Love

As we enter the month where everything screams ... pink, white, and red ... jk ... love! I thought it an appropriate time to define what love is.

Webster: 1 a : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties 2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion 4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another

God:
Love is: 1. patient 2. kind
Love does not 1. envy 2. boast 3. keep records of wrongs 4. delight in evil
Love is not 1. proud 2. rude 3. self-seeking 4. easily angered 5. failing
Love always: 1. rejoices with truth 2. protects 3. trusts 4. hopes 5. perseveres

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Webster defines the shallow, emotional feelings of love. God defines the selfless attitude of someone who posses real love. Not saying that emotional/physical love isn't real. God created men and women to be attracted to each other at some point in life. It is a beautiful thing...if you guard your love so you can give it fully to one person at the right time. But would you rather give "strong affection, warm attachment, enthusiasm" or patience, kindness, humility, trust, hope, perseverance, protection, calm, forgiveness. The other things are side notes. Things to enjoy. Yes, we want to give enthusiasm, affection, and warm attachment to those we love. They won't feel very loved if that's all we give them though. If behind their backs we are keeping records of all things they do against us, delighting in whispering bad things about them, leaving them in the dust when trouble comes, and giving up on them. God's things must come first, from the heart, then we can add Mr. Webster's things on the side. :)

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible:

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 

but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Amazing Grace

My heart is overwhelmed with God's grace to me. I make the same mistakes over, and over, and over...and yet...He still forgives me!

Contemplate the lyrics of the following songs...

AMAZING GRACE
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
 (John Newton)

HE LOOKED BEYOND MY FAULT
Amazing Grace shall always be my song of praise
For it was grace that bought my liberty,
I do not know just why He came to love me so,
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
I shall forever lift my eyes to Calvary,
To view the Cross where Jesus died for me,
How marvelous His grace that caught my falling soul,
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
 (Dottie Rambo)

THE LOOK
I saw one hanging on a tree
In agony and blood
Who fixed His loving eyes on me
As near His cross I stood
And never till my dying breath 
Will I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death
Though not a word He spoke

My conscience felt and owned the guilt 
And plunged me in despair
I saw my sins His blood had spilt
And helped to nail him there
But with a second look He said
"I freely all forgive
This blood is for your ransom paid
I died that you might live"

CHORUS
Forever etched upon my mind 
Is the look of Him who died
The Lamb I crucified
And now my life will sing the praise
Of pure atoning grace
That looked on me and gladly took my place

Thus while His death my sin displays
For all the world to view
Such is the mystery of grace
It seals my pardon too
With pleasing grief and mournful joy
My spirit now is filled
That I should such a life destroy
Yet live by Him I killed
 (words by John Newton, new and alternate lyrics by Bob Kauflin)      
  
Thank you Jesus for Your abundant grace and forgiveness!!

   

Can God Use Me?

The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember...
          Abraham was too old, Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly (at least her eyes were weak. Some say that means they were blue. In my opinion that isn't ugly, but I guess I'm a little biased. ;), Joseph was abused, Gideon was afraid, Samson had long hair and was a womanizer, Rahab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, David had an affair and was a murderer, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, John the Baptist ate bugs, Peter denied Christ, the Disciples fell asleep while praying, Martha worried about everything, the Samaritan woman was divorced - more than once, Zaccheus was too small (*ahem* and why is this a problem? :), Paul was too religious, Jesus used dirt to heal a blind man, Timothy had an ulcer...AND Lazarus was dead!
          No more excuses now! God can use you to your full potential. Besides, you aren't the message, you are just the messenger. 

We do need to be proclaiming the message with our acts though. Faith without works is dead.

Wisdom

Proverbs 3:13-24

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold

She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;

by his knowledge the deeps were divided and the clouds let drop the dew  

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;

they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;

when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

I was working through this chapter (that I have known for almost half my life) on Memverse the other day. One particular verse stood out to me that never has before. I've always liked this whole wisdom section. I know it's a good thing to have. Look at what happened with Solomon.

God - "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

Solomon - "[G]ive your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong."
 God - "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
(Quotations taken from 1 Kings 3 NIV)

So yeah, wow, if God was so pleased that Solomon asked for wisdom that he made him the wisest man in history it must be a good thing! I ask God for wisdom...when I think of it. But there's a verse in this section of Proverbs 3 that makes it seem a little more important to me. Notice the second half of verse 15: "nothing you desire can compare with her." Hmm...there are lots of things I desire. Like, say, a grand piano. :D I really, really, really want one. Like...really really!!! But, wisdom doesn't even compare with that! Wisdom gives us a happiness or joy beyond all that the world could ever provide. Matthew Henry states in his commentary on Proverbs 3, "It is a participation of the happiness of God himself, for wisdom is his everlasting glory and blessedness."

I guess I need to spend a little more time praying for wisdom. Then, if God decides not to give me a grand piano (at least not in this life....I think there will be 20 footers in heaven that don't allow you to ever hit a wrong note and have perfect voicing. :) I'll have something so much better that I can't even comprehend how much here on earth. (Because I can't imagine what wouldn't even compare to the joy of a grand piano.)