July Winner and my thoughts on love...

The July winner of Praise and Coffee is:

Alexia!

Congrats Alexia, email me your home address

and I will send out your coffee and CD!!

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I have been thinking alot about walking in love lately. Maybe it's because I'm being challenged in this area right now.

The Word of God says:
1 Cor 13:1-3
13:1 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.

2 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.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
NIV

It seems that no matter what I do...if I don't walk in love, it is all for nothing.

Even if I speak with words that pierce people's heart and sound like the angels themselves speaking, it matters not -unless I walk in love.

Even if I am flowing with wise words and my faith changes my life and those around me, it matters not unless I walk in love.

Even if I give of my life like Mother Teresa, and am willing to sacrifice my life for others, it matters not unless I walk in love.

If I truly want to honor the Lord with my life, it will be one that is marked by my love for people.

Here's what God says that looks like:
1 Cor 13:4-7
4 Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
5 It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
NIV

1 Cor 16:13-14
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith;
be men of courage; be strong.
14 Do everything in love.
NIV

Gal 5:14-15
14 The entire law is summed up in a single command:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other,
watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
NIV

This really hits me. I've got a long way to go. It humbles me.

This one really gets me too:
1 Peter 4:7-8
7 The end of all things is near.
Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled
so that you can pray.
8 Above all, love each other deeply,
because love covers over a multitude of sins.
NIV

Above ALL???
In other words- this is more important than anything else you do. Wow.

But God, do you SEE these people you are asking me to love???
Do you see what they are doing???
Really?

1 John 2:5-6
5 But if anyone obeys His word,
God's love is truly made complete in him.
This is how we know we are in Him:
6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
NIV

This is how we know we are in Him...in other words-
my reputation should be-more than anything else- that I love people.
Oh, how I want that.

God's Word is life.
Let's meditate on it and see how the Lord would have us love deeply and completely.