Sunday, September 25, 2011

Is Love All You Really Need ?

1Co 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
 
Love is extremely important, and very necessary, but it must be "relevant" and "focused".
And scriptures clearly couples the "excerise" of love with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
Php 1:10 so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;
 
Col 1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Col 1:10  to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
 
Col 2:2  that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ,
Col 2:3  in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
Col 2:4  This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
Col 2:5  For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Col 2:6  As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
Col 2:7  rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Col 2:8  Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
My point is:
Yes, let all be done in Love, but don't forget to use your brain.
It is God's desire that we grow in the knowledge of the truth, and walk in this truth.
Sharing it with a world that is walking in darkness.
Letting your Light shine involves a lot more than a friendly smile, and helping those in physical need.
It is their spiritual need that must also be addressed.
 
Don't just be "nice" to those around you. Give them something of eternal value.
Share the truth of the Gospel.
Introduce them to the Creator of the universe. Tell them about the gift of eteranl life that was bought and paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Tell them about forgiveness that comes by faith.
Tell them about God's love. The Love that sent His only begotten Son, in order that they could receive everlasting life as a free gift by trusting in Jesus, the Christ, as their Savior.
That they can become a child of God by this simple act of faith.
 
Letting your light shine, should bring this knowledge and truth.
And your words should add "spice" or "flavor" to those with whom you speak.
You should be overflowing with this "truth". It should pour out of your life, and into those around you.
Encourage your fellow brethren, and be a light to those who lack the "knowledge" you have as a child of God.
 
Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6  Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
2Ti 2:15  Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.
 
1Pe 3:15  but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:
 
Gal 6:10  So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith
 
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1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.
1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer:
1Pe 4:8  above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins:
1Pe 4:9  using hospitality one to another without murmuring:
1Pe 4:10  according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;
1Pe 4:11  if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; if any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.