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Topic: A More Excellent Way
[DCLM Daily Manna 24 February 2019 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (KJV)
Key Verse: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
MESSAGE:
The world’s notion of love is at variance with heavenly love, which transcends the loose definition of love in its filial, limited and selfish perspectives. God-like love is what a writer calls “true love to God and man, a benevolent disposition of mind towards our fellow Christians, growing out of a sincere and perfect devotion to God”.
This chapter dwells on charity (love). It is meant to correct the wrong notion the Corinthian Christians had over the possession of spiritual gifts as “all in all”. The thrust of the message is that, a mere possession of those gifts does not necessarily portray a higher spiritual stand before God. Gifts not ministered with perfect love is vain and worthless. Love is a virtue that makes other gifts meaningful and useful. God is love, and if you would love, you must abide in Him and He in you.
The essential virtue, capable of producing the greatest impact with spiritual gifts is charity. What are its components? It is patient, kind, not inflated with its own importance. It does not brag and knows no enemy. It does not behave itself unseemly, neither is it temperamental. This charity rejoiceth in the truth, finds no pleasure in evildoing and does not hold on to memory of any wrong against it. It is all enduring absolutely trusting, bears everything with triumphant fortitude and never for once, cease to hope.
Every other gift will dry up and soon be forgotten. But love is convincingly permanent, overwhelmingly complete and incontrovertibly supreme. A writer once said that “faith without love is cold and hope without love is grim. Love is the fire which kindles faith and is the light which turns hope into certainty”.
Thought For The Day: Love is supreme; Jesus’ love proves this.
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