LOVE IS THE RULE

LOVE IS THE RULE

Since all God’s saints are to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12), all Christians should be different from the world in their manners.  Love must be the rule for our relations to others.  Love is not just a feeling.  Love is a principle we practice, a way of life.  Love is mannerly; and the manners of a saint should show him or her to be a gentleman or a lady.

Even a seemingly little “M” like manners can close doors to people and their ministries. In whatever form, ill manners will tend to discredit our ministries.

Love and the Gifts

Counterfeit gifts are marked by their lack of love in their use.1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 13:1-4 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, but have not love, it profits me nothing.1 Cor. 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts. 

Even the priestly garments of Old Testament Priests represent Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit. Tabernacle priests wore a priestly skirt, fringed at the bottom with bells and pomegranates. Pomegranates represent fruit, and bells represent gifts. Both the gifts and fruit of the Spirit represent the manifestation of the Spirit. The alternating bells and pomegranates on the garments of Aaron typify the "gifts" and "fruit" of the Spirit in balance and co-dependency (1 Cor. 12:8-10; Gal. 5:22-23)--the ministry and nature of our Lord which adorns His glorious Church (Ex. 28:2; Eph. 5:25-27). We operate in a ministry of Love.

Words you speak must come from a heart of love. Therefore, you are to test all you do by this guideline: 

1 Corinthians 13:9-13 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.  

In 1 Cor. 13, love is the qualifying factor for biblical exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Without love the most magnificent manifestation of gifts and the most heroic self-sacrifice means nothing.  Out of all the gifts love is the greatest gift. 

 If God is in us and God is love, then it should manifest through us (1 John 4:7-21).  We should check the following list to see if we have all these characteristics in our lives.  

If we are missing any of these characteristics, then we should start practicing the area where we are weak.  Practice will make us stronger in that area.  See if we qualify in all these characteristics:

1. Love is patient.  Are you impatient with imperfect people?
2. Love is kind.  Are you not active in doing good to others?
3. Love does not envy.  Are you possessive and competitive?  Do you hate to see others get ahead?
4. Love does not boast.  Are you always patting your self on the back of what you have accomplished?
5. Love is not proud.  Do you treat others arrogantly?
6. Love is not rude.  Do you display bad manners and not courteous to others?
7. Love is not self-seeking.  Do you insist on your rights and precedence over others?  Are you selfish and always complaining?  Are you fearful?
8. Love is not easily angered.  Are you irritable or touchy, rough or hostile?  Are you not graceful under pressure?
9. Love keeps no record of wrongs done to you.  Are you resentful? Do you find satisfaction in shortcomings of others and spread evil reports?  Do you not defend and hold others up?  Are you always suspicious and never give others credit for good intentions?  Do you give up on people and see them as having no future?  Are you not loyal to others?

If we say “yes” to any of the above questions then we need to grow in maturity in these areas.

Jesus commanded that we love one another as He has loved us (John 15:12).  

Song of Solomon 8:7 says; Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

LOVE AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER

 Let’s face it we live in a world greedy for self-gratification. It is I, I, I, me, me, me, mine, mine, mine.

We know that the spirit of antichrist is in the world and that the antichrist nature produces the kingdom of self.

1 John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

What is the spirit of antichrist? Anti means opposes, Christos means the Anointed One, Christ, Messiah. Look at 1 John 2:18 and 1 John 2:22.

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

 We are made in God’s own image and likeness Gen. 1:26.

Philemon 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

 The issue is that there are two images of you:

1. Christ, which is His image of you.
2. Antichrist, which is your image of you or others image of you.

There were two trees in the Garden of Eden, the tree of life, Christ Jesus, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, self. We as Adam and Eve make a choice everyday. Choose life, Christ Jesus or choose death, self.

Christ is the image of God. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. He is our example. We are being changed into that image if we allow Holy Spirit to do the work in us.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Let us emulate the character and image of Christ. You are the light of the world reflecting Jesus to everyone you meet. You are the only Jesus Christ some people will ever see. I’m not saying you are Jesus, but you reflect His character if you are a believer.

We are to be different from the world. We are to love and care for one another.  Whether in WalMart buying groceries or at the local game, let’s reflect Christ’s character. Let’s do the golden rule. Let’s love and care for one another.

There are 250 one anothers in the Word of God. Here are just a few:

List of One Another Commands

Accept one another

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Rom. 15:7)

Admonish one another

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16)

Bear one another's burdens

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal. 6:2)

Bear with one another

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Eph. 4:2)

Build up one another

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification (original=build up one another). (Rom. 14:19)

Care for one another

. . . so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (1 Cor. 12:25)

Comfort one another

Therefore encourage each other (original=comfort one another) with these words. (1 Thess. 4:18)

Confess faults to one another

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

Be Devoted to one another

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. (Rom. 12:10a)

Encourage one another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thess. 5:11)

Forgive one another

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

Greet one another

Greet one another with a holy kiss. (Rom. 16:16)

Be Honest with one another

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices . . . (Col. 3:9)

Honor one another

Honor one another above yourselves. (Rom. 12:10b)

Be Hospitable to one another

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Pet. 4:9)

Be Kind to one another

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

Love one another

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another . . . (Rom. 13:8)

Members one of another

So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Rom. 12:5)

Pray for one another

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

Be of the Same Mind with one another

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves (original=same mind among each other) as you follow Christ Jesus . . . (Rom. 15:5)

Serve one another

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love. (Gal. 5:13)

Spur one another on

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Heb. 10:24)

Submit to one another

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph. 5:21)

What is intuition? 

Intuition is defined as the ability to sense or know immediately without reasoning. Intuition has many related meanings, including: Quick and ready insight seemingly independent of previous experiences or empirical knowledge ,immediate apprehension or cognition, that is, knowledge or conviction without consideration, thought, or inference. Understanding without apparent effort, a perceptive insight. It is a sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression.

In our spirit we have 5 senses as well as 5 senses in our soul and body.

Our spirit man knows what to do.

1 Chron. 12:32a And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times,  to know what to do

(1Ch 12:32)  From Issachar's descendants there were 200 leaders who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. Their relatives were under their command.

But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their  (spiritual) senses exercised to discern good and evil" (Heb. 5:14).

"O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him" (Psalm 34:8).

Frequently, Scripture uses our five physical senses in a figurative way to help us comprehend our interaction with the heavenly realm of God's presence and power.

Spiritual Seeing

We can "see," for example, with spiritual eyes. Paul prayed thus for the believer: "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1:18).

Spiritual Hearing

Similarly, we are privileged to hear the voice of the Lord with spiritual ears. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). "A stranger will they not follow, . . . for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:5).

Spiritual Feeling/Knowing

The sense of touch is the sense of feeling, and God can both touch and be touched. We read, for example, of "a band of men, whose hearts God had touched" (I Samuel 10:26). Of Jesus Christ, it is said that He is not a remote deity "which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (Hebrews 4:15). Even people who never knew Him can perhaps "feel after Him, and find Him" (Acts 17:27) if they truly desire His great salvation.

Spiritual Smell &Taste

We can even become "unto God a sweet savor of Christ" (II Corinthians 2:15). To the world, the faithful Christian life and testimony can either be "the savor of death unto death" to those who refuse it, or "the savor of life unto life" (II Corinthians 2:16).

Finally, we are exhorted actually to taste the Lord, and see that He is good! His Word will be, according to our needs, either "sincere milk" (I Peter 2:2), "strong meat" (Hebrews 5:14), or "sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:10). HMM

Our spiritual senses in tune with Holy Spirit knows what to do. It's called wisdom.