1. Love
If the Holy Spirit lives in us, then we bear fruit.
We need to consider that Jesus indicated that we will be known by our fruit and not by our gifts and if we are in Him, we will bear much fruit. This has led me to often say: "The gifts are optional, the fruit are compulsory."
Over the next nine devotions I am going to be as practical as I can possibly be about how we co-operate with the Spirit to bear fruit. While He is the one who plants and grows the fruit in us, we can co-operate or resist...
| 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. (1Corinthians13:4-7) |
Don Fransisco sings "Love is not a feeling, it's an act of the will!"
John, in ch.4 of his letter tells us that we should love one another, "for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
So who's right? Don or John?
Ironically they both are!
Love starts with God, who models love and unleashes love in us.
How does God "unleash love" in us? Simply by loving us!
We can only give what we have received...
But how should love look?
Paul is helpful:
- There are metrics and rubrics for love:
It's patient and kind - There are warnings and limits:
It does not envy and boast, not is it rude or self-seeking - There are danger signs:
Being easily angered and bottling up lists of ways we've been wronged - There's direction:
Away from evil and towards truth - There are habits:
Love protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres.
We love because we are loved.
But we, with the Spirit's help, can love better...
