Heart's Cry
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 Good morning, Lord V.O.D.: But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. -Philippians 3:7-8 M.O.M.: Psalm 27:13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Today's reading: Psalm 140-142 1 Corinthians 14:1-20
The Source and Root
"We shall never get further than barren admiration of a beautiful piece of writing, unless our love to men has the source and root to which Paul points us." -Alexander MacClaren
Paul ends 1 Corinthians 12 with these words: "And I show you a still more excellent way." Then Paul goes into what many believe is the very definition of Love. But Mr. McClaren points out that it must be ultimately more than just a piece of literature. Love must be our existence-our reality-God's love in Christ Jesus.
1 John 4:8 ►New International Version Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Colossians 2:6 Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, 7rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. John 15:5 ►New International Version "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 1 John 4:19, ESV: "We love because he first loved us.
God is the origin of real love. It is an eternal river flowing from within His heart. Acts 17:28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
If our own love is rooted in Him, we will never, save times of weaknesses, be kept from faith and hope.
It is in times of weakness, sin-pain-trial; it happens in times of great pride. We turn our backs and live on our own.
When focused on Him, we grow and are encouraging to the world around us. The flow of real Love from God's heart shields us and empowers us with faith unshakable and hope eternal.
Paul points us to Love in 1 Corinthians 13. We must-without fail-follow...
God must be our direction. He must be our teacher. If you, we, do not long for more and more of His heart of real Love, it must become a matter of deep prayer. This must become our heart's cry.
...because He loves us...
Loving God, our Father, Lift me from my weakness and forgive me-strengthen me to be blind to the world of sin and give me perfect sight of lost souls. My soul thirsts for You. Yours is the power and the glory!
Because of Christ Jesus, I pray,
Amen