Do I exhibit true love?

Love IS...
patient
kind

Love IS NEVER...
jealous
envious
boastful
proud
haughty
selfish
rude
irritable
glad about injustice

Love DOES NOT...
demand its own way
hold grudges

Love WILL...
be loyal no matter what the cost
believe in others
expect the best of others
defend others

All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (Living Bible)

Take some time to re-read the list above. Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you. Seek forgiveness for those areas where you have missed the mark, and ask for a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading in obedience to His Word.

And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. - 2 John 1:6,9-10

True love is not a sentiment or emotion but is evidenced by obedience to God's commands. True love is not expressed through an acceptance of, or tolerance for, beliefs, actions, or feelings that contradict God's Word. The Bible is clear if you do not abide in the teaching of Christ, you do not have God. Those in the world, those without Christ, are working to get you to compromise your beliefs in the name of love, tolerance, or whatever the new strategy of the day happens to be. True love is always evidenced through obedience to God's Word.

When we believe, know, and feel that God loves us, we, as a natural result, love him in return; and in proportion as our knowledge increases, our faith strengthens, our conviction deepens that we are really beloved of God; we, from the very constitution of our being, are constrained to yield our hearts to God in return. - Charles Spurgeon

We don't need to write to you about having love for your brothers and sisters in Christ. God has already taught you to love each other. - 1 Thessalonians 4:9 (ERV)

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By his love and power controlling
All I do and say. - Kate Wilkinson

Be Encouraged to exhibit true love through obedience to God's Word.

-Jeffrey Thornton 



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