Plan Be
BE Love ~ Faith is Love in Action
"...The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6 Have you ever wondered what faith and love have to do with one another? How are they connected? Galatians 5:6 says, " ...the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Faith works by love. It is energized by love. Faith is put into motion by love. Why is that? The purpose of faith is to lead us to know the heart of God and then trust His ways to guide us. Christian faith is the belief, trust, and loyalty to God as revealed in Jesus Christ, ...and we say "amen" to that unique relationship to God in the Holy Spirit through love and obedience as expressed in lives of discipleship and service. Paul’s teaching on love in 1st Corinthians 13 wants us to focus on the faith-love connection. Love—the Greatest of All 1st Corinthians 13:1-8: I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I do not have love, it will sound like noisy brass. If I have the gift of speaking God’s Word and if I understand all secrets, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I know all things and if I have the gift of faith so I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give everything I have to feed poor people and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it will not help me. Love does not give up. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride. Love does not do the wrong thing. Love never thinks of itself. Love does not get angry. Love does not remember the suffering that comes from being hurt by someone. Love is not happy with sin. Love is happy with the truth. Love takes everything that comes without giving up. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things. Love never comes to an end. Today, if you think about it, you and I only have one “do not”--Do not get out of love! That’s our one commandment. We are to walk in love, which covers a lot of ground. In fact, we see in this passage that our love walk is connected to everything we do in life as believers, including our faith. God wants us to walk in love because love never fails. He wants the best for us, and since the best is found in love, you and I must walk in love in order to receive God’s best. This includes honoring Him, forgiving and walking in the fruit of the Spirit. The purpose of love is twofold: First, it is revelation of identity. It tells us who God is and who we are in God. Second, it is the very power that allows us to do the work of Jesus and even greater works as Jesus described. Love has the power to help us believe again and restore hope in others. It is the engine that drives our spiritual lives. Faith and love are intricately connected. Don’t think that you can walk in true, God-designed love without walking in faith, neither can you walk in faith without walking in love. Begin studying God’s Word for yourself to find out about this connection and how to live it. When you bring love and faith together, your entire outlook will begin to shift, and you’ll begin to view the world through God’s eyes! Challenge 1: What Faith is to you? Challenge 2: What Love is and is not. Challenge 3: How do you express your faith through love? Put your love into action and BE love. Prayer and Meditation. Dear Heavenly Father, I know I’m designed to Be Love, not just be loved. Jesus is Love. Youre Love. Therefore, I am LOVE in ACTION. Help me walk in love and remember all that Love Is...and isn’t. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and providing me strength and courage to BE LOVE. To be loved is to love. You loved me first. Plan BE | I am designed by you to be LOVE. Amen. References 1) Life Application Study Bible 2) Bible Hub 3) Author: Sandi Hanscom Be Designed to Be
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