“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
The more excellent way is the way of love. We need to be more earnest about our love walk than anything else, for the world will know us by our love! That’s when excellence becomes more than a coined phrase from the ‘Amen Corner.’ It is the Word being made flesh in our lives!
As long as I am impatient I’m not walking in love. When I show forbearance and patience with others, I am setting a standard of excellence that will allow God to work on behalf of all concerned to bring a solution and not perpetuate the problem.
As long as I am unkind I’m not walking in love. When I extend kindness to someone who has wronged me, I am setting a standard of excellence that doesn’t react unkindly to a wrong suffered, knowing that my obedience releases God’s strength in me to rise above my flesh and not retaliate.
As long as I envy others I’m not walking in love. If I envy others I am bowing my knee to the voice of inferiority. I am “…complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)”, and I am not inferior to anyone because I walk with the most high God, and He lives in me!
As long as I am self-promoting I’m not walking in love. It is God who lifts up and puts down. Jesus said, “It is the Father in Me, He does the works.” I refuse the voice of arrogance that wants to pit one against another instead of uniting us in the common cause of Christ. I value the gifts of other believers because their gifts are not for their benefit – but mine. I receive that from my heavenly Father who works all things together for my good!
As long as I seek my own way I’m not walking in love. Seeking our own way is a step into the devil’s camp. When we do things our own way we become limited and vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks. There is no fulfillment or genuine satisfaction in doing things our way. The fun is to receive instruction from God and watch Him fulfill His plan in us! That’s fun!
As long as I behave unseemly I’m not walking in love. God’s love is always appropriate and never unbecoming. Unseemliness is what the devil’s kids do – they revel in it because they do what their father, the devil, does (John 8:44).
As long as I think evil thoughts I’m not walking in love. Love overpowers evil because love is of the light. And in the presence of light the darkness of evil cannot stand. Therefore, we are more powerful than darkness when we walk in God – for God is love!
As long as I rejoice in iniquity I’m not walking in love. Rejoicing in iniquity is like putting your own head in a noose. The pleasures of sin and iniquity are brief and eternity is forever. The bait the enemy uses is a lie that he tries to get us to believe and walk into his trap. We have no place for it in our thoughts or in our hearts.
Without love we are nothing, we have nothing, we can do nothing, and we know nothing. But, with the love of God we are a sweet savor before the One who will take the limits off His rewards, promotions, gifts, grace and favor, and adorn us with His Peace & Joy!
With Love,
Pastor Tom
Kingdom Business is Eternal, as are the rewards that come from God. If this ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us in prayer, as the Lord leads you, or in financial support. Please visit our website at www.testamentoflove.org to learn more about this ministry! Luke 6:38