Selasa pukul 14:43, 04 Oktober 2011
"THE GREATEST IS LOVE"
Our reading is 1 Cor 13 (NKJV)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
END
Brothers and sisters, many Christians seem unaware that we are commanded to love. Let's recall the words of Jesus.
34But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Matthew 22:34-40
Mark's account has this additional information in Mark 12:31: There is none other commandment greater than these.
By giving the commandment to love, Jesus did not in any way do away with the other commandments. Jesus in His wisdom knew that if we operate in love we are in a position to fulfill the requirements of the other commandments. This is because love operates at a higher spiritual realm. Let's recall the words of Jesus when he made reference to His wisdom: The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. Matt 12:42. The commandment to love incorporates in itself all the others.
In one of the messages to sister Sally regarding the opening of Lord Jesus Universal Salvation Church, in the message of September 15, 2011 the Holy Spirit said:
"Facebook is my Universal Church. I am the truly head of these churches who are in here. I brought all my children from around the world that they may know each other before I bring them out from here but many of you are going in your own way. The love I have commanded you, you have forgotten. I would like to arrange the problems of these churches, by appointing the elders.. Give the words I had given you about it, let it be known to the elders..."
Notice what the Holy Spirit said: “The love I have commanded you, you have forgotten”. He also gave foundation scripture 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover the multitude of sins.
This is exactly what is required, to be able to deal with the times we are living in. We are already seeing on facebook how Christians are beginning to quarrel with fellow Christians and this is likely to escalate as we get closer to the Great Tribulation. This is why the Holy Spirit is reminding us of the commandment to love.
Say this with me: Lord, give me love enough to overlook the mistakes of others. Lord, let me rejoice when others do well.
Love cares more for others than for self. Love does not want what does not belong to it. Love is positive, it does not want anything negative. Love is good, it does not want anything bad. Love does not want hatred. Love stoops. Love does not belittle anyone. Love does not look down on others. Love does not force itself on others. Love puts up with anything. Love is tolerant. Love is determined. Love does not fear. Love perseveres for the best which is yet to come. Love looks for the best. Love keeps going till the end, no matter the obstacle, no matter the difficulty.
Above all, a person who does not love others cannot be entrusted with the power of God. He will misappropriate it, misuse it to hurt himself and hurt others. Also, the power of God in the life of a person is short-circuited if he does not have the love of God in his heart, because faith works by love. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. (Galatians 5:6). And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14). Faith works by love. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. One who does not love cannot be filled with the fulness of God.
Lastly, I notice that King James says charity in place of love. This is very interesting. When people have the love of God dwelling richly in their hearts, usually they look around to see who is in need, and the best investment is charity. Charity is a fruit of love. Brothers and sisters, let us strive to love as commanded by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is exactly what is required and He knows we need it, especially in these last days. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
END
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