Love Is The Key, Part 1
Let’s read 1 Corinthians 13 in the Amplified Bible.
IF I [CAN] SPEAK IN THE TONGUES OF MEN AND [EVEN] OF ANGELS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (THAT REASONING, INTENTIONAL, SPIRITUAL DEVOTION SUCH AS IS INSPIRED BY GOD’S LOVE FOR AND IN US) I AM ONLY A NOISY GONG OR A CLANGING CYMBAL.
Even though it is important that we be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, if we have not God’s love operating in us, we are simply making a noise as we speak in tongues or pray in tongues. It is noise and not pleasant to God’s ears. But the person who yields to God, to love, speaks a melody that is music to God’s ears when he or she speaks with other tongues. When Love speaks, God speaks, and He is given full reign in people's lives.
AND IF I HAVE PROPHETIC POWERS (THE GIFT OF INTERPRETING THE DIVINE WILL AND PURPOSE), AND UNDERSTAND ALL THE SECRET TRUTHS AND MYSTERIES AND POSSESS ALL KNOWLEDGE, AND IF I HAVE [SUFFICIENT] FAITH SO THAT I CAN REMOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (GOD’S LOVE IN ME) I AM NOTHING (A USELESS NOBODY.
Isn’t this something! If we are able to prophesy and understand God’s mysteries and have faith that is capable of removing the mountains in our lives and have not God’s love operating in us, we are useless. This verse is not saying that faith is unimportant or that being given the gift of seeing into the mysteries of God’s kingdom is unimportant. What it is saying is this: Love is more important that anything else in our lives.
When we seek God with all that is in us, we are seeking Love because God is Love. Yes, when we seek Love, we are somebody in God’s Kingdom. We are just like Him---talk like Him, walk like Him, act like Him. Then the faith is produced and the revelation is there and the ability to believe and receive is operating. We must remember that faith operates by love, God’s love in us. Without His love operating in us, the faith may produce results, but the results are empty and without life. God is full of life and gives life to all that He touches. That is the way that we are when we yield to Him, to Love Himself.
EVEN IF I DOLE OUT ALL THAT I HAVE [TO THE POOR IN PROVIDING] FOOD, AND IF I SURRENDER MY BODY TO BE BURNED OR IN ORDER THAT I MAY GLORY, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (GOD’S LOVE IN ME), I GAIN NOTHING.
Are you telling me that if I am kind and if I help the poor and needy and if I give myself to be killed and have not love, I do not gain anything? Are you telling me that it profits me nothing? In one word, YES! This is pretty heavy duty stuff here. Let me see if I have gotten this right from these three verses. If I speak in tongues, if I have the gift of prophecy, if I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, if I have great faith, if I give all my goods to feed the poor, if I give my body to be burned, and have not God’s love operating in me and through me, I get no benefit from it. That’s right. Well, it looks to me like it is adding up to this: Love is the key. God, Love Himself, is the key to all that I do on this earth.
What I am to do is to operate in God’s love in all situations and at all times toward everyone. And then all these other things such as faith, giving, feeding the poor and surrendering my life will profit me, because they will be done at the direction of the Holy Spirit and thus have God’s life operating in these “acts of doing.”
Do all at the direction of the Holy Spirit and by His anointing, His power and love. Father knows best.
IF I [CAN] SPEAK IN THE TONGUES OF MEN AND [EVEN] OF ANGELS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (THAT REASONING, INTENTIONAL, SPIRITUAL DEVOTION SUCH AS IS INSPIRED BY GOD’S LOVE FOR AND IN US) I AM ONLY A NOISY GONG OR A CLANGING CYMBAL.
Even though it is important that we be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, if we have not God’s love operating in us, we are simply making a noise as we speak in tongues or pray in tongues. It is noise and not pleasant to God’s ears. But the person who yields to God, to love, speaks a melody that is music to God’s ears when he or she speaks with other tongues. When Love speaks, God speaks, and He is given full reign in people's lives.
AND IF I HAVE PROPHETIC POWERS (THE GIFT OF INTERPRETING THE DIVINE WILL AND PURPOSE), AND UNDERSTAND ALL THE SECRET TRUTHS AND MYSTERIES AND POSSESS ALL KNOWLEDGE, AND IF I HAVE [SUFFICIENT] FAITH SO THAT I CAN REMOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (GOD’S LOVE IN ME) I AM NOTHING (A USELESS NOBODY.
Isn’t this something! If we are able to prophesy and understand God’s mysteries and have faith that is capable of removing the mountains in our lives and have not God’s love operating in us, we are useless. This verse is not saying that faith is unimportant or that being given the gift of seeing into the mysteries of God’s kingdom is unimportant. What it is saying is this: Love is more important that anything else in our lives.
When we seek God with all that is in us, we are seeking Love because God is Love. Yes, when we seek Love, we are somebody in God’s Kingdom. We are just like Him---talk like Him, walk like Him, act like Him. Then the faith is produced and the revelation is there and the ability to believe and receive is operating. We must remember that faith operates by love, God’s love in us. Without His love operating in us, the faith may produce results, but the results are empty and without life. God is full of life and gives life to all that He touches. That is the way that we are when we yield to Him, to Love Himself.
EVEN IF I DOLE OUT ALL THAT I HAVE [TO THE POOR IN PROVIDING] FOOD, AND IF I SURRENDER MY BODY TO BE BURNED OR IN ORDER THAT I MAY GLORY, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE (GOD’S LOVE IN ME), I GAIN NOTHING.
Are you telling me that if I am kind and if I help the poor and needy and if I give myself to be killed and have not love, I do not gain anything? Are you telling me that it profits me nothing? In one word, YES! This is pretty heavy duty stuff here. Let me see if I have gotten this right from these three verses. If I speak in tongues, if I have the gift of prophecy, if I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, if I have great faith, if I give all my goods to feed the poor, if I give my body to be burned, and have not God’s love operating in me and through me, I get no benefit from it. That’s right. Well, it looks to me like it is adding up to this: Love is the key. God, Love Himself, is the key to all that I do on this earth.
What I am to do is to operate in God’s love in all situations and at all times toward everyone. And then all these other things such as faith, giving, feeding the poor and surrendering my life will profit me, because they will be done at the direction of the Holy Spirit and thus have God’s life operating in these “acts of doing.”
Do all at the direction of the Holy Spirit and by His anointing, His power and love. Father knows best.
posted by Rev. Kialeen Potterton @ 6:50 PM
<< Home