Add Charity (Love)

Dearly Beloved, I trust this finds you well and bubbling in the Lord. We continue our study on 2 Peter 1v5-7 (MSG) which says “So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love,…” The Bible here tells us, that even as we add to the promises and faith that we have virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, we should also add love. 1 Corinthians 13v13 says “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” Many of us are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13, but given it is the great chapter on love in the Bible, I will write it out again, and may God cause us to walk in love towards Him, and each other in Jesus name, amen.

Supplementary Text

“If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for us and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing. Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].” 1 Corinthians 13v1-8 (AMP)

Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your Word. Father, in accordance to Philippians 1v9-11, I pray that our love will overflow more and more, and that we will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. That we will understand what really matters, so that we may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May we always be filled with the fruit of our salvation – the righteous character produced in our lives by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God. This we pray in accordance to Your Word, believing You have heard and will answer and thanking You for this in Jesus name, amen.