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Self-Seeking?
“Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” I Corinthians 13:5
The Greek word here for seek refers to seeking something in order to find it. It’s not about seeking just for seeking’s sake. It’s seeking with purpose.
The question to me is, if love doesn’t seek self, what does it seek? God seeks the lost. He seeks us. So what should we seek? Well, I’m just going to let Jesus take this one. Here are 6 verses about what to seek from Jesus Himself.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10 (Same words are also found in Matthew 7:7-8)
“Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” Luke 17:33
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24
“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30
“If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” John 7:18-19
Jesus is our example on what to seek. Jesus sought God first and foremost. From that Jesus sought His kingdom and for God’s will to be done here on planet Earth. He sought to copy what He saw God doing. He sought to speak God’s word. He sought to worship God in spirit and in truth. And he sought for God get the glory for everything good that He did. Wow! humility+love=Jesus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJtKdjaH2nY
This link is to “So Long Self” by MercyMe. It doesn’t exactly fit the topic, but I’m posting it anyway just because I like it.
Love Honors
“Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” I Corinthians 13:5
Love does not dishonor others. The word for dishonor can also be translated unseemingly or unbecomingly. It refers to someone who does not regard the thoughts or feelings of others. It can refer to someone who doesn’t give a crap about anyone else’s thoughts or feelings they just do and say what they want. It includes how they talk to and how they treat others. It brings to mind users and abusers of any kind.
The only other time in the entire NT this word is used is I Corinthians 7:36 where Paul tells men to act honorably toward their fiancées. Telling them to marry them rather than to dishonor them. “But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin,”
If love doesn’t dishonor people it must honor people. Right? Right! What does honor mean? Honor means honesty, fairness, sincerity or integrity. Giving someone honor refers to showing them high respect or to giving a courteous regard for them. It’s doing the right thing, because it’s the right thing.
What does honor look like? Giving honor to people is simple because it’s just treating others respectfully and living with integrity. Holding doors open. Not interrupting. Not texting or taking phone calls when you’re at lunch with someone. It’s letting people out in front of you on the road. Honor is keeping your word and showing up on time. Honor is using your manners and saying please and thank you. It’s standing in respect and removing your hat for our National Anthem. It’s respecting your elders and thanking veterans for their service.
By giving honor and showing respect, you are in fact loving people. Simple Right?
Pastor Dino on Honor: http://vimeo.com/68003954
STP (Something to Ponder)…The first commandment from God with a promise attached is found in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your mother and your father, so that you may live long in the land the Lord God is giving you.” God linked a long life with honoring your parents. Hmmmm.
Wonderful Wednesday: Love is not proud
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud” I Corinthians 13:4
God isn’t puffed up in pride. Look at Jesus. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. Ultimate humility shown by ultimate power. That’s love.
“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”John 13:1-9 (NLT)
To sum it all up, choosing to serve in humility is the action of love and the opposite of pride.
Wonderful Wednesday: Love is not Boastful
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud” I Corinthians 13:4
God doesn’t need to boast. He’s God! He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He’s not insecure. God does not suffer from low self esteem. He created everything and everything belongs to Him. Read Genesis 1 or Job 38-39 for a reminder of just HOW BIG our God is.
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job 38:4-6 NKJV
I don’t know about you…but that makes me want to bow down in reverence. God is awesome.
But the kicker of all this is that as big as He is. As mighty and powerful as He is. He still loves us. He still wants a relationship with us. Blows me away.
Wonderful Wednesday-Love Does Not Envy
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;” I Corinthians 13:4
Envy here refers to someone being heated to a boil due to envy, hatred or anger.
God has never been motivated by envy, hatred or anger. He may get angry, but anger doesn’t drive Him. He’s motivated by compassion. His motives are pure. God sent Jesus simply because He saw our condition and knew we were helpless to save ourselves. How do we know this? Romans 5:8 tells us that, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” We didn’t deserve it, but He did it anyway.
We also see that same compassion in the life of Jesus also. Both Matthew and Mark tell us Jesus was “moved with compassion” to heal and teach. (Matthew 9:36 & 14:14 and Mark 1:41 & 6:34).
Jesus learned this compassion from the Father. In John 5:19, Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”
Jesus is our head and we are His body, so we need to be motivated by compassion too. Genuine love for one another. The action love that speaks truth, but covers people. The action love that assists some one but doesn’t coddle them or allow excuses. Love should MOVE us to help someone who is struggling. Love should MOVE us to pray for those around us. Love should MOVE us to come along side people and encourage them.
When I find that my motivations are wrong or I find myself simmering and about to boil, I take a step back. I breathe deep and I try to figure out what’s the root of my issue. Am I afraid? Am I hurt? Am I frustrated? Am I feeling discontented or feeling a resentful longing because of someone else’s position, possessions, qualities or attributes (envy)? Am I full of intense dislike or have ill will towards another person (hatred)? Am I desirous of revenge or full of a desire to fight back (angry*)?
Sometimes I can figure it out. Sometimes I can’t. Either way I take it to the Father in prayer. I ask Him to help me to diffuse the situation and respond in love. Sometimes this is a simple under my breath prayer, that is handled immediately. Sometimes it’s deeper and takes longer. Like a broken place that needs to be healed or a mindset that needs to be changed. Whether the issue is big or small, God is big enough to take care of it. God is Yahweh Rophe. He is healing. He heals broke hearts along with broken bodies. He wants His people to be fully healed and whole.
Are you dealing with anger, hatred or envy? The first step in dealing with those things is prayer, asking God to help.
Just as important as prayer is, is receiving God’s love. It is absolutely essential that you believe He loves you and actually accept His love. Without you receiving His love, you won’t have any love to give to anyone else. You cannot give something that you don’t have.
For more on God’s love…check out this message on the God Kind of Love from Pastor Dino Lasala: https://vimeo.com/album/1518523/video/65513155
*PS Anger is actually a secondary emotion. It usually comes from hurt, fear or frustration. When you feel anger rising, ask yourself if you are hurt, afraid or frustrated. (Or a combination of the above). When you deal with the root, either the fear or the hurt or the frustration, the anger will go away.
Deep Thought Thursday-God’s Not Mad at You.
After writing yesterday’s post I feel like I need to say and repeat multiple times that God is not mad at you!
God’s not mad at you!
God’s not mad at you!
God’s not mad at you!
He’s not. And He doesn’t regret choosing you either! Romans 11:29 says that the gifts and calling God determined for you are irrevocable. IRREVOCABLE!
God does not give and take away. The only place in the Bible it says that is in Job. And Job said that because He didn’t know God very well and that’s what He thought was happening. But he was wrong. God blessed Job and prospered him. It’s the enemy who stole it. The enemy killed his children, his livestock, and covered him in boils.
God gives and doesn’t take it back. He is constant. The word in Romans 11:29 for irrevocable can also mean without regret. God doesn’t regret giving you gifts nor does He regret calling you. Let that sink in.
Wonderful Wednesday-Love is Kind.
I like this quote by Publilius Syrus, “You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” This is so true! People respond to kindness. A kind word or deed can touch even the hardest hearts, and open them up. Kindness makes people feel special and valued. Proverbs 15:1 (CEV) even says kindness calms people down, “A kind answer soothes angry feelings, but harsh words stir them up.”
In I Corinthians 13:4 it says, “Love is kind.” The root word for kind here actually means mild and pleasant as opposed to harsh, hard, sharp and bitter. It can also mean kind and benevolent.
God is pleasant and full of joy. He created humor. He created laughter. He wants us to enjoy our lives! He created diversity. He created beauty. He is a good God.
But I have to be honest, that’s not how I saw Him. I saw Him as harsh and mean. Just waiting for me to mess up so that He could take me out. I thought God didn’t like me and was just looking for a reason to get rid of me. Those were lies! The truth was that loved me. The truth is that God is kind, I just couldn’t see it. I believed the lies.
Jeremiah 31:3 says that His loving-kindness is what draws people to Him, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you.” It’s interesting to me that our being drawn to God and our repentance are both related to God’s kindness. It’s like the quote says, kindness can do what commands and force can never do.
Joel 2:12-13 tells us that we should turn to God knowing that he’s kind, gracious and merciful. We should not be afraid to go approach him, because of his great kindness! ““Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.”
It doesn’t say you better repent because God’s mad and going to take you out! It doesn’t say God’s looking for someone to torture and torment! It says God wants you to come to Him and choose to be in a relationship with Him. He wants to bless you! It says turn to Him genuinely, and He will receive you because God is of great kindness.
Isaiah 54:8 tells us that even if God is angry, He’s still full of mercy and kindness, ““With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.” God does get angry. But it says “for a moment.” And even when He’s angry, He still does not change. He was and is and always will be love. And that means God is kind.
I’ll leave you with a song that I really love It’s called “You are Good” and is by Kari Jobe and Gateway Worship: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcMDeEzA24
If you are unable to access youtube, here are some of the lyrics- “Your kindness leads me to repentance. Your goodness draws me to Your side. Your mercy calls me to be like You. Your favor is my delight. Every day I’ll awaken my praise and pour out a song from my heart.” -From “You are Good” by Kari Jobe
Love is Patient
God cannot stop loving you. Want to know why? I John 4:8 tells us God is love. What is love? Well another really famous scripture (I Corinthians 13:4-8) tells us what love is: “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.”
Today we’re going to focus on God’s patience. Patient here actually means to persevere patiently. Be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others. Slow to anger. Slow to punish.
We see this in the Book of Jonah, where God sent Jonah to Ninevah. We all know Jonah didn’t want to go there because he knew what kind of people they were, and he didn’t feel they deserved a second chance. But God felt differently. Most people focus on how patient God was with Jonah when he disobeyed. But what about how patient He was with the Ninevites? How long He waited for them to turn around?
Ninevites were Assyrians. Assyria was an extremely and aggressively violent people during that time. They committed horrific atrocities. And yet, He sent Jonah at precisely the moment they’d be open to change.
Why? Why was He willing to persevere for people who were as nasty and violent as the Ninevites? Simple, He loved them and He didn’t want them to perish.
Look at what the difference between Jonah’s opinion and God’s:
Jonah says…
These people are horrible, and I know God’s merciful and kind. He’s slow to anger, so I’m going to save God from Himself and ensure these people to receive the punishment they deserve.
“So Jonah prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” Jonah 4:1-3
God says…
Oh my children. I love you. I see your brokenness and your ignorance. My heart goes out to you. I am here and I will be patient with you. I will give you a chance to repent and to change.
“But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” Jonah 4:10-11
If God wasn’t fazed by the Ninevites, then why do you think He’s shocked by the mess you’re in or by what you’ve done? He is patiently persevering alongside you too. Waiting for the day when you will be open to receive the love, mercy and grace He’s offering. It may be when you are at your lowest broken point or after the greatest victory of your life. It may be after a near death experience or a tragedy. It may be when you’ve just committed the worst imaginable offense. It may be on a random Wednesday when you’re sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. He loves you, so He’s patient with you.
He sent Jesus because He loves us, not because we are lovely! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
It always comes back to love! Why? Simple, God=Love! Love’s not what God does, it’s who He is.
Musical Monday…”God Believes In You”
There’s this song by Jill Phillips called “God Believes In You.” I sometimes listen to it on repeat. It reminds me that I matter to the Great Creator. That the God above all other gods values me. It reminds me that I am the daughter of the Most High God, and that I am beloved. Not just loved, BELOVED. He knows why He created me and what I will become. He doesn’t worry about the fact that I screwed up again or that I failed. He knows I will get there and He believes in me.
When no one else agrees or understands….when no one else says anything good….when people spit on you….when people you thought you could trust betray you….when you’ve failed again….when people create lies about you and spread them at work, school, church or on social media….
You need to know who you are. You need to know that you are the beloved of God. You need to know that God considered you such a valuable treasure that He was willing to send Jesus to die for you. You need to know that you were the joy that was set before Jesus so He was willing to be spit on, mocked, beaten and crucified. You are worth so much more than you can possibly imagine. So for all of you having a rough week, month or year…know that God believes in you!
This post is written to everyone who has been feeling down or been feeling attacked lately. But it’s also written to a specific beautiful middle school girl who is being attacked by insecure and jealous girls. I want you to know that you too are beloved. You have a purpose and a calling. You are so very very special. God made you so unique and creative. We all love you. We are behind you. We all believe in you. You matter to all of us. You matter to God. Hang in there my sweet sweet girl.
God Believes in You by Jill Phillips (Buy it from itunes if you don’t have it…you won’t be sorry).
When you start to doubt if you exist
God believes in you
Confounded by the evidence
God believes in you
When your light burns so dim
When your chances seem so slim
And you swear you don’t believe in Him
God believes in you
When you rise up just to fall again
God believes in you
Deserted by your closest friends
God believes in you
When you’re betrayed with a kiss
You turn your cheek to another fist
It does not have to end like this
God believes in you
Oh everything matters if anything matters at all
Everything matters no matter how big
No matter how small
Cause God believes in you
Oh God believes in you
When you’re so ashamed that you could die
God believes in you
And you can’t do right even though you try
God believes in you
Blessed are the ones who grieve
The ones who mourn, the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in joy you reap
God believes in you
Blessed are the ones who grieve
The ones who mourn, the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in joy you reap
God believes in you
Oh God believes in you
jillbeingstill 