GOD’S WORD FOR OCTOBER 13

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is  Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

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MOTIVATED BY LOVE

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

D.L. MOODY

If we want to be wise in winning souls and to be vessels for the Master’s use, we must get rid of the accursed spirit of self-seeking. That is the meaning of this chapter in Paul’s letter. He told the Corinthians that a man might be full of faith and zeal, he might be very benevolent, but if he had not love he was like sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. I believe many men might as well go into the pulpit and blow a tin horn Sabbath after Sabbath as go on preaching without love. A man may preach the truth, he may be perfectly sound in doctrine, but if there is no love in his heart going out to those whom he addresses, and if he is doing it professionally, the apostle says he is only a sounding brass.

ERWIN LUTZER

Communicating the gospel is not just a matter of words; it is not just a matter of telling the truth. People don’t just listen with their minds, they listen with their hearts. And if we show judgmentalism rather than love, if there is a spirit of superiority rather than humility, we are “a noisy gong and a clanging symbol.”

Let’s read the preceding verse, “Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:30). Then in 13:3, Paul says even if you were martyred yet have no love, it amounts to zero. What is it that should distinguish us from the world? Love.

Paul says love is more excellent than being a good prophet, a good teacher, or even having the supernatural gift of tongues. It is the way of love. One fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22–23). It’s supernatural! It comes to us from God and that’s why we can love.

    PRAYER

    Father, teach me to love as you do, and that it might motivate all that I do.

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Romans 13:8-10

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Philippians 2:3

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

John 13:34-35

 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

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