Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for August 20

WHY IS LOVE THE GREATEST?

From: August 20, 2024

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV).

The apostle Paul rebuked the believers in Corinth for pursuing spiritual gifts and positions within the church in order to edify themselves. He offered to teach them a “more excellent way” of life, a more worthy pursuit, namely, the way of love. He described how even the greatest expressions of spiritual gifting are “nothing” unless they are motivated by love. Not only that, but many of the spiritual gifts are temporary and will pass away, but love is eternal. Therefore, he taught them to pursue love. For love edifies others and points others to God the giver of gifts, rather than to one’s self.

Finally, Paul talked about three gifts or virtues that “abide” or remain even after the other gifts have passed away. These three are faith, hope, and love. Through faith, we receive salvation and spiritual blessings. With hope, we have confident expectation of eternal blessings. Yet as wonderful as these two virtues are, love is greater. For the Bible never says that God is faith, nor does it say that God is hope. But as the apostle John proclaimed, it does say that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). And as our Lord Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

So let us pursue love above all other things. For love is the greatest!

PRAYER: Dear Father, we love You because You first loved us. Teach us to love as You have loved us. Empower us in this by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

LOVE THAT NEVER GIVES UP

From: August 20, 2023

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT).

Paul’s love chapter (1 Cor. 13) is one of the most wonderful descriptions of “agape” love found in any literature in human history. Yet, love’s lofty attributes are beyond mortal humanity absent the Spirit which inspired Paul’s writing. For “agape” love is God’s kind of love. It is unconditional, enduring and sacrificial.

God’s love is most fully demonstrated in Christ. As the Bible says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” (Rom. 5:8).

Have you given up on someone? Or has someone given up on you? What would love do? Who do you know that needs God’s kind of love, the kind of love that never gives up?

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your great love for us. And because You have loved us, we are able to truly love You back and love others. Strengthen us and motivate us by Your love to tell others about You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble” (Proverbs 21:23 NLT).

From: August 20, 2022

WATCH YOUR WORDS

How many have wished they could take back their words? Yet, once said, they linger on. If only there were a delete button to erase ill chosen words. Instead, the more poorly spoken words tend to linger the longest. Better to keep quiet and stay out of trouble.

Begin to fill your mind and mouth with God’s Word. Then let the Spirit of Christ rule your speech. For no human being can tame the tongue (James 3:7), yet with God all things are possible. And if you must open your mouth, remember to “be quick to listen and slow to speak” (James 1:19). After all, maybe that’s why God gave us two ears and only one mouth.

PRAYER: Father, help us with our tongues today. We surrender our feet to You. Lead us. We surrender our hands. Empower us. We surrender our tongues. Speak through us. We commit our day to You, especially the words of our mouth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 HCSB).

From: August 20, 2021

LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Paul’s love chapter (1 Cor. 13) is one of the most wonderful descriptions of “agape” love found in any literature in human history. Yet, love’s lofty attributes are beyond mortal humanity absent the Spirit which inspired Paul’s writing. For “agape” love is God’s kind of love. It is unconditional, enduring and sacrificial. It is most fully demonstrated in Christ. As the Bible says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” (Rom. 5:8).

God has not given up on us because agape love never gives up. “For God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Have you given up on someone? What would love do? Who do you know that needs God’s kind of love, the kind of love that never gives up?

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your great love for us. And because You have loved us, we are able to truly love You back and love others. Strengthen us and motivate us by Your love to tell others about You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble” (Proverbs 21:23 NLT).

From: August 20, 2019

THE PROVERB WE OFTEN REMEMBER AFTER THE FACT

How many have wished they could take back their words? Yet, once said, they linger on. If only there were a delete button to erase ill chosen words. Instead, the more poorly spoken thoughts tend to linger the longest. Better to keep quiet and stay out of trouble. Fill you mind and mouth with God’s Word. Let the Spirit of Christ rule your speech. For no human being can tame the tongue (James 3:7), but with God all things are possible.

PRAYER: Father, help us with our tongues today. We surrender our feet to You. Lead us. We surrender our hands. Empower us. We surrender our tongues. Speak through us. We commit our day to You, especially the words of our mouth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT).

From: August 20, 2018

LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Paul’s love chapter (1 Cor. 13) is one of the most wonderful descriptions of “agape” love found in any literature in human history. Yet, its lofty attributes are beyond mortal humanity absent the Spirit which inspired Paul’s writing. For “agape” love is God’s kind of love. It is unconditional, enduring and sacrificial. It is most fully demonstrated in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

God has not given up on us because agape love never gives up. “For God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Who do you know that needs God’s kind of love, the kind of love that never gives up?

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 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, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NKJV).

From: August 20, 2017

The apostle Paul used hyperbole to urge the Corinthians not to place so much emphasis on spiritual gifts and signs. Even taken to the extreme, such would come to nothing without love. Instead, he would have them focus on what motivated their worship. Namely, were they moved by a heart of love?

Paul’s point is clear: Without love, our best communication is garbled, our spiritual giftedness is empty and our religious effort will come to nothing. “For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

What motivates you? Is it ambition or a desire to be seen? Or does your heart beat with the agape love of God?

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble” (Proverbs 21:23 ESV)

From: August 20, 2016

How many have wished they could take back their words? Yet, once said, they linger on. If only there were a delete button to erase ill chosen words. Instead, the more poorly spoken thoughts tend to linger the longest. Better to keep quiet and stay out of trouble. Fill you mind and mouth with God’s Word. Let the Spirit of Christ rule your speech.

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV)

From: August 20, 2015

In Paul’s chapter on why love is the greatest gift, he explains that the gifts of prophecy, tongues and knowledge will pass away. While love will never end, these three gifts will no longer be needed. Why? Because prophecy will be fulfilled, language will no longer be confused (Gen. 11:7), and knowledge will become experience. Recently, someone asked whether we would know one another in heaven. The answer we see here is clear: Yes, we “shall know” just as we are “known.” And most wonderful of all, we shall finally be “face to face” with the One who saved us, Christ Jesus our Lord!

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you” (Psalm 37:5 NLT)

From: August 20, 2014

Commit what? Everything. Trust God with what? Everything. And what will God do? He will help you in everything. What does it mean to “commit” something to the Lord? It means to put it in His hands, to put His Name on it. Have you committed everything to Jesus? Have you trusted your all-in-all to Him? Your possessions? Your hopes and dreams? Your kids? Your spouse? Your schooling or job? What are you doing or owning or desiring that you haven’t turned over to God? Stop holding back and trying to control things yourself. Commit all to Jesus, all to Him, surrender. You can trust Him. He will help.