Tag Archives: always hopes

Love Does

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 264 - 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 - Love Does - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 264 – 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 – Love Does – Growing As Disciples

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. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (NIV)

Love Is

This is a very high bar. What is a very high bar? This description of what love is, that is a very high bar. I don’t measure up. These words do not describe my thoughts and words and actions. My behavior is far below this standard of love. These words simply tell me that I am unloving and sinful person. That I freely admit, without one word of denial. Furthermore, If I have any hope whatsoever of being loving as is described here than I am going to desperately need your help. There is no doubt about that. For me to love in this way would require a miracle.  I will say one more thing, however. What’s that? I very much would like to be a loving person. I would like all these thoughts and words to describe my life. Well, you have a very good starting point. Really, how so? You recognize your shortcomings. You are acknowledging your sin. You are not living in denial. You are telling me that you need my help. You have the desire to be a loving person deep within you. Tell me, why is it that you want to be a loving person? Why do you care? Why is it even a desire in your heart? I know one thing for sure. What’s that? The desire to be a loving person did not originate with me. Where did this desire to be a loving person come from? It came from you. You placed this desire in my heart. How so? You loved me first. You loved me when I was unlovable. You loved me when I was living as if I was your enemy. You came into this world to live and die for me. You drew me to yourself. You rescued me from a life without you. You forgave my sin. You cleansed my unrighteousness. You gave me a completely new life to live. Now, I want to know and love and follow and serve you. Now, I want to become like you. I want to think like you think. I want to speak lie you speak. I want to act like you act. So, I want to love others just like you have loved me. I have one question for you. You have my full attention. If I placed this desire to love others within you, will I not also do a miracle in and through you, by making it a reality? Can I and will I accomplish this miracle in and through you? Yes, you can. Yes, you will. Of that, I have no doubt. That is good. That is right. That is true. Thank you, Lord! 

Lord, I know that I need your help. I am not loving; not like you are loving. I want to follow your example. I want to think, speak, and act like you do. I want to love like you loved. Mold and shape my life. Develop your love in me. Allow your love to flow through. Amen

Key Question…  How are you always protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering in demonstrating love to others?

Living It Out…  Allow the Lord to mold and shape your life so that you love others in all that you think, say, and do.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will mold and shape your life so that you are loving in all that you think, say, and do.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how the Lord is making you able to love others with His love.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May all your thoughts and words and actions be guided by the love of God in you.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 264 – 1 Corinthians 13-1-7 – Love Does – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Love Is

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 15 - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Love Is - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 15 – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – Love Is – Growing As Disciples

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. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

Love Looks Like

I have no doubt that this is what love looks like. I also have no doubt, whatsoever, that this is what you look like as well. I am equally sure that my life does not measure up to this description of love. Why is that? I’m not sure. I’m human. I am a sinner. Occasionally, I am some of these things in part. I am never all of these things in full, nor do I even come close to displaying a significant portion of these qualities all together at one time. I may be patient and proud. I may be kind and boastful. I may be truthful and angry. What is quite clear, is that, I desperately need your help. Why do you need my help? You want me to become like you. I want to become like you. I want to be able to demonstrate your love to the world. I want your love to flow through me. I want to love others just as you love me. I want others to see your love in me so that they will be drawn to you. I’m sure we have the same goals. We do have the same goals, don’t we? Yes, we do have the same goals. I want you to love others just as I love you. I want you to follow my example. I do want you to become like me. That’s good. Yes, it is very good.

Well, I know what will not work. I know what has not worked. What’s that? It will not work, it has not worked, for me to simply try harder to love others. I have tried that over and over year after year. My efforts have met with miserable failure. Yes, I have noticed. Let me ask you a question. Go ahead, I’m listening. Didn’t you say you wanted to become like me? Yes, I did. How will you become like me? I will become like you as I spend time with you. I will become like you as I draw near to you. I will become like you as I walk with you. I will become like you as I am in your presence. Yes, you will. As you become like me, what won’t you need to try harder to do? I will not need to try harder to love others because you will be changing me and making me more like you. Loving others will be the biproduct of you making me to be more like you. Now, you get it. Now, you understand. Yes, I do. That is very good.  

Lord, I have not loved others just as you have loved me. My love for others has been far from perfect. Forgive me. Help me. I want to love others like you love me. Develop in me the highest and best qualities of love. Help me demonstrate your love to the world. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 15 – 1 Corinthians 13-4-7 – Love Is – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com