We Are Called to Prefer One Another
Hello and Welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I hope that you all had a wonderful Memorial Day as we remembered all those who gave their lives so that we could experience the freedoms we have today. At least, as long as our government will allow us to have them. I am so very glad that you have come to join me again today as we continue to discuss 1 Corinthians 13. I hope that you are enjoying it as much as I am. Once again, let’s read this chapter again.
1 Corinthians 13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
I find it very interesting that this week’s discussion is on being selfless. It is Memorial Day today. This is the day to honor and remember those who gave up their lives for the freedoms we have today. The word “memorial” means to preserve the memory of the dead; remembrance; a monument. All throughout the bible, men of God erected a monument where their lives were changed. The hill of Calvary is a monument erected by the LORD. The condition of the world changed that day. How selfless was that? That the Father gave up His one and only Son for the salvation of all who would be willing to truly accept his gift of salvation. The Son selflessly gave up His life so that all could be saved and experience the true freedom that is only found in God.
The reason I said all of this is because we are discussing verse 5, Love seeketh not her own. With the speed that life is running these days, it is very hard to place a value on what’s most important. Everyone and everything is vying for our attention. To get our focus off of what is important. Satan and his cohorts are constantly trying to cause us to willingly give up those freedoms that we have been so graciously given. But, this is why the Lord wants and desires our focus to be completely on Him. So that we can rightfully decide what is most important to Him, and where to spend our energy. Remember, even our energy is not ours, but His and His alone. Our time is not our own, but His. He created it. The LORD has no beginning or end. Why? How? Because, before us and after us, there is no time. Love created time and seasons. They were created that we might see and give the glory due His wonderful name. Jesus helps us to put our focus in proper perspective in Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. When we do what Isaiah said in Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee., we can walk in perfect unison with the LORD and what He is doing in the world around us. Thus, we will stay at peace. His peace.
If we control our thought life, we have control over everything else in our lives. 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;. We have the authority and power of the Lord to control our thought life and in turn, our environment and what happens in it.
We have to decide whether the thoughts are of the LORD or not. I find when I walk with the Lord my time is well spent. The things that He values as important are accomplished with time for those things that we thought were so important. Conveniently, I am under attack. This is so very important to God that you get this that the enemy is trying to make me sleepy and dizzy. Trying to stop my focus on Him, so that I do not get His message out to you. This is one way to know if it's of God. The enemy does not want us to do anything for God in His name that would extend His insurmountable love towards others. He does not want us to pray. He especially does not want us to read the LORD’s bible. We have to resist the devil and he will flee from you according to James 4:7.
So, when we allow ourselves to focus on the LORD, pray, and read our bible, we will receive instructions from the LORD how to be His ambassadors to others. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
You see, we are to be His living epistles to others. We are to prefer one another over ourselves. Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; In other words, we are to serve one another. Jesus came to be an example to us of how to display the Father’s love to others. We are to be constantly on the lookout for how we can serve one another. To be able to put others' needs in front of our own. To show the love of Christ. Every time someone needed a miracle from the LORD, the disciples and people around Him would have so many excuses of why the need was not more important than what He was originally going to do. I believe that this is true today as it was in Jesus’ day then.
Finally, Jesus bluntly said in Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. So, if Jesus came to serve. Not be served and that being our example to follow, we should follow after the example. Frankly, we are commanded to do so. You know, we always look for the best seat in the house. But, Jesus said that the best seat was the very last seat in Luke 14:7-11 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The Lord promises to reward our actions. His promises are true and faithful. He changes not. Especially if they glorify Him. But we have to know how how to have access to those promises. 1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us to 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. You know even the disciples were arguing about who would be first in the kingdom. Jesus rebuked them and told them how not to be concerned with a position. But to delight that they were called and appointed. Which in turn, decided what and how they were used greatly by our Father God. Jesus shared this key with the disciples in Luke 10:1-20 10 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
He also helped them to see what was important this way in Matthew 19:30-20:16. That we can do nothing in and of ourselves. But, only in His authority in the name above every name, Jesus Christ of Nazareth or Lord, Savior, and king. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first20 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Notice in verse 16 it says that few choose. Everything we are. Everything we do. Everything we have is in Christ. But we have to choose. We have to choose whether or not we want to walk with Him or not. We have to choose Him over everything else. Then, we can look at one another through His eyes and see people as He sees them. Then, we can all function in the Body of Christ as we are called.
Acts 2:44-45 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Wouldn’t this be awesome? There is coming a day when we will have to choose whether we are in the Body of Christ or not. It is coming soon. So, remember that today is the appointed day to answer the call of the Lord. To become saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit.
As Christians, we are called to the great commission in Mark 16:15-16 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Did you see that? He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. But, he that doesn’t believe shall be damned. I believe that this statement holds each and every one of us accountable. We are called to share the gospel. We have to share the gospel. It is very self-seeking of us to not boldly and loudly share the Truth we know. Jesus Christ of Nazareth our Savior and Lord. We have to be different in this world. We have to walk in love towards one another. Even those who are unloveable. Those who are bitter and angry. Remember, hurting people will hurt people. We have to rely on Christ to bring love, light, and life to a person's world.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Let me introduce you to Him. It is really simple. First you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior according to the mirror of the law of the Lord. Ask Him for His forgiveness for all of your sins and call them out to Him. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Then, forgive those who have sinned or transgressed against you. Then, repent. Repent means to change your mind concerning sinful habits. Change your choice making decisions. Let Him influence your choice making decisions as you get in His Holy Word. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. I want to pray this prayer with you. But, this is just an outline. The real work begins after I pray with you because it is a very personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you have made the decision to give your life to Jesus, let me be one of the first to welcome you to the body of Christ. All of heaven is greatly rejoicing over your decision today. Please let me know of your decision today. I want to pray for you. If this message has brought up any questions or spoke to you in some way, or if you have any prayer requests; please let me know by commenting below, private messaging me, or you can email me at my1littleafmp@aol.com. I would greatly love to hear from you. Remember I love you with the Love of the Lord but Jesus will always love you more.
(close in prayer)
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