Love As Christ Loves

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Saturday, November 28, 2015
Chapters: 1 Corinthians 13-16
Message Title: Love As Christ Loves

Hello My Friend,

Work, to move, to be occupied in performing manual labor, to carry on operations, to produce effects by action or influence. We all work at something, a job, a career, a family, an education, perhaps even to please God. Have you ever worked so hard at something only to see it fail? We all have, and it can be down right shattering to the heart. We feel like failures, all the time we put in as worthless. Let me tell you, as long as we are saved no work we do with God in the picture is a failure, we may not have gotten the results we wanted, but nothing we do in the presence of God is worthless or goes unnoticed. “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” - 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.

Last year I made a birthday cake for someone I went to church with, it took me two days to sculpt and decorate it, and it was beautiful. During transport the cake got tipped over and fell apart, that nice Christian lady turned out to be a monster. That incident scarred me and I lost my love for making cakes, it took me several months before I made another cake for someone, and it was not my best. If we don't love what we do, the skills and talents we have are worthless as the results are not going to be what we know we can do. Charity, In a general sense, is love, good will toward man. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to man. When most people hear the word charity they think of giving money or something they no longer need. Paul stresses the importance that all Christians place love above all things.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 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, 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 13:1-4,8,13.

“Charity never faileth:” Of everything that God blesses us with, nothing is more joyous to Him than for us to use our blessings to love Him with all our heart and show that love to others by blessing them as He blessed us. We can serve God and man all we want, but unless we do it with love, we will never see the joy in it. True joy comes when we love someone the way Christ loves us. “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” - John 15:11,12.

Now, once we learn to love as Christ everything else will fall into place as we develop our skills with Him in mind. Our biggest tool to understand God and learn to love as Christ is reading His Word. One thing we must realize when the King James Bible was translated into English is that it may have added words to explain what is being interpreted, these are found in italics. This is not adding to Scripture, but one word in English is often written with two or three in other languages which is why it appears in italics. We don't need another Bible to explain God's Word, we just need the Holy Spirit. The truth is, it takes a willing, Holy Spirit filled, Christ centered, Bible reading Christian to love as Christ loves. Our biggest act of love is preaching the Gospel, which Paul stresses as the most important job of all.

“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.” - 1 Corinthians14:1-5,22,27.

“For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men,” Tongues, Speaking in different languages. Speaking in tongues is just another way of being able to speak several languages, it's not the mumbo jumbo you hear some people claim are tongues. “but rather that ye may prophesy.” Prophecy, this simply means that we who know Christ is returning and going to judge the entire human race are to preach the Gospel to those who don't know. God wants us to teach the Gospel in a language that people understand, not something no one can figure out. We must understand that everything in the Bible is true and we need to follow all of it. Sadly, many do not believe this and are suffering greatly. Paul had to address the importance of understanding the Gospel, and us believing all of it.

“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” - 1 Corinthians 15:12-15,19-22.

“and your faith is also vain.” If we believe that Christ died for us, we must also believe that He arose, and gives eternal life to all who believe. It is actually the Holy Spirit that teaches people of these truths, besides all that, think about this. Why did Jesus die to save souls if there is no soul to save? He suffered pain, humiliation, and death for no reason at all? Doubting the resurrection of Christ is all a plot from Satan to get people doubting life after death, he gets people thinking that once they die its all over. The truth is, it's not over, once the flesh dies there is another death for those who do not believe, hell or eternal death. I for one, even if there was a slight chance that all this is a bunch of garbage, want to make sure I'm not burning for an eternity. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” - John 5:28,29.

Another act of love is giving tithes and offerings, oh yes, that dreaded speech of giving money to the church. So many claim that after Christ there is no need to give tithes and offerings, but this is not true. Now, you will often hear of tithes being a tenth of what we make, this is just a guide, and if you looked throughout Scripture, they often gave more than that. So, Paul makes it easy for us to understand. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.” - 1 Corinthians 1:16:1,2,22-24.

“let him be Anathema Maranatha.” The word Anathema means a person that is accursed to damnation (hell), the word Maranatha means our Lord is coming. Jesus is coming, and he will judge those who have rejected Him. Christ is the judge of everyone, anyone who has not accepted Him as their Saviour will be cast into the fire. It's simple to be saved, admit you are a sinner, believe in the Gospel, and Confess that you need Him to save you. Everything else we do in this life, all the work we do has a big influence on not only others, but God. God blesses us greatly when we do His work, and even more when we do our own work with the love of Christ in us. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” - Hebrews 10:36.

Today's Prayer: God, It is truly amazing that with all the trials and tribulations I have brought upon myself You use all of them for me to serve a purpose for You. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, and for giving me the spiritual gifts that You have given me, may I know how to use them all for Your glory. Lord, lead me and guide me, help me to learn to yield to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me to serve You with all my heart, soul, and might. Give me a heart that loves as Jesus does, and let all my work be a godly influence on those around me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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