteristic of God’s
nature.
“Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38
The
first object of our love should be God. We are enjoined to love God
with all our heart, soul and mind. Indeed, you need to understand the
love of God for you before you can appreciate what true love is. Having
received the love of God, God expects you to reciprocate His love by
worshipping Him in truth and by showing His love to others. The love of
God was manifested on the cross of Calvary. Jesus, with these words,
revealed the extent of God’s love for us in John 3:16:
“For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.”
Out
of love, God gave His only begotten Son as the ultimate sacrifice for
the salvation of humility.
He then commanded every one of us that has
received His love to reciprocate it by loving one another (1st John 4:7-8).
The Bible makes it very clear that the proof of love is its expression
through actions, especially actions that are taken in the interest of
others. Children of God should never be identified with envy, hatred,
pride, selfishness, or any form of wickedness. These vices are contrary
to God’s nature in us. As Christians, we must always radiate the love of
God with meekness, kindness, patience, peace and joy.
Prayer Point
Father, please fill my heart with Your love, so that Your love may flow through me to others.
Open
Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the
General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the
largest evangelical Church in the world and also the President of Christ
the Redeemer's Ministries.
0 comments:
Post a Comment