If I Truly Love

WE’RE NOT fighting flesh and blood, but we take a stand against demonic forces – in individuals, over nations, over cultures. We do not take a stand against people. Having done all to stand IN THE SPIRIT against the DEVIL’S WORKS, we keep standing and refuse to let him have his way. But, again, we do not stand firm against people. With people, we love as Jesus did. He said if they ask for your coat to also give them your shirt. If they ask you to walk one mile, to walk two. He did not say SPEAK YOUR MIND. He said to MOURN SIN as the Father does (Matthew 5:4) and to hunger for righteousness. He promised there would be persecution. He also told His disciples when they were before kings and authorities, they were to listen to the Holy Spirit and speak what He gave them to speak.

There is a fantastic translation of 1 Corinthians 13:8 by Brian Simmons which gives truth. It says, “Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten (TPT).” Though this verse speaks of a future age, it is applicable to us today. Because where someone does not believe in prophecy, there is love. Where someone does not speak in tongues, the Spirit’s language, there is love. Where the gifts of the Spirit are not received by those in the church, there is love. Love lasts where doctrines fail.

We are too eager to berate people for what we don’t agree with, when God is our example of something better. He is never offended by us. Never. And this promise is available to us in Psalm 119:165, which says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Think about this. What if when people said what they say, all those things that get under our skin, or seem silly and foolish to us, instead of making a joke or a critical comment, we loved them? What if what they misbelieve or prefer to believe doesn’t bother us at all? Here is a picture of our loving Father, or gracious Savior, and the beautiful Holy Spirit. They hear untruth from our lips all the time and hatred and pride. They see us react in anger and yet they extend to us forgiveness and love.

READ “Know Him.”

Jesus died on the cross, being mocked and ridiculed by priests and scribes, by Roman soldiers, by the populace. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, this is the meaning of Isaiah 53:4. Jesus told Pilate He could call down thousands of angels to rescue Him. Yet, His love for men was so great that He didn’t do that. He didn’t even consider it but mourned even the one who betrayed Him. Jesus loves Judas. He loves sinners. We’ve over-defined sin, making things that aren’t sin into sin, and we’ve used people’s sins as a weapon against them. Love is what changes the heart, what renews the mind, not our defensive passions. There IS a right and a wrong, there is sin, and we should know it. But we know it in order to not do it ourselves and to pray for those who are caught up in it. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher. He shows us the truths of the Word, including behaviors that are sinful. But we cannot call our personal judgments, we cannot use our likes and dislikes as the balance for other people’s lives.

Jesus loved the lame man let down through the roof, though that man had sinned. He loved the man at the pool of Bethesda, though he had sinned. He freed the Gadarene demoniac, whose desperate life had gotten into that condition through his personal choices. He defended the woman taken in adultery and forgave her of what she’d been doing. He forgave the Samaritan woman, despite her lifestyle. He stood down no one for their sins in order to heal them and took no offense. What we see as defense was the words of the Father to bring repentance. Jesus cast no condemnation; He held guilt over no one but told them not to sin anymore.

The world around us, secular society seems to writhe with ungodliness on full display, but we must set down our banners and see these as people and walk in the Spirit where words must be spoken. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 speaks of who God is. These characteristics of love are how He loves, how He responds, and within us is His presence to enable us to live them. Through GOD WITH US we can rise above envy and jealousy and outbursts of anger. We can walk in humility instead of pride and show patience and kindness to those undeserving of it. We can love instead of being self-serving, self-exalting. It is the man who sits in the back who is asked to come up higher. These are Jesus’ words. When they wanted to make Him King, He vanished into the wilderness. For no man would exalt Him. That would come only from His Father. When demons cried out He was the Son of God, He told them to be quiet. Who He was would be revealed on the cross and not by the devil’s minions (Ephesians 2:13, Remedy). He was meek and gentle like His Father. Not weak, not uncertain. He did not question His calling when on His face in the garden but had no fear of it at all. The Spirit upon Him, the Holy Spirit, has no fear and gives no fear. He is love (2 Timothy 1:7).

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 UDB “If you truly love others, you will endure hardships with joy. If you truly love, you will be kind to others. If you truly love, you will not resent that other people possess things you do not have. If you truly love, you will not boast about yourself or be proud. 5 If you truly love others, you will not abuse them. You will not live to please yourself. No one will be able to make you angry quickly. You will not keep track of the wrong things people have done. 6 If you truly love others, you will not be happy if anyone does wicked things; instead, you will be happy when people are faithful to God. 7 If you truly love others, you will endure everything that happens. You will trust that God will do the best things for people. You will trust in God regardless of what happens. You will obey God regardless of what hardships you are facing. 8 If you truly love, you will not stop loving. Those who are able to speak God's messages, speak in strange languages, or know hidden truths, do these things only for a while. One day they will stop doing these things.”

1 Corinthians 13:7 EasyEnglish “If I really love people, I will never stop loving them. It will not matter what happens. Whatever things may happen, I will still continue to love. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to believe. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to hope for good things. If I love then, during all things, I will still continue to be patient and strong.”

Image by Bianca Van Dijk from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com