LABOR OF LOVE – PART TWO
Tuesday – November 7, 2017
God is so very good. If we don’t think so, I can tell you that the problem is not with God it is with our understanding. Not believing God or repeatedly perpetrating a lie due to blindness does not erase reality and ultimately brings stealing, killing, and destroying into the life of the unbelieving and blind person. We are blind and unbelieving by our own conscious choices. That destruction may not take place in this life according to the will of Satan but takes place in the next life one second after separation from this physical body. Now, back to our wonderful Bible Study from the most excellent Book of Hebrews. Please read the following primary text in a thoughtful fashion.
Hebrews 6:9-12 (KJV)
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
As you will recall my focus is upon the phrase “labour of love” from the tenth verse above. In Scripture ten (10) is the number of responsibility, generally our responsibility. It is critical that our motivations be pure (period) in any ministry to the saints (other Christians). You will recall from yesterday that a person may do what appears to be great things for the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus and it ends up not amounting to a hill of beans in Heaven. By way of a reminder I am talking about “love” (Bible or Godly love) which in our secondary text is translated in the KJV as “charity”. There are three major aspect of the love of God and our love. These are obedience to the Word of God, adherence to The Blood Covenant, and our topic selflessness. Not what appears to be selfless but what is in fact selflessness when the Fire of God is applied. Following is our new secondary text.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV)
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
The preceding verses present us with quite a few criterion or characteristics of Bible or Godly love. Perhaps each of us can see areas for improvement in our attitudes, our thought lives, and words as we examine this list. Sometimes we need the Lord to help us with an attitude adjustment, or at least I do. Sometimes He sends another person which I generally hate, I would rather keep it between Him and me, but perhaps others know already anyway. In verse four we find quite a mouthful of characteristics including patience, kindness, not envying, no self-promotion, or pride. You ever think; “Good Lord give me a break!”?
With regard to patience, do we hear ourselves thinking or saying: “I have about had it with you!”? Patience is serenity in the midst of provocation. We have all needed patience and we have all been thankful to be the recipient of patience but giving another patience is a whole different matter. Recall that patience is a fruit of our spirit and we have the capacity for the same patience that God exhibits. Let us again recall the Word of the Lord through James.
James 1:2-4 (KJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
When temptation, the tempter, comes and tells us our faith is not working it is paramount that we resist that with patience, examine our love (motives) and stand. The resultant outcome will be the fruit of faith, the answer in abundance, in fact James says we will be wanting nothing. Let me point out just a little nugget here. James does not say we will be needing nothing. Needs are what we must have to survive. Wants are the things that are part of the abundant life, our wants consistent with the will of God will be present in abundance. Right now, in the name of Jesus throw out that old poverty doctrine (doctrine of devils) crammed down the throat of the Church for hundreds of years.
When we are kind or useful to another what are our motivations? What about envy? Do we secretly or opening covet sister so and so’s position or brother so and so’s position, their gifts, their relationships? Sometimes this is even promoted in a congregation when the Pastor or other leaders are not sensitive to the reality that we all have different unique and vital roles in the local congregation and in the body of Christ at large. Each of us need to focus on the talents and gift we possess perfecting them and rejoicing over them before God. For the place that God has just for us is just for us, our disobedience or neglecting of our gifts not only hurt us but the body of Christ. Do we brag or boast of the talents and gifts we have been given to bring glory to God and to promote the Kingdom of God? And what about our pride. Consider these words similar to pride taken from the Thesaurus and see if these are pleasing to God; arrogance, conceit, smugness, self-importance egotism, vanity, or a sense of superiority. The antonym or cure for all of this is humility (a Godly trait). We will move forward with our study tomorrow.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (GW)
24 The LORD will bless you and watch over you.
25 The LORD will smile on you and be kind to you.
26 The LORD will look on you with favor and give you peace.’
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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