MAKE LOVE YOUR GOAL - Part 2

MAKE LOVE YOUR GOAL - Part 2

"We know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere
within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts
with love." Romans 5:5 (Living Bible)

"The Lord wants us to reproduce His love in your life and mine. Let us
consider more characteristics of that love.

Love "is not touchy" (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love is not irritable,
bad-tempered, resentful or sensitive. A woman apologized to a friend for
something at which her friend could have taken offense. The friend just
laughed it off. 'I am honest,' she said. 'I never pick up things that
don't belong to me - not even slights.'

Love "does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of
other people" (v.5). Love doesn't keep a record of wrongs done against
it but will keep a record of kindness. It is never glad when others
fail.

"On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails" (vs.
5). Love will look for and be delighted with what it sees of good in
others. It does not expose the weaknesses of other people.

Love "knows no limit to its endurance" (vs. 7.). Love endures patiently.
It bears its load to the limit. It bears slights and wrongs - even from
friends and relatives - without retaliation.

Love knows "no end to its trust" (vs. 7). Love is not suspicious but
believes the best in people as long as it can. It always looks for the
good.

Love knows "no fading of its hope" (vs. 7). Love never despairs of
anyone. The Lord never gives up on anyone.

Love "can outlast anything (vs.7). When all else is gone, love endures
to the very end. Love is permanent, for God is love.

Does this type of love seem impossible? Can anyone live that way all the
time? There was ONE of whom this love-filled life was completely true:
Jesus Christ Himself. Perhaps you are saying, 'If only this were true of
me. But I am impatient. I say things I am later sorry for. Can I love as
Paul has described? Can it be real in my life?"

We cannot do it in our own strength. It is not the result of our own
effort. We can only love in this way by submitting to the work of the
Spirit of God in us. "The fruit of the Spirit IS love!" (Galatians 5:22)
- from HE IS REAL - 365 Daily Devotions - Millie Stamm - published by
our good friends at Zondervan.

Check out the courses that you can be a part of beginning next week by
joining us this semester at the Keswick Institute of Biblical Studies @
www.americaskeswick.org.