Truth#12

                    Love is the Greatest

You can be so wealthy,educated,influential or highly anointed but if you lack love, you are the most wretched person on earth.
‘’

1.)Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2.) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3.) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body 
to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing’’ – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

No matter what you become in life, if you do not express love or have the capacity to express it, something is missing in your life. In fact, you cannot live a healthy life if you do not love others around you. Love’s way is the best and it is the greatest.
When love is present in your life or marriage, there is joy and peace; you may not be the wealthiest but you will be happy and comfortable in life. If love could find its way in politics, business, education and in the lives of individuals, our society would be much better than this but it is unfortunate that we have esteemed something else to be the greatest.

             Personal Evaluation

• What have I made to be the greatest in my life?

                                 Truth#11

Love Is Demonstrated in The Time of Adversity

Do you know that it is very possible to profess love to another person when times are good? But how many persons can hold onto their vows when times are bad?

  Jesus asked Peter thrice, ‘’Love you Me more than these?’’ The same Peter who said he will never deny Jesus denied Him when He was persecuted, not only that, he threw away all that Jesus had invested in his life and went back into his fishing business. 

How sad it was that Peter couldn’t love Jesus in the time of tribulation?
It is easy to love a person when they meet your needs or do what you want but it is
very difficult to still love them when they really offend you or when they are in trouble.
What kind of love do you express in various situations of life to the one you love?
True love does not change come rain or shine but the latter three is conditional and
selfish. In many marriages today, it is easy for newlyweds to exchange marital vows but few months into the marriage, they fail to mean their vows.
Paul elaborated the illimitable dimension of the love God has for us in Romans 8:35-39.
In times of troubles, problems, hunger, lack, want, no good clothes, danger, death and
so on; would you still express love to the one you profess love to? Would you still love God when He does not answer your prayer or He delays in giving you what you need?
Would you love your partner or friend when they walk in the valley of the shadow of death or you’re only a fair-weather friend?

                         Truth#10 
What You Cannot Change, Love Would

Have you ever imagined the dramatic transformation that took place in the life of Saul after he encountered the love of God? Imagine a persecutor becoming an Apostle. Imagine a murderer becoming a preacher of the Gospel he earlier condemned. This can only happen through love. The love that changes a man or woman is not the Eros, Storge or Phileo love; it is Agape. You cannot change anyone with these three kinds of love previously mentioned. In fact, feelings can never change anyone, likewise lust and infatuation. Due to ignorance, many believe when they marry a person, they will change or their carnal love will make them change. No! A colleague of mine at work shared the conversion story of a great man of God, how that a girl insistently told him about Jesus and he drove her away for the three days that she came. But on the third day, beside his sick bed as he was diagnosed of an incurable tuberculosis, the lady wept bitterly and implored him to accept Jesus and he was touched

 ‘’You cannot force anyone to do what you want them to do but when you love them with the love of God, a day will come that in their subconscious mind that they will manifest the change you want’’ 

 The love that changes a man or woman is not the Eros, Storge or Phileo love; it is Agape. You cannot change anyone with these three kinds of love previously mentioned. In fact, feelings can never change anyone, likewise lust and infatuation. Due to ignorance, many believe when they marry a person, they will change or their carnal love will make them change. No! A colleague of mine at work shared the conversion story of a great man of God, how that a girl insistently told him about Jesus and he drove her away for the three days that she came. But on the third day, beside his sick bed as he was diagnosed of an incurable tuberculosis, the lady wept bitterly and implored him to accept Jesus and he was touched in his soul in spite of how harsh he had treated her. Reluctantly, he agreed to accept Him but the girl was happy and gave him a Bible. This was how David Yonggi-Cho, the man who had the largest congregation in South Korea gave his life to Christ. The love that changes is divine, patient and it tolerates. Only those who have encountered the love of God can express True love. It is the love that drives the lover to his knees and agonizes for the soul of the loved till changes manifest in their life. It is the love that acts as a fool so that the loved can become wise and restored. I also remembered a real story I heard in church. A middle-aged woman was living with a native doctor who sought every means of attacking her because of the power of God in her life. He tried her in the spirit realm but failed and he concluded to go physical by getting her angry. One day, the man came out of his room and saw her child playing in the lobby, he deliberately gave her a slap and she cried to her mother. The woman came out, went on her knees to apologize to him. Seeing this that she had done, he dashed into his room and wept and as a result of that, he gave his life to Christ in the long run. Do you have this kind of love that doesn’t get angry if it was offended? It is only possible when you have encountered the love of God.
           Self examination •
Is my love accommodating or selective?