NOTHING ELSE WILL MATTER...
"1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." (The Message)
"1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing." (The New Living Translation)
"1 I may speak in different languages[a] of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. 2 I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. 3 I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned.[b] But I gain nothing if I do not have love." (New Century Version)
Here are three different versions of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. They all make the same point--no matter how you slice it. No matter what I do, if it's not governed by LOVE, it's a waste of time, in God's eyes. Everything that we do in the Kingdom and for the purpose of Kingdom-building, MUST be motivated by LOVE for God and.... His people. Faith doesn't matter, if there's no love. Even giving doesn't matter if you are not motivated by love. Preaching doesn't matter if not motivated by love. Teaching, prophesying, praying, living holy, healing, everything that we do in/for the upbuilding of God's Kingdom MUST be motivated by love. Someone might ask, "What other reason is there to do it? There must be some--why else was this written? There is a clue in the New Living Translation, though. Some may do it, for an opportunity to boast. That's not new. Remember, the righteous Pharisee praying, and thanking God (boasting, really) that he was not like some others, and the publican who smote his breast and admitted that he was a sinner--not listing his own virtues or the sins of others? Yes, boasting to God! It might seem ridiculous--it is a little. It isn't as unrealistic as it appears though, since most of us, are consumed with what PEOPLE see and not so much with what God see's.
How is it that we give more attention to EVERYTHING in the Kingdom, except the one thing that Jesus said is FIRST? Many would say that we love God with ALL of our heart, soul and mind; but, if you don't love your brother "whom you see", that CANNOT be true. It is a sad indictment, today, that many of our finest preachers have no REAL love for God's people. God's people are seen in terms of numbers and dollars, in many cases. God see's them as His children. He gives leaders the responsibility to lovingly care for them and watch for their souls, but they view them as acquisitions. Often, they forget that they are GOD'S people, and not theirs. That is how abuse is able to happen in our churches. Abuse is rampant and goes deep, but just take this thought into consideration--the man/woman of God preaches a mighty sermon under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (God's gifts are without repentance) and step down from the pulpit and won't respond to a person in the congregation, who has spoken to them. That awesome message and ALL that they do in the Kingdom, becomes NOISE. God cares about our motives. He cares that we hurt and abuse people. He cares that we refuse to repent. (And, He sees.)
It won't matter that thousands are walking the earth with unstopped ears, legs no longer lame, and diseases healed (by faith) through your ministry, if you fail to show love to God's people. He will say, "I never knew you, depart from Me".
This superiority, this elitism that has penetrated Christian churches, turning leaders into idols has been a masterful trick of the enemy. It isn't something that can't be fixed--even easily fixed; the hard part is dealing with ego's and being willing to submit to the truth and repent. We say, we want revival. We say, we want a great move of the Spirit, in these last days--but, what are we willing to do, to see it occur? All that is left to do, is acknowledge the sin, and repent.
Not only are leaders, preachers, and those in obvious ministries guilty. Many of us, who are seated in the pews on Sunday morning, treat our brothers/sisters in Christ as if they are second-class citizens. What God has cleansed....We have to be so careful in our JUDGEMENTS of others. We don't have a right to judge anyone (Romans 2:1,2). Love HAS to begin to abound, among us. This doesn't mean that we don't hold each other accountable, but we do it in love. In some cases, it means, you have to begin to hold your brother/sister accountable--because it isn't loving, not to! The Word gives us a blueprint. We have guidelines for how to live our lives, and how to treat each other. We have to take corrective action. It is not okay to leave matters unsettled. Follow the blueprint and find success in the Kingdom, in the Church, in your relationships, and in your spirit. Our very souls are at stake, while we are focused on everything except our heart issues--we need to place things in order. LOVE FIRST.
"If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now Mine eyes shall be open and Mine ears attentive unto the prayer that is made in this place." 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (21st CKJV)
Love & Abundant Blessings,
Lisa
"1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing." (The New Living Translation)
"1 I may speak in different languages[a] of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. 2 I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. 3 I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned.[b] But I gain nothing if I do not have love." (New Century Version)
Here are three different versions of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. They all make the same point--no matter how you slice it. No matter what I do, if it's not governed by LOVE, it's a waste of time, in God's eyes. Everything that we do in the Kingdom and for the purpose of Kingdom-building, MUST be motivated by LOVE for God and.... His people. Faith doesn't matter, if there's no love. Even giving doesn't matter if you are not motivated by love. Preaching doesn't matter if not motivated by love. Teaching, prophesying, praying, living holy, healing, everything that we do in/for the upbuilding of God's Kingdom MUST be motivated by love. Someone might ask, "What other reason is there to do it? There must be some--why else was this written? There is a clue in the New Living Translation, though. Some may do it, for an opportunity to boast. That's not new. Remember, the righteous Pharisee praying, and thanking God (boasting, really) that he was not like some others, and the publican who smote his breast and admitted that he was a sinner--not listing his own virtues or the sins of others? Yes, boasting to God! It might seem ridiculous--it is a little. It isn't as unrealistic as it appears though, since most of us, are consumed with what PEOPLE see and not so much with what God see's.
How is it that we give more attention to EVERYTHING in the Kingdom, except the one thing that Jesus said is FIRST? Many would say that we love God with ALL of our heart, soul and mind; but, if you don't love your brother "whom you see", that CANNOT be true. It is a sad indictment, today, that many of our finest preachers have no REAL love for God's people. God's people are seen in terms of numbers and dollars, in many cases. God see's them as His children. He gives leaders the responsibility to lovingly care for them and watch for their souls, but they view them as acquisitions. Often, they forget that they are GOD'S people, and not theirs. That is how abuse is able to happen in our churches. Abuse is rampant and goes deep, but just take this thought into consideration--the man/woman of God preaches a mighty sermon under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (God's gifts are without repentance) and step down from the pulpit and won't respond to a person in the congregation, who has spoken to them. That awesome message and ALL that they do in the Kingdom, becomes NOISE. God cares about our motives. He cares that we hurt and abuse people. He cares that we refuse to repent. (And, He sees.)
It won't matter that thousands are walking the earth with unstopped ears, legs no longer lame, and diseases healed (by faith) through your ministry, if you fail to show love to God's people. He will say, "I never knew you, depart from Me".
This superiority, this elitism that has penetrated Christian churches, turning leaders into idols has been a masterful trick of the enemy. It isn't something that can't be fixed--even easily fixed; the hard part is dealing with ego's and being willing to submit to the truth and repent. We say, we want revival. We say, we want a great move of the Spirit, in these last days--but, what are we willing to do, to see it occur? All that is left to do, is acknowledge the sin, and repent.
Not only are leaders, preachers, and those in obvious ministries guilty. Many of us, who are seated in the pews on Sunday morning, treat our brothers/sisters in Christ as if they are second-class citizens. What God has cleansed....We have to be so careful in our JUDGEMENTS of others. We don't have a right to judge anyone (Romans 2:1,2). Love HAS to begin to abound, among us. This doesn't mean that we don't hold each other accountable, but we do it in love. In some cases, it means, you have to begin to hold your brother/sister accountable--because it isn't loving, not to! The Word gives us a blueprint. We have guidelines for how to live our lives, and how to treat each other. We have to take corrective action. It is not okay to leave matters unsettled. Follow the blueprint and find success in the Kingdom, in the Church, in your relationships, and in your spirit. Our very souls are at stake, while we are focused on everything except our heart issues--we need to place things in order. LOVE FIRST.
"If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now Mine eyes shall be open and Mine ears attentive unto the prayer that is made in this place." 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (21st CKJV)
Love & Abundant Blessings,
Lisa
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