March 15, 2009

Corinthians 13:1-7 & 13  

Love

Corinthians

If I could speak in any launguage in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I had the gift of pophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be?

And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody.

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

Love is patient and kind.

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

Love does not demand its own way.

Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. 

It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love will last forever....

There are three things that will endure--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.

*** 

Thoughts...

I specifically typed these references line by line because sometimes when we read, we ramble.  I feel it is important to "go over it line by line" as Jesus says in his Prayer of Thanksgiving (see below).  Love is the basis of our being...our foundation.  We must understand the love God had for us when we were conceived in his mind and born by divine nature.  A love that we are called to live daily.  A love that can only come fully and completely from him.  A love that caused Jesus to die for us, so that we may have our sins forgiven and allow us to be given eternal life.  

I feel inadequate to say anything more beyond what Paul and Sosthenes say here.  

Love is.  Love is God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Joseph and Mary, mother and father, brother and sister, friends, puppies and kittens, and even birds, etc.  The love spoken of here is a spiritual love...an agape love...a love far above a lustful love.  A philos love...a brotherly love.  A love that goes beyond the core of our being, yet that surrounds us as it rises above us and eminates from us.  We have only to read again the above reference to obtain a deeper understanding that love comes from God and goes through us to others.  

Lust stops within us.  It envelops and exudes greed.  There is a belief only in one's self.  A selfish love.  Jesus said "from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.  All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you."  He said, "All of you listen, and try to understand.  It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what come from your heart."  Mark 7

Paul explains further when speaking to the church in Galatia quoted in Galatians 5:16-22 NIV:  "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:  sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and withchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and evny; drunkeness, orgies, and the like.  I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law."  

Jesus, who exhibited the very essence of love, gave his love and life for the world.  We, who are called to his table of mercy, are to do as he did:  Love...fully.  

We do not have to die on a cross for others...he already did.  We are to see others as he sees them, not as we see them.  And we are to love them...still...anyway.  Our vision of others is shaded by our own sins and sins of others against us.  We are to rise above what we see, feel, and think.  We are to see what he sees, know what he knows, and believe as he believes.  And act as he acted...and still acts today.  Exuding love, exuding God from within.  We can only do that by learning who God, Jesus and Holy Spirit are and what their intent is for our lives and accepting them into the core of our being allowing us to have a new life, a new vision, a new love from within.

I saw something on TV once where a counselor was stating that in being with people who were dying, they didn't wonder if they loved, but if they loved well.  I'm guessing, that as Jesus was beginning his walk to the cross, he looked back on his life.  Let us come along side him, and journey with him, looking back on our lives.  Let us see where we loved...and where we did not.  Let us take the next few weeks leading up to the anniversary of his death and resurrection to enter into the soul of our being, release the pains of a lifetime, forgive those who have hurt us and... forgive ourselves.  Let us receive him into our heart, accept him as Lord and Savior, let go of our old sinful nature that believed we were our own master, or our own god, and let the one true God have full reign in our life...so that we may love and love fully...being healed to the core of our soul.  And then let us ask Holy Spirit to enter in and fill us to over flowing with all the gifts God, Jesus and Holy Spirit have to give us to make us new again.  So we can love as they loved.  So we can give as they gave.  So we can have a life....abundantly.        

The Life Application Bible New Living Translation states in the footnotes for Cor. 13:13 that "Faith is the foundation and content of God's message; hope is the attitude and focus; love is the action. When faith and hope are in line, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves." 

My faith is great enough to hope that you will actively love.  So, act up, folks.  Act up...with the love of God Almighty, Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of all, and Holy Spirit the Comforter,  Be redeemed! 

***

Let Us Pray

God, Jesus, and Holy Spirt, please come into my life.  I believe in you and I accept you as my God, my Lord and Savior, my Comforter, Teacher and friend.  Forgive me...please.  Forgive those who have hurt me.  I forgive them, too.  Heal me to the core of my being, so there is nothing in the way to keep me from receiving all you have to give me...especially your love.  I want to love fully, as you love me.  An agape, philos love.  Spiritual and brotherly.  Seeing others as you see them.  Loving as you love, acting as you act.  Build my faith, let me know, that I know, that I know the content of your message.  Birth my hope....correct my attitude and focus.  And let me act only in your name, as you would.  Let me never besmirch your name, as I walk forth proclaiming you Lord of all.   I pray that you and your love will exude from me to others.  And surround me with your protection, so that I am not taken advantage of, while you expand my knowledge and enhance the wisdom you give me, that I may apply the knowledge I've gained appropriately.  Let me not be fooled or attacked by the deceiver, Satan, or his assigns, those not of you.  Remind me to go back to your list given above to know the difference in who I am dealing with...those of you, God, and those not of you, who I will know by how they live.  'Shape me, mold me, use me, fill me'.  'Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me'.  Again, and again, and again, and again....and then still.   Thank you.  I love you.  Amen.            

***

Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

***

Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

***

***

If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regulary to us or gifting us, so that we can further the work and carry out the will of the Father as proclaimed in Matthew 28:16 NLT

 to

 "Go and make disciples out of all the nations

baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

***

  Our Current Cause

 We have a family in crisis who could desperately use your prayers and support.  The Mom, a good Christian woman, is young still...she just turned 50, and she has 3 young children under 15.  She has just been diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.  Her husband died 3 years ago from Cancer, and her Mother, who has her own health issues, is trying to care for her and her children and help her along life's way.  They do not have enough money to meet their everyday expenses right now.  But I am confident that, with your help, we can find some balance for them.  If this touches your heart, we hope you will pray earnestly for her to be healed, and pray for her family.  And, if you would, please send any amount of money you can to help them.  Please note 'Elizabeth and kids' in your note line on your check and we will see that all funds go directly to them.  Please consider reaching out to help them.  I know they will be sincerely grateful for anything you can do to help.  

Please accept our sincerest thanks....and may God bless you.

***

 Checks can be made out to

Church of the Holy Spirit

and sent to

Church of the Holy Spirit

P.O. Box 86076

Tucson, Arizona

85754-6076

If you have any questions, we can be reached at:

1-866-402-GIFT

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Mountain Time

As we grow, you will have options for allocating your gifts.

In the meantime, we hope you will trust us to direct them to where the need is the greatest.

We will be integrating Pay Pal soon for your convenience.

  ***

    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

 "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

  Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

***

***

I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

***

 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

Scriptures may be taken from the New Living Translations website.

 *