1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (Amplified Bible)
1) IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2) And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
3) Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.
I remember when I was recovering from being very ill, the doctor had given his opinion about what he thought would happen. I prepared for a life that would be limited, because of what the doctor claimed my limitations would be. But one day I looked at my children and looked around and realized that I was all that they had and a righteous indignation rose up in me, a Mohammad Ali type spirit ( a very skilled fighter) came about. In that moment the doctors words meant little and my children having a mom that would be their for them took on a whole new meaning. I began to fight hard. I began to push not for me, but for them. How many times have we choose not to push, not to press in not venture, not to risk ourselves, because it may be too much work or too costly? Probably more times than we have the ability to count.
To take the road which is most comfortable for us is usually what most of would chose if we had the choice. We have become so spoiled and self absorbed that to fight for anything for anyone other than ourselves is unheard of. We are choosing to let marriages disintegrate, children train themselves and run themselves into ruin, friendship be lost and families become a thing of the past. We choose "me" over the "we" and to do it our way over God's way. We chose to be served rather than to render service. We have learned that effort is a thing of the past and to work hard and to risk everything is not something we do. All we want is to gain happiness, completion and success without the exertion that it takes to obtain these things. The one thing we lose sight of most times is what it says in Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth." God through His gift of the Holy Spirit has made us more than conquerors, overcomers and more than successful. But if we never take the time to place our hands to the plow and apply a work ethic that only God inspires, we will not gain all of what His promises are to us. If you do not give love in a way that you have never given it you will never receive love that you have never received before. If you do not give or sow like you have never given before do not expect to receive in a away you have never received before.
The definition of craziness and insanity is doing things the same way and expecting different results. I know people that the way the resolve conflict today is the same way they did it fourteen years ago. I know some that are living a life close in proximity to how they lived sixteen years ago, but yet in these and so many other cases they had and have the expectation that things would be better and things within themselves and others would change. I am here to set the record straight, even Paul had to come down off of his high horse and even Peter had to stop lopping off ears, to see change manifested in their lives. Jesus himself took leave of His throne in heaven to seek change for you and I , what makes you think you don't have to leave the comfort of your lack of effort to have change come to you? You see it all comes down to this, NOTHING ventured, NOTHING gained!
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