Sunday, August 1, 2010

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.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Even before I had a relationship with the Lord this was my very favorite bible verse. I have always loved love. What does it mean to love love? Let’s just say I believed in fairy tales, which can also be referred to as a hopeless romantic. I used to read this verse and dream of my future husband because I did not understand that this verse describes the very nature of God. At that time in my life I only knew of a God that was to be feared and if I did enough good then he might do something good for me. It was not all bad because I held out for love and when I found the kind of love mentioned above it was in an intimate relationship with the Father. He put the desire for love in my heart knowing that He was the only one who could ever fit the bill.

Anyway, recently while at my niece’s first birthday my sister-in-law commented on how Brooke gets in the dishwasher because she wants to help. What? Help? That thought never crossed my mind when Kaira got in the dishwasher, I went straight to anger (she’s being disobedient, she’s being destructive, etc.). It made me realize that I tend to think the “worst” first and immediately I knew that was contradictory to scripture. 1 Corinthians 12:7 in the Amplified bible says, “Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. So, we are to “believe the best” not the “worst”. I asked God to help me in this area, I wanted to line up with His Word.

From an early age I saw the worst of people (to the extremes) and I guess I just began to expect it, so you can guess what I got…the worst of people. It does not matter that my life was filled with the worst, the bible says to expect the best…so, I have a decision to make: a) keep doing what I’ve always done and keep getting what I’ve always gotten or b) agree with God. Of course, I choose the latter.

I had a woman from our church and her two daughters over for tea this week and we got to talking about a lot of things, which led me to pull out my notebook from a conference earlier this year. The first thing I turned to was the page with notes from the accusation teaching. They teach the manifestations in our lives when the spirit of accusation is present. I was amazed, blessed and blown away by what I read first:

From my notes:
We accuse others – love is to think the best and the enemy tries to get us to focus on the worst

Believe me when I read that I was praising God. He gave me the revelation I needed to be free from this spirit that is causing me to disagree with Him. We know that Satan is the accuser and he will accuse us, have others accuse us or have us accuse God. I certainly did not want this operating in my life.

I repented to the Father for agreeing with this spirit and asked forgiveness and cast out that spirit of accusation. Now through my obedience and being transformed by the renewing of my mind I will begin to line up with the word of God. I am excited to see how this will impact my life, my marriage and my children.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9


3 comments:

Mari said...

That's a whole twist on a way of thinking and a frame of mind. Sounds like great advice!

Unknown said...

I, too, have love trust levels stemming from years of abuse. I asked Scottie last night what was the principality that suspicion falls under (like when you doubt that someone's motives are pure). Without missiong a beat, he said that would be Accusation. I immediately saw it. I had been letting the enemy play with my mind again.
Whatsoever things are pure, lovely, of good report...think on these things.

Sheree Alyce said...

Amazing! This too has been my favorite scripture since before I was saved. I had many failed relationships and dreamed of one day having a "man" this scripture described. It wasn't until I was saved and read this scripture again, that I understood the full true meaning it describes. How AWESOME a God we serve that can love us like this through our flaws...

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