To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Is Not Easily Provoked” Part 1

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itcpsYqot1c]   
As we continue looking at events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In this devotional, we will see the withholding of Christ’s much deserved anger, as He willingly faced abuse and even death at the hands of sinful mankind.  

Christ’s Life:

 

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Does Not Get Irritated or Angered Easily

  Christ was abused, mistreated and rejected throughout His ministry on earth. Isaiah the prophet foresaw this rejection of Christ when he wrote…
“For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”   (Isaiah 53:2-3)   Isaiah not only spoke of the great opposition that Christ would face, he also summarizes for us the common reaction of Christ to this great abuse when he said… “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)  
Although this type of loving calmness in the face of opposition took place throughout His life, I would like us to center upon just one event that clearly shows us Christ’s ability to control His temper, thereby treating others mercifully, even in the midst of great opposition and abuse. This took place just prior to His trial and crucifixion on the cross…
“And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Then took they him, and led [him], and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off… And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote [him].And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. (Luke 22:47-54, 63-65)  
Here, in this event we can see Jesus had placed before Him a very telling choice. Would He direct His followers to physically oppose the false accusations, arrest, abuse, unjust trial, crucifixion and physical death; or, would He choose to withhold His anger, and His natural desire of self-preservation and allow this heinous abuse of Himself to take place unopposed? Jesus answers this question for us in His verbal and active response to Peter:
His verbal response - Christ said “Suffer ye thus far.” In other words, “allow this to take place”
His active response - Peter, showing his impatience, irritation and rashness lashed out and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers coming to arrest his Lord.   In comparison Christ, putting His patience and withheld anger on display, reaches out and heals the severed ear of the soldier.  
Also Christ’s response to the false accusers is telling as well… “Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
In saying this, He was explaining for all to hear that He was going to be in submission to what was about to take place because “this is your hour and the power of darkness”. In other words, this is the time, set aside by God for the wicked powers of darkness to take Christ, abuse Him and put Him to death. In doing so, they would be bringing about the will of God in the redemption of His people (Isa 53:10, Acts 2:23).  
Instead of Christ allowing His anger to rile and oppose the injustice against Him that was about to take place, we see that He simply submitted to the mistreatment, recognizing it was a part of God’s plan for His life and the redemption of His people. What was His motivation to allow the lost to take Him and abuse Him and put Him to death? It was His love for His Father and love for those God had given to Him.  
Along with this study, we need to keep in mind that the Lord did display a righteous anger during His walk on earth. He displayed this righteous anger in at least three or four different occasions:
1. healing the man that had a withered hand (Mark 3:1-6) – angry and grieved at the hardness of their hearts
2. the two temple cleansings ( 1^st - John 2:13-22; 2^nd - Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48) – angered at the abuse of the worship place of His Father
3. the address of woes to the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-36) – angry at the false teaching and misleading practices of the Pharisees.  
A quick look at each event shows one thing in common. These displays of anger shown by Christ, in every case, involved anger concerning sins committed against His Father and the harmful results of those sins in the lives of others. It was never anger shown selfishly in opposition to opposition and mistreatment of Himself.  

Our Lesson To Be Learned:

Do we ever find ourselves angry at those who abuse or offend us? Do we ever use anger in a defensive way trying to “get back” at others who have mistreated us? May we all follow the example of Christ and exhibit, love, patience, and mercy by keeping our love in control. Also, may we exhibit love at the proper times against sin and those who bring harm to others through that sin.
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:   But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”   (Matthew 5:21-22)  
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To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Seeketh Not Her Own”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)

 As we continue looking at events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In this devotional, we will see Christ’s willingness to give His very life for others. Just like in our prior studies, in many, many events in Christ’s life we find Him giving of Himself for others. He gave up so many things while on the earth to minster to those around Him (His time, possessions, reputation, comforts of life, and even His life). In our devotional, we will look at the ultimate sacrifice He made for us, the giving of His life on the cross …

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzls6mS70qg]  

Christ’s Life:

 

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Does Not Live Selfish Lives

 

 Christ’s kindness and love is shown to us as He willingly suffers and dies on the cross in payment for the sins of His people (John 6:32, 47-51)…  

And Jesus said unto them…Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Here, we can see that the Lord makes a very simple, clear-cut statement. If a person places in faith in Jesus and His work on the cross, he will possess everlasting, spiritual life.  

I am that bread of life.Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:

Christ describes Himself symbolically as “the Bread of Life”. He then likens placing faith in Him and entering into a divine relationship with Him as eating that bread. Why would He picture the saint’s relationship with Him as the partaking of bread?

There are many reasons, here are a few of the most obvious ones:

1. Bread is the source of life. No one can live apart from physical nourishment, so too, no one can live spiritually apart from Christ.

2. Bread is the source of strength. So too, apart from Christ, all men are spiritually impotent, unable to please God in any way.

3. Bread is a gracious gift given to man by God. The bread we eat is ENTIRELY reliant upon God’s intervention causing the wheat to sprout and grow (by enabling the farmer, controlling the weather and being with the baker). So too, Christ’s death and the resultant salvation is entirely reliant upon the gracious intervention of the Lord in the life of the sinful individual (graciously supplying the substitute for their sins [Christ] ,and directly intervening in the life of the lost individual bringing them to Christ)

4. Bread, once eaten, supplies satisfaction and does away with hunger. Once saved, the individual experiences spiritual peace and contentment, no longer having a spiritual void within them.  

and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Christ now describes this bread very specifically as His “flesh”.   This is describing His physical, human life and body that was received at His conception in the womb of Mary. Christ goes on to teach us that He will unselfishly “give” His “flesh” … “the bread that I will give is my flesh”

This is speaking of two different aspects of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf:

1. the giving His body to be bruised and mistreated prior to, and during, His crucifixion

2. the giving of His physical life as He hung on the cross.  

What a tremendous sacrifice and unselfish gift given by Christ for sinners who do not, in any way, deserve His wondrous gift.   Christ is not a racist, nor did He die only for one favored physical nation, dialect or family. No, He died for the world… “I will give for the life of the world.”  

And throughout time this has been proven true as we see men and women from all the various nations, tongues, and families of this world come to a saving knowledge of Christ as they found everlasting life in Him.  

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:13-14)  

Our Lesson To Be Learned:

Folks, do we love others? If so we should be willing to sacrifice ourselves to meet their needs. Do we love God? If so we should be willing to sacrifice ourselves to bring glory and honor to our Lord who gave Himself for us. It is, simply, our reasonable service and to be expected as servants of Christ…  

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)  

“And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and [in his] Father's, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)  

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To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Doth Not Behave Itself Unseemly”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RQRSevKe8Q]  

As we continue looking at events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In this devotional, we will see Christ’s loving attitude being shown to a woman who was caught committing adultery...    

Christ’s Life:

 

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Does Not Bring Shame Upon Others

  Christ’s kindness and love is shown to us as He defends a woman being publically humiliated for a sin she had committed (John 8:1-11)…  

Let’s take a fleeting look at His great love shown to this woman…

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?   This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.  

Although there was no question concerning the woman’s guilt… “this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.”

However, the scribes and Pharisees who brought this woman before the crowd were not concerned about keeping Moses law in an effort to glorify God. They were doing this for ulterior motives, to find fault with Christ. “This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.”  

In other words, they were simply using this woman for their own purposes. They didn’t care about her nor justice being done. They were bringing her to a public shame for the sake of tricking Christ and finding fault with him.  

But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard][ them not]. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.   And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard [it], being convicted by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  

Jesus was very deliberate in His response to these men. Please notice that He did not “jump down their throat”, even though He would have had every right to do so. Instead, He remained silent while writing on the ground. It was only after they continued to press Him that He responded verbally. When He did speak, it was a very simple straightforward question… “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Then He bent down and continued to write. Following this, we see that those who were quick to judge and bring shame upon this woman, being convicted by their conscience left one by one.

What just happened? Although it is not clearly told to us, I believe that as the Lord wrote on the ground, He was writing the ten commandments. This reminded all the accusers that they too had sinned against God. This is what caused their conscience to be convicted and, in turn, resulted in them leaving the scene.   When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.(John 8:1-11)  

Here is now a wonderful display of our Lord’s great grace. Following the sending away of her accusers, the Lord then does not issue a decree of deserved punishment upon her, but lovingly forgives her instead.   The forgiveness that was issued by Christ was an indication that the Holy Spirit had worked in her heart, and the woman had exercised faith in Christ. The Lord then instructed her, as a believer, to live a changed lifestyle for His glory… “go, and sin no more” Stop and think about it, the Lord stopped the public, shameful treatment of the woman and also pointed out the sins of her accusers without putting either to public shame…

By silently writing on the ground, instead on listing the personal sins of each individual one by one, He was able to reveal to each man his guilty condition while yet allowing their individual sins to be private. By dealing with her, only after the crowd had dispersed, He was able to address her sin in a private way and work an act of grace in her heart and life.

When dealing with sin, the norm for Christ was to work in a very private way between Himself and the sinner. The only times He exposed the sins of others in a public forum was when the sinner had actively led others astray (False teachers, false prophets, and other heretical religious leaders). In those cases, He revealed their sinful condition publically, in the hopes of discouraging those who were predisposed to follow them.  

Our Lesson To Be Learned:

Just as Christ refrained from bringing others to public shame, we should seek to do likewise. Many times this will involve approaching those who have sinned against us privately as the first step to a reconciliation process. It is only after their rejection of this attempt are we to begin to reveal their sin to others (Matthew 18:15-17).

Also, keep in mind, although this woman was guilty of the sin with which she was charged, the Lord still graciously, lovingly, forgave her. Many times, we will be called upon to do the same. Although we are sinned against and justly deserve “a pound of flesh” in return, we are to choose to forgive the guilty party instead of vindictively exposing their sin in a public fashion.   “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)  

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To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Is Not Puffed Up”

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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  

As we continue looking at events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In this devotional, we will see Christ’s willingness to unhesitatingly, humbly, submit to others as He stoops low to meet their needs...  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90pHMUK647Q]     

Christ’s Life:

 

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Is Not Puffed Up (Is Not Proud)

From Christ’s entrance into the world until His exaltation following His ascension, we see Christ (God Himself) ministering to others in the midst of abuse and mistreatment.   Christ’s humility was shown to us in many, many ways as He ministered to fallen mankind… In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men… He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-4, 10-11, 14)  

Christ, the eternal God and Creator of all things, was the source of all physical and spiritual life. It is this same Creator God who humbly came to the earth as a Man to give the world the light of the revelation of His Father. In spite of all He did for fallen mankind, they did not recognize, nor kindly receive Him.   Yet, He remained faithful to His people and finished His work on our behalf…  “[Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:3-8)

This is true humility motivated by love… love for His Father and love for those to whom He came.   Christ summarized this aspect of His ministry as recounted by Matthew…  “But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)  

Our Lesson To Be Learned:

  Christ set the example for us of ministering to others instead of living lives of pride, arrogance and rulership over others. During one of the most shocking displays of His humility, He taught all of His followers the need to, with no hesitation, place no limits on our service to others…   “So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am.If I then, [your] Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:12-17)  

Are we willing to serve in ANY WAY to which we are called? Are we willing to stoop low to meet the needs of those who do not merit our aid? This is a genuine mark of our Lord for our Lord and for those around us.     
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To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Vaunteth Not Itself”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x7AfrjqMZU]  
As we continue looking at events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In every example, we will be seeing Christ choosing to exalt His Father instead of Himself...   Christ’s Life:

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Vaunteth Not (No Self-Exaltation)

 One of Christ’s great missions while on earth was to refrain from self-exaltation while seeking to bring honor and glory to His Father. This desire in the heart of Christ was gendered by His great love for His Father. He spoke about this great pursuit in our study for this morning…
Let’s look and see what Christ taught to the Jews, as He explained His desire to bring glory to His Father as a chief goal of His ministry…   “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” (John 7:14-18)
In this account, we can see the depth and authoritativeness of the teachings of Jesus caused the Jews to be amazed and to question the source of His knowledge.   Christ’s response was very revealing. He makes the statement…
“My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” In other words, Christ was simply revealing the teachings that originated from His Father, the One who had sent Him to minister them.   Then as proof of this statement, Jesus says…  “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself.”
If they are servants of His Father they will recognize these teachings and know that Christ was speaking the things of the Father. Then Christ makes a very important declaration of His humility and the motivation of His ministry… “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.”  
In a nutshell, Christ is teaching us is that His refusal to exalt Himself, along with only teachings the things of the Father was a clear indication of two things:
1. His dedication to the Father’s glory was “true” (genuine)
2. There was no unrighteousness in Him (Christ was sinless, proven by His desire to exalt only His Father and not Himself)  
What great love is shown by Christ when He dedicated His earthly ministry to the glory and honor of the Father. Please notice this dedication to the Father was not limited to His teachings but His actions as well…. “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.As he spake these words, many believed on him.”   (John 8:28-30)  
Another teaching of Christ also emphasized the principle that humility, along with a desire to exalt God alone in our lives is proof positive of a genuine love for God and possession a relationship with Him. “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)  
Our Lesson To Be Learned: Folks, do we really love our Lord and those around us? If so, we will live our lives for God’s His honor and glory alone. We will do this by using the gifts He has given to us to minister to those in need. As the Apostle Peter reminds us… “As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”   (1 Peter 4:10-11)  
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To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Envieth Not”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1f4YHkUt6o]  

As we continue looking at This will be our first of many devotionals on the events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In every example, we will be seeing Christ giving of Himself for the benefit of others...    

Christ’s Life:

 

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: No Envy (To Burn Within To Possess)

  Christ’s life on earth was a continuing display of love on behalf of all mankind. One of the ways He showed His love was by willingly doing without for the benefit of others.   His life was lived humbly, as a poor man without complaining nor desiring to possess that which He, in actuality, deserved.

Let’s look and see Christ’s response to one who are preparing to become a follower of Christ…  

“And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain [man] said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head…” (Luke 9:57-59)  

Here, we find that this “certain man” sought to become a follower of Christ. He speaks to Christ making a commitment to “follow thee whithersoever thou goest”. Or put another way, “Lord, no matter where you may choose to lead me, I will be willing to follow you”.   Christ, in a very kind and loving way, explains to the man the tremendous responsibility that he was taking upon himself. Christ did this by reminding him of the sacrifice of material possessions to which he may be called.

Christ described it like this…. “And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.”  

Christ used His own life for the example of one that was not envious of this world’s offerings. He was willing to serve His Father at any cost, even willing to give up all worldly offerings including a simple home in which to live.  

Folks, Christ knew that one of the great hindrances that we face in our desire to follow Him is the willingness to turn our affections from the things of this world to give Him first place in our lives.

This was shown to us in the account of the rich young ruler who sought to gain eternal life and, in doing so, would become a follower of Christ…   “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.   He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,Honour thy father and [thy] mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19:16-22)  

What stood in this young man’s way to obtaining salvation? It was his great burning love for his worldly possessions. His envy ruled his life and hindered his desire to please God and gain eternal life.    

Our Lesson To Be Learned:

  We should always recognize the great attraction the things of this world hold for us. From sin’s very beginnings in the Garden of Eden we have seen that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil held a great allurement to Eve and her desires within … “And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,”(Genesis 3:6)

May we all show our love for Christ and others by being willing to forsake worldly possessions, when called upon to do so, for the sake of following Christ and helping those who are in need.

After all Christ did that very thing for us… “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”   (2 Corinthians 8:9)    

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

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To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Is Kind”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdlDLX2mtDw]   

As we continue looking at This will be our first of many devotionals on the events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In every example, we will be seeing Christ giving of Himself for the benefit of others...  

 

Christ’s Life:

 

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Kindness (To Be Useful In Meeting The Needs of Others)

  Christ’s life on earth was a continuing display of love on behalf of all mankind. One of the ways He showed His love was by meeting the needs of others.   Anyone familiar with the life of Christ knows that every event in His life could be used to illustrate this wonderful characteristic of love. He was CONSTANTLY living His life to meet some need that existed in the lives of those He touched.  

For our devotional today, I would like us to look at one event that summarizes many of His actions which displays His kindness to those around Him…  

“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38)  

In this account from the book of Matthew, we find much of the work of Christ summarized for our benefit.

Here we are told that Christ met the needs of others by:  

1. teaching in their synagogues,- He taught them truths about Himself from the Word of God which spiritually benefited lost and save alike.

2. preaching the gospel of the kingdom, - He shared with them the good news of salvation which gives entrance into His eternal kingdom. This gave spiritual benefit specifically to the lost.

3. healing every sickness and every disease among the people. – He worked to meet their physical needs as well, as He healed them of many various afflictions and and weaknesses in their bodies.  

Notice how He met their needs:

1. he saw the multitudes– He took the time and care to notice those around Him

2. he was moved with compassion on them, - His love for them produced a desire to help them meet their needs

3. because they fainted, - He recognized their physical needs (fainted – lacking food)

4. and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.– He recognized their spiritual needs (no shepherd, no spiritual guidance)

5. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.–

He was not filled with pride, but recognized His human limitations, sought help from His heavenly Father and His spiritual brethren to meet the great needs around Him.   Oh how important it is for us to follow Christ’s wonderful example as we seek to show our love for others through kindness and compassion!

1. Look for opportunities to be show kindness

2. Allow our love for the Lord and others to motivate and drive us to give of ourselves for others

3. Look for physical needs (which can open up opportunities to share Christ to the lost and encourage the saved.)

4. Look for spiritual needs and share the appropriate truths from God’s Word through our speech and actions

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others. Always seek guidance from the Lord. Also use our spiritual community to find help for those whom we cannot help on our own. Many times, the Lord uses us to recognize needs while using others to help in meeting those needs.  

Our Lesson To Be Learned:

  Always keep in mind… any kindness we show to others when motivated from a heart of Scriptural love is, in actuality, an act of kindness to Christ Himself!  

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink?When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.”   (Matthew 25:34-40)    

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/

SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/

SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com

To Love As Jesus Loved: “Charity Suffereth Long”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlOTdB2RG6Q]  

This will be our first of many devotionals on the events in the life of Christ that set a wonderful example for us of Scriptural love. In every example, we will be seeing Christ giving of Himself for the benefit of others...     Christ’s Life:  

The Characteristic of Scriptural Love: Patience (To Be Long Tempered)

  Christ’s life on earth was a continuing display of love on behalf of all mankind. One of the ways He showed His love was through being very long-tempered in His dealings with those who were living lives in opposition to Him.   Let’s notice two (of many) events in His life that showed a clear withholding of wrath towards those who were rebellious and seeking His harm:      

1. Let’s take a look at what Christ said to the rebellious nation of Israel that refused to accept the message of His prophets concerning His identity and work…   “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen [doth gather] her brood under [her] wings, and ye would not!” (Luke 13:34)  

Although the Israelites had rejected His messengers and sought to kill them, now that He has come to live among them, He was still long-tempered in waiting to bring them to Himself, grant them deliverance from their sins and grace them with an eternal relationship with Him. The only need on their part was to repent of their sinful works and attitudes and turn to Christ in faith. But what was their response to this? “ye would not”. They willfully continued to rebel and reject Him and His works among them.  

Folks, what great love, Christ waited for them to acknowledge the truth of His prophets.   He patiently went the “extra mile” by actually coming to the earth to live with them and prove the prophets’ message about Him was true. As He lived among them, was rejected again and again and then was falsely accused, put on trial, and put to death by these same men (Matt 21:33-41). In spite of it all, on the cross He gave the ultimate display of controlled temper when He prayed “Father forgive them that they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)”   What great love revealed through the patient withholding of Christ’s temper, anger and wrath.      

 

2. There was another great display of Christ withholding His temper during His life on earth. In this case, He held His temper in the midst of temptation…   “And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” (Mark 1:12-13)  

In this case, Christ patiently went through forty days of fasting and then stood by and allowed Satan, himself, to tempt Him. Please keep in mind, Christ could have easily sent Satan away at any time, but He held back His temper and allowed Satan to continue with his enticements.   Why did Christ do this? He did this for us. This was done so that we would have a perfect example of faithfulness in the midst of trials and so that we could come before Him, seeking His grace, and knowing that He has shared in the same temptations as ourselves (Hebrews 4:14-16).    

 

Our Lesson To Be Learned:  

Folks, there are many times when we are faced with situations that seem to beg us to lose our tempers and show vengeance towards others. It is during these times that we have a wonderful opportunity set before us to display Christ’s love in our lives.   In both examples, we could see that Christ’s wrath WOULD HAVE BEEN DESERVED BY HIS ANTAGONIZERS (Jews and Satan). And yet, He chose to withhold the wrath that was deserved. Oh how we can learn a very important lesson… even when it seems as if our opposition deserves our hatred, wrath and outburst of anger, to truly live as Christ lived, we are to patiently show them mercy, grace and love.  

May we all take the following passage very seriously and ALWAYS seek to live our lives displaying love for Christ and others through the patient holding of our tempers…  

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24)    

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/

SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/

SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com

To Love As Jesus Loved: “If I Have Not Charity, It Profiteth Me Nothing (1)”

“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. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away…   And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity. (1 Corinthians 13:3-8, 13)  

As we conclude our introduction to this series, I thought it would be good to look at a basic outline for the remainder of our study. This outline comes from the writings of the Apostle Paul found in the book of 1 Corinthians 13:. In this passage, Paul covers two very important points concerning love: 1. Its importance – vs 3, 8, 13 2. Its characteristics – vs 4-7  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyyMtMs_Otk]  

Let’s take a few minutes to look at this passage in detail…  

Paul’s Teaching:  

The Importance Of Love From The Writings Of Paul…

  Vs 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.”

Here, Paul is helping us to understand that the motive of love is ABSOLUTELY necessary for us to please the Lord in an act of service we may undertake. If we would give sacrificially to meet the needs of the poor, or be willing to die for the cause of Christ, if these are not motivated by love for the Lord and others, they are of no benefit to us.  

Vs 8 – “Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away”

In this text, Paul is reminding us that love is the only gracious gift of God that will last for an eternity: The gifts of prophecy, tongues and knowledge have come to an end with the completion of the accrediting of the New Testament scriptures and the local assembly as the New Testament place of worship. But the gift of love (charity) will last forever.  

Vs 13 – “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity”

Likewise, the gifts of faith and hope will come to an end at the second coming of Jesus. Love will last for an eternity because, even in eternity, we will continue to love our Lord and our spritual family.    

The Characteristics Of Love From The Writings Of Paul…

  “Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”  

We will look at these in our next devotional.  

Our Lesson To Be Learned:   The Apostle Paul understood the great importance of love in our service to God and for the cause of Christ in this world. As we study love, we should always keep in mind that love is the GREATEST of all the fruits of the Spirit, it is the eternal motivating force that resulted in our salvation, our service to Christ and His never-ending glory.  

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/

SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/

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To Love As Jesus Loved: “The Imitation Of Love”

As we continue our look at the many displays of love in Christ’s life through His teachings and our actions, we now continue our brief look at a few of His teachings concerning love…         [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbRiJsAtB8g]  

Christ’s Teaching:

  Another of the subjects Christ addressed during His earthly ministry was “The Imitation Of Love”…

Following Christ’s example of love is a new commandment given to us by Christ…

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34-35)   The commandment to “love one another” was given to the people of God long before Christ gives us this teaching (Leviticus 19:18).   Therefore, this command is not new in the sense of being taught for the first time.   If this is the case, why did Christ say He was giving them a new commandment? It is important we keep in mind that Christ’s entire statement is… “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”   The “new” aspect of this command was that, now, they had a perfect example of love set before them. Never before had they been given the privilege of seeing a perfect, unconditional, eternal love on display.   They were to follow the example of Christ that was set before them and, in doing so, they would find themselves loving one another.  This truly was a new command they had never previously received.    

Loving others with the love of Christ is proof positive of a genuine salvation experience…

  By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Christ emphasizes that loving others as ourselves is an unquestionable mark of genuine followers of Christ. Our love for our spiritual family, our physical family, our friends, our acquaintances, strangers, and even our enemies tells the world that we are the recipients of Christ’s love and saving grace.    

The apostle Paul describes it in this way in Ephesians 5:1-2…

  “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”   During His earthly ministry, Christ showed His great love when He offered His life to the Father as payment for the sins of His people. In doing so, He displayed His great love for all to see.  Following His ascension to be with the Father, when His people consistently demonstrate this same type of self-sacrificial love, it is also put on display for the world to see.     Our Lesson To Be Learned:   Following Christ’s earthly ministry, His people have the special privilege of following His example of love and self-sacrifice as we seek to love others as He has loved us. May we all look to Christ as our perfect example of love, and in doing so give of ourselves to others as He gave Himself to us.     SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/ SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/ SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com

Christian Love For The Family Of God

The greatest display of love found in the Bible is Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of His people. ( 1 John 3:16, Rom 5:8, Eph 5:2, Rev 1:5)

Likewise, throughout the Apostle Paul’s ministry, he risked his life to take the gospel to the lost around him.  (2 Cor 11:23-28, Acts 14:19, 2 Cor 4:10-12).  This risking of “life and limb” is a wonderful living display of the love that Paul held for the lost. (1 Thess 2:13-16, Rom 10:1, Rom 9:1-3)   Being willing to die for those we love is the ultimate display of love.  (John 15:13)



Even though to be willing to die for another is the supreme display of love, in Rom 1:9-15, we find several other demonstrations of love being discussed.  Let’s take our time and study love on display based on Roms 1:9-15 ...

THE SCRIPTURES:

Rom 1:9-15 (KJV)

9) For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;  10) Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11) For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12) That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13) Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14) I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.  15) So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

 THE STUDY:

In these few verses, Paul shows us several indications of his true Biblical love for those in Rome.

1.     “without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;” – praying for others is a sign of our love for them.  Keep in mind, if we really love someone, we will ask the Lord to intervene on their behalf keeping them physically safe and making them spiritually secure and prosperous. (Matt 5:44, Rom 10:1, 2 Cor 5:20, Phil 1:4-6 etc etc)

2.    “I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” –  being willing to give of our time and effort for others is a sign of love (Eph 5:2, 2 Cor 5:15, Matt 20:28)

3.    “For I long to see you” - wanting to be physically present with someone… missing them when we aren’t with them. (Phil 4:1, Phil 1:8, Gen 31:30, 1 Thess 2:17-18, 1 John 3:14)

4.    “that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;” - giving of ourselves for others to promote their spiritual growth and strength (1 Cor 4:14-16, 2 Pet 3:1-2, Roms 1:7)

5.    “that I may be comforted together with you”– wanting to give comfort after loss to others that we love (Gen 24:67, Gen 37:31-35, Job 42:10-11, Phil 2:1-2, Col 2:1-2)

6.    “by the mutual faith both of you and me.” – desiring to share our spiritual faith in the Lord which then allows fellowship among the brethren. (2 Cor 13:14, Eph 2:18-22, 1 John 3:23-24)

7.    “that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.” – desiring to bear spiritual fruit (being a good witness and testimony) to others is a sign of biblical love. (1 Cor 13:4-8, Eph 5:2)

8.    “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” – seeing ourselves as indebted to the Lord and, therefore, to others, needing to do them right and help them. (Phil 2:25-30, Roms 12:1, 1 Tim 5:4, Eph 5:25, 1 Tim 2:1-3, 2 Cor 5:13-14)

9.    “I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.” – Wanting to share the gospel with others. (Matt 5:43-48, Phil 1:7-8, Phil 1:16-17, Eph 4:1-15)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

For those who have trusted in Christ.

To summarize our study…. A true Biblical love is shown by:

1. Desiring      to pray for those we love


2. Desiring      to sacrifice ourselves for those we love


3. Desiring      to accompany those we love


4. Desiring      the spiritual growth of those we love


5. Desiring      to comfort those we love during times of loss


6. Desiring      fellowship of the truths of God with those we love


7. Desiring      to bear spiritual fruit in the sight of those we love


8. Desiring      to help those we love during times of trial and need


9. Desiring      to share the gospel message with those we love

Are we exhibiting a Scriptural love to those who are around us?  This should be our daily desire.  If we find our love weak toward other Christians, it could be that we are forgetting that we are members of the same spiritual family.  We have the same Father, the same salvation, and the same eternal home.  Spiritually we are one with Christ.

Remember our love for others is a very important proof that our salvation is genuine (1 John 2:9-11)  If we cannot find love in our hearts for other Christians, it is a clear indication that we have never been saved nor adopted into Christ's spiritual family.

For those who have never trusted in Christ.

A Biblical love is a God-given grace. Withour Christ we cannot show love in our lives.   For us to receive the many graces of God, we must first come to a saving knowledge of Him.  Have you ever seen your need of salvation?  If so, have you turned from your sin and come to Jesus Christ?  Have you ever trusted in Him as your Savior and then submitted  to Him as your Lord?

If you have any questions concerning the way of salvation please feel free to visit or call a Bible teaching church in your area.  They will be happy to speak to you about the Lord Jesus and the salvation He graciously gives.

Or, if you would rather, feel welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.  I’ll be more than happy to answer any question you may have.

Also, if you look at my blog page “How To Have A Relationship With God”.  On this page you will find several blog entries explaining the way of salvation.

Please visit the “Settled In Heaven Ministries” homepage –

http://www.settledinheaven.org

My Main Blog “Settled In Heaven” (updated twice weekly) – http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com

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www.settledinheavenbibleblog.posterous.com

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If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

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May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

The Sacrifice Of Love

John 3:16 is arguably the most familiar verse found in the Bible….

“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.”

In 1 John 3:16-19 we find another set of verses that contains the same basic theme…

“Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.”

“But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

“And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”



Let’s take a few minutes to study these two verses that address the Love of God which is shown to us by His acts of unselfishness and self-sacrifice…

THE SCRIPTURES:

John 3:16;  1 John 3:16-19;  Ephesians 5:1-2 ; 1John 4:9-11;  Mark 12:28-34; 1 Cor 13:4-12

THE STUDY:

Does God really love me?  This most important question has been asked by a multitude of people throughout the history of our world.  How can we really know if God loves us and cares about us and our needs?  The Bible gives us a clear proof of God’s love for us…. the sacrifice that He has made on our behalf.  Note our two texts….

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.”

In our first text, please note that the God’s LOVE was displayed through the GIVING of His Son, a true act of self-sacrifice on behalf of God for His people.  Why is the birth of Christ such an important and special act of God?  It is a clear display of His love on behalf of sinful mankind.

Please note our second text:

1 John 3:16-19 …

“Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?   My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”

Here, we find that the way we can “perceive” (be aware, to see, to know assuredly) that God loves us is found in His act of self-sacrifice in giving of His life for His people.  Also, please note that in this second text, we find the Biblical mandate to make sacrifices for others in order to show our love for them as well.

True love involves self-sacrifice… a “love” that is selfish and demands only to receive is no love at all. Putting ourselves first, and others second, is turning love on its head, perverting the very nature of love.

Lets look at 1 John 4:9-11….

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

In this set of verses the word “manifested” means to “to take the cover off” or “ to reveal”.  How did God “take the cover off” His love for us?  By sending of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth.

Then Christ showed His love for us by giving His life for us.  He did this so that we, as sinners, could receive spiritual life.  The result of receiving God’s gift of love in our life, should be the showing of our love to others.

Ephesians 5:1-2 gives us more information about what Christ did for us…

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

Here, we are told that the death of Christ was motivated by His love for us.  We are also told that His death for us was both a “sacrifice” and a “offering”.  It was a “sacrifice” in the sense that He gave of Himself (to the point of death).  It was an “offering” which tells us He willingly gave His life for us.   Oh what great love… to be willing to partake of death so that others could escape eternal death.  In these verses, we are once again reminded to follow this great example of self-sacrificial love.  How are we to do this?  By loving others as Christ loved us… with a self-sacrificial love.

Mark 12:28-34 (KJV)

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.  And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him [any question].

Here we find the importance of love being clearly defined.  Our love (willingness to sacrifice ourselves) to God is described as the first and great commandment.  The commandment that should be our second priority is the command to love (be willing to sacrifice ourselves) for our neighbor.  Upon these two commands all the other laws are based.

If we love God and others as we should we will keep all the other commandments of God.  For example, if we love God as we should we will not take His name in vain nor would we worship other Gods,  if we love others as we should we would not steal from them nor would we lie to them.  This basic principle (supremacy of love for God and others) applies to all the commands of God.

Finally in 1Cor 13:4-12 (KJV)

“Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;   Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Please note, in the “love chapter” of the Bible, we find that every manifestation of love is an act of self-sacrifice.  Some examples of this include…. Patience, humility, contentment the list goes on and on.  In each of these cases, all of these flow forth from a heart of love and sacrifice willing to put others first and ourselves second.

Truly, the display of love, is based upon acts of sacrifice on behalf of others around us.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

For those who have trusted in Christ.

We are to appreciate the love that God has shown to us.  In doing so, we should be willing to follow His example and love others with a self-sacrificial type of love.

For those who have never trusted in Christ.

Please study the Bible to learn more about the great love that God the Father has shown to us in the sending of His Son to the earth.  Then learn more about the love of God the Son, as He gave his life on the cross so that we all might receive the forgiveness of our sins.  (to learn more about the way of salvation, you are welcome to read my blog page “How to have a relationship with God”, or you  can email me with your questions.  Also you can find any Bible-believing church in your area and contact them… I am sure they would be happy to help answer any questions you might have.

What great love…. What great self-sacrifice!  What a great Lord that we serve!

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My Main Blog “Settled In Heaven” (updated twice weekly) – http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com

The following are other places you can find “Settled In Heaven” blog (updated once per month):

www.settledinheavenbibleblog.posterous.com

www.settledinheavenblog.blogspot.com

To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at  http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com

Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Where Does Waldo Go To Church?

In the late 1980’s a series of books containing the theme, “Where’s Waldo?” came to America.  Originating in Britain, these books contained illustrations of many characters all participating in a variety of activities.  The goal of the reader is to seek out Waldo, in the midst of the crowd.  For more about the book series take a look at these sites:

http://www.findwaldo.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where's_Waldo

Just as children throughout the world looked for Waldo in the pages of his books, how many of us are looking for a church that we can confidently attend?   How many of us are frustrated, not being able to find a church that aids our spiritual growth?   Many times, the reason why we can’t find a spiritually edifying church is because we do not understand what we should be looking for in a church. 



The Word of God is not silent about this matter….

THE SCRIPTURE:

Hebrews10:

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

THE STUDY:

Here is list of the characteristics of a church (local assembly of believers) that we can attend with which the Lord is pleased…

Uses Scriptures only as foundation of beliefs and teachings  (1 Tim 3:15 )

The Lord’s churches are described as being the “pillar and ground” of the truth.  In other words, one of the greatest roles the church has is to firmly hold up the truth of His Word.  This refers to both the declaration of His Word from the pulpit as well as declaring His Word through the practices of the church.   

Seeks to glorify the Lord in all of it’s ministries by putting His desires first.  (Eph 3:21)

The Lord Jehovah is to be glorified in all things (every ministry/activities) of the Lord’s churches.  Every endeavor that is undertaken by the church is to be done with His authority, His direction and His glory as the end motive.

Clearly teaches salvation by grace through faith …man’s inability to save himself from his sinful condition  (Eph 2:8-9)

The Word of God is clear, salvation is entirely of God’s grace, even the faith we exercise at our salvation is a gift that is given to us through His intervention in our lives.  Understanding these truths results in God being exalted to His deserved level, while properly humbling man and showing his true impotence in the salvation experience.   Any other message of salvation leads to a man trusting in not only Christ’s work, but his own actions, and righteousnesses, for the forgiveness of his sins.

Observes ordinances of Lord’s Supper and Baptism as declarations and memorials to work of Lord Jesus Christ  (1 Cor 11:23-29, Matt 28:16-20)

The Lord’s church has been given two, and only two ordinances to observe, baptism and the Lord’s supper.  Both of which are observed as a form of remembrance and declaration.  Baptism, declares an individual’s salvation and is a remembrance of the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection.  The Lord’s Supper is a declaration of a church’s existence and the unity of its members, as well as a remembrance of His suffering and death on the cross.

Teach practical and doctrinal truth during it’s services to encourage spiritual growth of members (Eph 4:11-13, Acts 20:27-29)

The Lord placed those who teach and lead within the church so that the members may become perfect (spiritually mature), edified (built up, strengthened), they are to do this by teaching the “all the counsel of God”… a churches goal should be to gradually build up and mature it’s members so that, eventually, the entire Word of God can be declared with no fear of misunderstanding on the part of it’s members.

Promotes a lifestyle of service and worship of Christ through the leadership of the Spirit (Rom 12:1-2, Rom 8:1-9)

The church is to lead and teach God’s people so that they will become living sacrifices, bringing praise to their Lrod in every aspect of their life.  This is done through an exercise of the fruits of the Spirit, as they follow God’s Word through leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Emphasizes the need for prayer and independent Bible study (Roms 17:10-13)

One of the greatest needs within a local assembly is a clear acknowledgement of each man’s responsibility to learn, understand, and live according to God’s Word.   This can only be accomplished through each member developing an intimate knowledge of His Word. 

Has evangelistic outreach/missionary ministries to local area and throughout the world (Acts 1:7-8, Matthew 28:16-20)

The Lord, in giving His assemblies a mission, made it plain that the gospel was to be declared to the entire world…locally, nationally and internationally.  The mission of the church, described as “the Great Commission”, includes proclaiming the gospel to the lost, baptizing those who are saved (to publically declare the salvation they have already received) and teaching those who have been saved and baptized.

Meets the physical needs of the community in which they reside (Matt 14:13-21)

The first and primary mission of the church is fulfilling the Great Commission.  However, in the course of ministering, meeting the physical needs of others opens many doors and creates receptive hearts in the community.  This, in turn, aids the proclamation of the truth to them… meeting the physical needs of the community not only yields physical benefits but spiritual benefits as well.

The members lives are living testimony to the righteousness, love, peace and joy given by the Lord Jesus Christ. Roms 13:11-14, Gals 5:22-25

A church that is fulfilling the mission the Lord has given to them, will have a membership that will be growing in grace, knowledge and spiritual fruit bearing.  As a general rule, if the members of a church are not growing spiritually, there is a problem in the churches ministry to them.

THE APPLICATION:

Hebrews 10:24-25 ….  “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Church attendance is a necessity for the Christian’s seeing to grow in the Lord and in His service...  if you are one of the many Christians who are seeking a church home, my prayers are with you. 

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Valentine’s Day Devotion: But The Greatest Of These Is Love - Part 3

One of the most talked about sections of Scripture is found in the book of 1 Corinthians.  Chapter 13, commonly called the “love chapter of the Bible”.  In this small section of Scripture we have several basic principles concerning love being addressed: 

1. vs 1-3 - the absolute necessity of love (charity) in all aspects of Christian life and ministry


2. vs 4-7- the evidences of Biblical love


3. vs 8-12- the eternal nature of Biblical love compared to the ceasing of Divine, inspired revelation to man; the physical / spiritual maturing of an individual picturing the increasing revelation of God received by man until completion; the increasing understanding of God due to completed revelation


4. vs 13a- the continuation of love, faith and hope


5. vs 13b- the supremacy of love over faith and hope

We will divide our study of this section of Scripture into 3 basic parts.  In the last part of our study we will be looking at 1 Corinthians 13:11-13. 



Let us prayerfully, begin our study of the compelling and important subject of love…

THE SCRIPTURE:

1Cor 13:1-13 (KJV)

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal…13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

THE STUDY:

In our previous study, we saw how both the gifts of prophecy and knowledge ceased to exist when the last of God’s revelation to man was received.    We now turn our attention to two examples given by Paul to help illustrate the principle.

1 Corinthians 13:

Vs 11 - When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Paul now uses the example of the physical maturing process to picture the process of God’s revealed Word being brought to completion.  Just as Paul’s growth allowed him to come to a more mature and full understanding of life, so too, as God’s Word is brought to completion, it brings to us a fuller understanding of our Lord and our responsibilities as servants. 

Based on the Word being brought to completion during the age of the Corinthian church. It was time for them to “grow up” and become mature as well. It would only be at that time that they could use the wonderful blessing of His completed Word to help them to correct the many errors in their assembly.

Vs 12 - For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Paul now compares our understanding of God in our sinful flesh with mankind’s knowledge of God with only a portion of His Word given to them.  In both cases, an incomplete view of God is had by man.

1. Paul describes a time when God cannot be seen clearly
   
   
   
   1. Paul describes our life in sinful flesh as seeing our Lord “through a glass darkly”.
   
   
   2. Paul then compares this to mankind trying to see a full picture of Christ with only a portion of God’s Word given to man. “now I know in part”.
   
   
   
   


2. Paul next describes when we can receive a fuller vision of Christ
   
   
   
   1. When we go home to be with the Lord in heaven, it is seeing Him “face to face”, this will result in seeing Him much more clearly than while in our sinful flesh.
   
   
   2. Paul then compares this to receiving His completed Word which gives us a much more full revelation of the Lord.  “ then shall I know even as also I am known” .
   
   
   
   

In other words, through the completed revelation of God given to man, we can now understand truths about Him, much like others can come to know us.  Others can see much about us clearly but they still do not know everything about us (especially what goes on inside of us)

Vs 13 - And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

After telling us about the Word it’s soon completion, Paul now beings us back to the original thought.  That love is even greater that our three existing gifts of faith, hope and love. 

Why didn’t Paul mention prophecy or knowledge as abiding (to continue on for extended period of time, to endure to limit)? We have already seen they would end within a short period of time when Word was brought to completion.  So he didn’t include these on our list.

But why didn’t he include the gift of tongues… when did they cease to exist?  Tongues ceased to exist, around the same time as knowledge and prophecy.  Tongues was one of several “sign gifts” that God gave to mankind.  These were gifts given by God to His followers to accredit their message and to prove He was the only true God.  This is why these types of miracles are called “sign gifts” from God (Exo 3:14, 4:1-8)   A listing of the sign gifts can be found at 1 Cor 12:8-11.

Over the years, studying the sign gifts of the Bible, I have noticed something very interesting.  It seems as if these sign miracles of God were basically performed in three “groups” throughout Biblical history.  Please notice the following basic, generalized table to help explain my point:

                                      Group 1                            Group 2                               Group 3  

 Miracle Workers:  Moses, Joshua    Elijah, Elisha, Other Prophets   Christ, Apostles         

Worship Accredited:  Tabernacle Worship            Temple Worship                Church Worship

Message Accredited:  Law                                 Prophets                           New Testament

It has been so interesting for me to come to an understanding of the Lord’s motives in these sign miracles that were performed.  Note that the Lord, through divine miracles, accredited the messenger, as well as the section of Scripture written, and the worship place used at that time.  In each case, the "sign miracles" were in existence for approximately 70 years. In each case, a “silent time” existed after each group of miracles, where no sign miracles and few, if any, other miracles were performed.  Why?  Once God established the validity of each of the above segments, there was no need for miracles until another segment was about to take place. 

For example, following the accreditation of the tabernacle and the message of the law, there was no reason to accredit anything, or anyone, until the temple and the prophets came on the scene.  Likewise, there was an extended period of “miracle silence” after the completion of the Old Testament.  It was only when Christ came on the scene that we have a period of sign miracles taking place to validate the message of the New Testament and the church as the new place of worship for God’s people. 

So therefore, tongues, being one of several sign gifts came to an end approximately 70 years after they had come into existence (29 or 30 AD), probably about 90-100 AD.  They would have gone out of existence in and of themselves, nothing had to act on them. This is unlike the gift of prophecy and knowledge which ceased at the completion of God’s Word. 

Putting all of this together, it is easy to see why only faith, hope and charity are said to “abide” (to stray in place for an extended period of time).  The gifts of prophecy, knowledge and tongues would go out of existence within a few years after Paul’s ministry would be complete. 

But not so with faith, hope and love.  They would continue on until the second coming of Christ.  When Christ comes back we will have no need of faith nor hope…. As we begin, our eternity with Him, we will begin the process of receipt of all His promises to us.  Faith and hope will no longer be needed, we will be experiencing all He has for us.

 At that point, faith and hope will no longer be in existence, but only love will continue on to eternity.  Thus making “love” the greatest gift of all that are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:.

• 
  
  
  
  • Gifts are temporary but love is eternal
  
  
  • Gifts are elementary but love is mature
  
  
  • Gifts are partial but love is complete
  
  
  
  

 

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION

For those who are saved…

As we come to a completion of our study the basic principles we have learned about love compared to the other gifts mentioned is significant.

First of all we saw that God’s gifts to man are temporary, but love is eternal.

Secondly, the gifts of God are elementary, love is the essence of maturity.

Thirdly, the gifts of God are partial, but love is complete.

Keeping all this in mind, it should not surprise us that the Lord gave Peter this word of self inspection and instruction….

John 21:15-17 (KJV)

15So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

You see, our love for the Lord should be one of the ultimate motives in our service to Him.  The more we love and appreciate Him the greater our service to Him.  Is our service motivated by our love for Him?  Is our helping and instructing others coming from a heart filled with love for our Lord? 

May the Lord help all of us to be able to say “yes” to these questions.

For those who have never trusted in Christ… 

If you have never experienced the love of God in your lives, look to Him knowing He has made clear His love and concern for His people…

1John 4:7-12 (KJV)

7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

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To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at  http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com

Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

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