What About LOVE? (Feb. 3, 2012)

Hey, girls...

I pray your are reading 1 Corinthians 13..daily is what I do.

As Emily was sharing yesterday, meditating on the WORD is important in order to walk in that WORD.

I'm thinking today...remembering the scripture I learned as a child...

                           God is LOVE!

Then, John 3: 16 tells us that,,,

God so LOVED us that He sent His only Son...that if we believe on Him we will have everlasting life!

Perfect LOVE, the LORD says, casts out all fear!!!

How do we humans LOVE like 1 Cor. 13?

We can't! It is not within our human power to LOVE the LOVE described in 1 Cor. 13.

So, as Emily shared, we are given Romans 5:5:

      Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out
      in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Holy Spirit power is what we must have to LOVE! 
 
      Not by might or by power but by His Spirit ....

Today, our focus is verse 4:

Here's my take on this...if I substitue myself in the blank when I move the word LOVE...

Teddi suffers long (NKJ version)...Let's look at the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance...

From the same as makrothumos; to be long-spirited, i.e. (objectively) forbearing or (subjectively) patient -- bear (suffer) long, be longsuffering, have (long) patience, be patient, patiently endure

So, Teddi is long-spirited, forbearing, patiend.  I bear long..have patience...choose to be patient...and patiently endure ...and in hte same sentence...

Teddi is kind (NKJ version)...and looking again at Stong's...

From the same as Chrestos; to be useful (in manner or morals), chresteuomai to show oneself useful, i.e. act benevolently.

So, Teddi shows herself to be useful...to act benevolently...doing good...well-meaning acts...charitable...

You know as a mother, I often thought that I was losing my spirituality or something because I wasn't saying everything in the sweetie peetie way you think a kind voice was to sound...

Looks likeI need to study deeper here on many words...

The charitable and well-meaning act was to awaken my children and take them to church.  I was my responsibility to train them to go because I'm yet to see the philosophy work that says let them grow up and decide for themselves.  Doesn't that train them to be self-serving?

The fact that a voice...tone of authority...had to be spoken for children to know that you meant what you were saying...even if you had to raise your voice to be heard.  Not, screaming...of course...but tone is needed to lead children...just like it is needed to lead sheep...or soldiers. 

The benevolent acts...good things...I fed them breakfast...I clothed them...I got them to church to hear God's man or woman share the Word...

I will not be here in the morning...going on retreat with Bible Study sisters...when I return...we'll did deeper into the LOVE God's calling us to do!  Yes, girls, LOVE is a verb...we must do it!!!

Love you!!

Teddi