Skip to main content

If I Have Not Charity

  "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. 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. 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
 
 
   Charity- without it we cannot truly serve God. Without His love, it doesn't matter how many languages I could speak, or how fluently; how much I understand about scripture; how much money I give to God's cause; how much even of myself I give; how well I can draw; how well I could play an instrument or how well I could sing, or anything else I could do. It isn't in a flurry of activity that love for God is shown- it is in the motives ruling those actions, "for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7. And yet, I know that all too often I do not do things for the right motives.
  As well, it isn't how much we do that counts with God, either. Didn't Jesus greatly commend the poor widow for casting into the temple treasury a mere two mites? With Him, the motive counts more. I can give thousands to missions and charitable causes, but does that count if I have not love? No- the Pharisees cast in large sums, but have they inspired any to follow their example? Has their money posthumously increased? No, but the poor widow's has. Her example has inspired countless others to follow in her steps. What made the difference? Love for God.
  It's the same with winning others to Christ. All the preaching, teaching, and warning will avail nothing without God's love and the power of the Holy Spirit. I need more of His love and the Holy Spirit in my own life. May God grant it to me, and you, too!

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Faith

  By faith, as wandering pilgrims here, We sojourn in this vale of tears, It points us to His coming, near, That ends our sighs, and groans, and fears, Though raging hosts of foes assail, The conqueror’s trophies, won, will be; Through sword and flame we shall prevail By faith, and gain the victory!   Though clouds and tempests, hovering near, May o’er thy pathway seem to frown, It bids them quickly disappear, And brings the promised blessing down. It breaks the bands that round thee cling- From sin and bondage sets thee free, To rise on its triumphant wing, And shout, by faith, the victory!                                                  Faith, living faith, ascends the skies, To Christ, within the seco...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Artist's Eye

Mandarin Duck Artists are often said to be their own worst critics. Maybe it's because we see all the defects that no one else seems to notice. We see the misaligned eyes, the crooked nose; we know what didn't come out just as we had planned. But aside from that, I believe the Great Master Artist has an artist's eye, too- albeit in a different sense. Here is an interesting quote from The Desire of Ages , p. 826: "Tell the people of Him who is 'the Chiefest among ten thousand,' and the One 'altogether lovely.' The Song of Solomon 5:10, 16. Words alone cannot tell it. Let it be reflected in the character and manifested in the life. Christ is sitting for His portrait in every disciple. Every one God has predestinated to be 'conformed to the image of His Son.' Romans 8:29. In every one Christ's long-suffering love, His holiness, meekness, mercy, and truth are to be manifested to the world." King James Version American S...
Post a Comment
Read more

Overcoming the World

" These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world . " John 16:33     This morning, as I was studying my Young Disciple lesson, it referenced this verse. As I thought about what it said, GOD impressed me with an interesting thought. Jesus said, " I have overcome the world ". If He has overcome the world, wouldn't He offer us the power to overcome it, as well, through Him? "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth . " Matthew 28:18. He has all power, and is willing to impart it to us so that we, too, may overcome the world in His strength! Then, truly, we may " be of good cheer ". May we all take hold of His strength and overcome the world! "For whatsoever is born of GOD overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 Joh...
Post a Comment
Read more