June 4, 2019 - HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?

Day 155 - (Today’s Bible readings: 1 Kings 7:45-8:11; Psalm 124; 3 John 1-15)

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”   (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV) 

Faith, hope and love. Do you have these down? How does your love measure up? Paul opens this chapter with eye-opening statements that defines the importance of genuine Christian love.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, 
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Paul next gives us a check list for genuine Christian love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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. 

One way to determine how you measure up in the Christian love department, is to replace the words “love” and “it” with your name in verses 4-8. 

While your love is most likely like mine, imperfect, we know One whose love is perfect.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving sinners like me so much that You sent Jesus to be our Savior. May Jesus’ love motivate me to live a life of genuine Christian love.  Amen. 

Pastor David Paape 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
https://blogs.lcms.org/2017/lcms-lcc-and-nalc-compile-three-year-schedule-of-daily-bible-readings  
Then scroll down to 2019 Bible Reading Calendar and download it if you so wish. The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!