Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Love Never Fails


1 Corinthians 13:4-8 The Message
4 Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, 5 Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, 6 Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 7 Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
8 Love never dies.






I am so overwhelmed by this whole 'love' thing as of late...I mean, I have always believed in love! It's always been a huge part of my life... I thought that I was a pretty loving, compassionate person. I don't have a problem accepting others or doing things for others. I enjoy helping people. I even would say that I thrive off of helping others. I try to be nice. I try to observe the "Golden Rule"....but I've come to realize lately that it's not enough. It's not the kind of LOVE that is described in the above verse. If I dig deep and really search myself, there are usually selfish reasons that I do the things that I do. Not necessarily bad or wrong or malicious reasons. But still selfish nonetheless. Whether it be to fulfill my desires or to cause people to like me or even to make someone else happy...none of those are portraying the PURE LOVE that Corinthians 13 tells of.  That kind of love is not something that you DO....i have realized that it must be something that you ARE...wow...It has to become a part of you. So that in every circumstance, with every person you ARE that love. The love that "never gives up...cares for others more than self.....doesn't keep score....puts up with anything....TRUSTS GOD ALWAYS..." That kind of love takes a transformation. Not only in your heart. But in your head as well. The world has taught us such a warped, jacked up view of what "love" looks like and feels like that we have to concsiously work to change our way of thinking concerning it. The world tells us to follow our heart and do what it tells us, but the Bible tells us that

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out." Jeremiah 17:9.
and
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

So, that tells me that we have ruling over our heart. It does not rule over us. Wherever WE place our treasure, our HEART follows. We don't follow our heart. It has to follow us! I have been in the place where my heart has deceived me. I have been in the place where I felt like I was following my heart and it lead me down a dark, dangerous, deadly road that, in the end, only lead to pain and suffering and brokeness. I am now longing for this Corinthians 13 kind of love at work in my life. I want to have that kind of love for others. I want to BE that kind of love! I know that God has surrounded me with some people that are living it out and I plan to glean from every bit of wisdom and guidance that they give me. But moreover, i plan to seek Him for it, and learn from Him about it. I know that it is something that only He can do. No one can BE that kind of love without His help. It's tough....but I know it is so worth it!





Saturday, January 1, 2011

Mending Fences...

Just finished reading the book 'When Godly People Do Ungodly Things' by Beth Moore.....wow....it is truly changing my life. I so wish I had read it a few years ago. The second section in the book discusses practical ways to arm yourself as a Christian from attacks of the enemy. The author compares our lives to a fence. She explains that, when we are sanctified believers in Christ with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, the enemy can not get inside our 'fence'....unless he is let in. She talks about how the enemy will plant temptations just outside our 'fence' and if we don't deal with those things they just grow and eventually damage our fence, thus allowing a place for the enemy to enter in....here's an excerpt from the chapter;

"..Satan first lays the groundwork. He subtly planted something that appears small, as close to the fence line as possible. Over the course of time, the roots and branches strengthen, and the fence begins to dislodge. The lion gets in the yard, and often by the time we look up, he's devouring something precious. Relationships, integrity, the respect of our children, our finances, our security, our own self-respect, etc. And all because we didn't deal with the damage to our fence."

As I read the pages of this book, I could literally replay the events in my own life, current and past, and see the things that I missed....the places I went wrong. Without overdoing it or telling too much more, I just want to show you the titles of the chapters in the second section of the book...remember, it is telling practical ways to 'seduce-proof' your own life...

     II. The Watchman
          Chapter 6 - Seduce Proofing Our Lives
          Chapter 7 - The Safe House of Love
          Chapter 8 - See-through Lives (yeah, I know!)
          Chapter 9 - Warm Hearts, Wise Heads
          Chapter 10 - Clean Ties (dealing with co-dependent/messy relationships)
          Chapter 11 - Strong Walls & Secret Places

I am so thankful that this book was suggested to me. Read it. Soon. I promise you will be glad you did.

Mending my fence.....
Misty