Thursday, 13 May 2021
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” – I Corinthians 13:13
These three, but love is the best and the greatest. It’s the consummation, the apex of our faith life. It’s the fulfillment of God’s will and all that He desires. His will is that we love as He loves and do for others as He would. Love was stirred, came and lived among us, suffered innocently, and was crucified for all men. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends,” John 15:13. What have you done for a friend, neighbor, acquaintance, or colleague lately – a work and labor of love?
Jesus is the dazzling radiance of God’s splendor, the exact expression of God’s true nature – His mirror image! (Hebrews 1:3 TPT). This is not only Jesus but us as well – the born-again children of GOD. We’re our Father’s mirror image, the dazzling radiance of His glory, the expression of who He is. GOD is love, and so are we. Brethren, what manner of love is this that we should be called the sons of GOD! It’s beyond comprehension. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of GOD; and everyone who loves is born of GOD and knows GOD,” 1 John 4:7. Anyone who does not love is still an unbeliever – a sinner – and does not know GOD!
Our only claim to the knowledge of GOD or of His Christ is His love in us. It’s not faith, not spiritual gifts, not power or anointing – but love. The only thing that identifies, links, or connects us with GOD is love. Whoever is born of GOD is born of love and overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith expressing itself in love for others. Love is the victory over hate and all the evil in the world. Faith works through love, and without love faith is useless. So it’s love we should seek after, the crest of all our pursuit because all the graces or divine virtues find expression and fulfillment in love. Love is the ultimate, the consummation of all godliness.
“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away,” I Corinthians 13:8-10. Even spiritual gifts are limited and expire, but love is perfect and permanent. When we walk in love we walk in fullness, not in part as in spiritual gifts. These gifts themselves are eventually useless without love. Our faith walk itself is useless without love. “For this is the love of GOD, that we keep His commandments,” I John 5:3. The meaning of true love is obedience to GOD! To love GOD is to obey GOD, to obey GOD is to love GOD. Therefore, love is the key to any and all of God’s blessings.
So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run – 1 Corinthians 13:13 TPT
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