‘Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love never comes to an end…’ [1 Cor.13:4-8]
Since God is love and he who loves is a child of God and knows God {1 Jn.4:7ff} then as children of God (1 Jn.4:4) let us compare and contrast how these qualities or characteristics mentioned above manifest in our relationship with God and neighbors:
I LOVE GOD AND MY NEIGHBOR;
How long have you prayed/waited for a particular intention?
(“but when the completion of the time came…” Gal.4:4, ‘when that Day comes you will never again be ashamed of all the deeds with which you once rebelled against me, for I shall rid you of those who exult in your pride; never again will you strut on my holy mountain’ Zeph.3:11)
When last did you actually give a thought to the genuine plan of God for creating you and how many souls that starve because of this misappropriation of God’s blessing and the feeling of nostalgia we develop towards righteousness when we encounter the word of God, preachers or peruse through the Sacred Scriptures with these statements {‘the world is a free place’, “I have got my life to live”, ‘God will understand’}?
[“only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable” 1 Cor.8:9, ‘talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom. Whoever acts without mercy will be judged without mercy but mercy can afford to laugh at judgment’ James 2:12-13, “young man, enjoy yourself while you are young, make the most of the days of your youth, follow the prompting and desire of heart and eye, but remember God will call you to account for everything” Eccles.11:9, ‘…so be cunning as snakes and yet innocent as doves. So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven’ Mtt.10:16, 32-33]
How generous have you been with your talent/wisdom/wealth/beauty/handsomeness/intelligence/position/time in the service of God and your neighbor?
{“yes, I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss. For him I have accepted the loss of all other things and look on them all as filth if only I can gain Christ” Phil.3:8}
When last did your inner self radiate with joy at the welfare of others whether in their relationship with God or societal class?
(‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers over many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8)
What is the content of your boast/conceit?
[“as scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast of the lord” 1 Cor.1:31, ‘yours, Lord is the greatness, the power, the splendor, length of days and glory, everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty, Lord you are exalted, supreme over all. Wealth and riches come from you, you are ruler of all, in your hand lie strength and power and you bestow greatness and might on whomsoever you please” 1 Chr.29:11-12]
When last did you remember that your house-boy/girl, gateman/driver, client/customer, poor relations/friends, enemies/family members, beggars/sick-people, employees/employer e.t.c deserve to be respected at the same way they lavish it on you?
{‘because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get and the standard you use will be the standard used for you’ Mtt.7:2}
What you did previously, currently and future plans, to whose advantage?
(“and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him” Col.3:17, ‘Nobody should be looking for selfish advantage, but everybody for someone else’s’ 1 Cor.10:24, “Don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap” Gal.6:7)
In sincerity take a deep walk through your heart, is any man/woman enslaving your soul in anger/offence/grievance that you are storing up for a day of vengeance which may never come since the thoughts of God for each person is different from our own thoughts for them {Isaiah 55:8} while he/she is walking about freely because whoever the son of man sets free is free indeed?
{‘the Lord will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm’ Ex.14:14, “be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ” Eph.4:32, ‘more than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:23}
Are you among those who delight in other peoples mistakes/sins or promote such in others as well as inflicting pain on others?
[“…I know about your behavior: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead” Rev.3:1, ‘but anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck’ Mtt.18:6, “disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it, since they have the power to do so” Micah 2:1, ‘God made everything for its own purpose, yes even the wicked for the day of disaster’ Prov.16:4]
When do you speak the truth?
(‘but if you were all prophesying when an unbeliever or someone uninitiated came in, he would find himself put to the test by all and judged by all and the secrets of his heart revealed and so he would fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is indeed among you’ 1 Cor.14:24-25, “Do not be ashamed to correct a stupid person or a fool, or an old dotard who bickers with young people. Then you will show yourself really educated and win the approval of everyone” Sirach 42:8)
Do you accept truth when you are told one?
{‘you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free’ Jn.8:32, “you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” Ps.45:7, ‘but to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name’ Jn.1:12, “the unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world, so that they cannot see shining the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2Cor.4:4}
How long does the truth/promise to God for a grace-filled lifestyle stay?
[‘Uprightness will be the belt around his waist, and constancy the belt about his hips’ Isaiah11:5, “but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” Mtt.24:13]
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?
HAVE YOU STARTED LOVING GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?
Since God is love and he who loves is a child of God and knows God {1 Jn.4:7ff} then as children of God (1 Jn.4:4) let us compare and contrast how these qualities or characteristics mentioned above manifest in our relationship with God and neighbors:
I LOVE GOD AND MY NEIGHBOR;
How long have you prayed/waited for a particular intention?
(“but when the completion of the time came…” Gal.4:4, ‘when that Day comes you will never again be ashamed of all the deeds with which you once rebelled against me, for I shall rid you of those who exult in your pride; never again will you strut on my holy mountain’ Zeph.3:11)
When last did you actually give a thought to the genuine plan of God for creating you and how many souls that starve because of this misappropriation of God’s blessing and the feeling of nostalgia we develop towards righteousness when we encounter the word of God, preachers or peruse through the Sacred Scriptures with these statements {‘the world is a free place’, “I have got my life to live”, ‘God will understand’}?
[“only be careful that this freedom of yours does not in any way turn into an obstacle to trip those who are vulnerable” 1 Cor.8:9, ‘talk and behave like people who are going to be judged by the law of freedom. Whoever acts without mercy will be judged without mercy but mercy can afford to laugh at judgment’ James 2:12-13, “young man, enjoy yourself while you are young, make the most of the days of your youth, follow the prompting and desire of heart and eye, but remember God will call you to account for everything” Eccles.11:9, ‘…so be cunning as snakes and yet innocent as doves. So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of human beings, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven’ Mtt.10:16, 32-33]
How generous have you been with your talent/wisdom/wealth/beauty/handsomeness/intelligence/position/time in the service of God and your neighbor?
{“yes, I will go further: because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I count everything else as loss. For him I have accepted the loss of all other things and look on them all as filth if only I can gain Christ” Phil.3:8}
When last did your inner self radiate with joy at the welfare of others whether in their relationship with God or societal class?
(‘above all preserve an intense love for each other, since love covers over many a sin’ 1 Pet.4:8)
What is the content of your boast/conceit?
[“as scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast of the lord” 1 Cor.1:31, ‘yours, Lord is the greatness, the power, the splendor, length of days and glory, everything in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the sovereignty, Lord you are exalted, supreme over all. Wealth and riches come from you, you are ruler of all, in your hand lie strength and power and you bestow greatness and might on whomsoever you please” 1 Chr.29:11-12]
When last did you remember that your house-boy/girl, gateman/driver, client/customer, poor relations/friends, enemies/family members, beggars/sick-people, employees/employer e.t.c deserve to be respected at the same way they lavish it on you?
{‘because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get and the standard you use will be the standard used for you’ Mtt.7:2}
What you did previously, currently and future plans, to whose advantage?
(“and whatever you say or do, let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus, in thanksgiving to God the Father through him” Col.3:17, ‘Nobody should be looking for selfish advantage, but everybody for someone else’s’ 1 Cor.10:24, “Don’t delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap” Gal.6:7)
In sincerity take a deep walk through your heart, is any man/woman enslaving your soul in anger/offence/grievance that you are storing up for a day of vengeance which may never come since the thoughts of God for each person is different from our own thoughts for them {Isaiah 55:8} while he/she is walking about freely because whoever the son of man sets free is free indeed?
{‘the Lord will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm’ Ex.14:14, “be generous to one another, sympathetic, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ” Eph.4:32, ‘more than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life’ Prov.4:23}
Are you among those who delight in other peoples mistakes/sins or promote such in others as well as inflicting pain on others?
[“…I know about your behavior: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead” Rev.3:1, ‘but anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck’ Mtt.18:6, “disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed planning mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it, since they have the power to do so” Micah 2:1, ‘God made everything for its own purpose, yes even the wicked for the day of disaster’ Prov.16:4]
When do you speak the truth?
(‘but if you were all prophesying when an unbeliever or someone uninitiated came in, he would find himself put to the test by all and judged by all and the secrets of his heart revealed and so he would fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is indeed among you’ 1 Cor.14:24-25, “Do not be ashamed to correct a stupid person or a fool, or an old dotard who bickers with young people. Then you will show yourself really educated and win the approval of everyone” Sirach 42:8)
Do you accept truth when you are told one?
{‘you will come to know the truth and the truth will set you free’ Jn.8:32, “you love uprightness and detest evil. This is why God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness as none of your rivals” Ps.45:7, ‘but to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name’ Jn.1:12, “the unbelievers whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world, so that they cannot see shining the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2Cor.4:4}
How long does the truth/promise to God for a grace-filled lifestyle stay?
[‘Uprightness will be the belt around his waist, and constancy the belt about his hips’ Isaiah11:5, “but anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved” Mtt.24:13]
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU LOVE GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?
HAVE YOU STARTED LOVING GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR?
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