Love Suffers Long And Is Kind
I'm feeling better now. My mind's clearer and my heart more stable. Thanks to Pst Brian Bailey's sermon in 2nd Service on Sunday.
I was quite late, but the minute I stepped into the auditorium, what was spoken at that point was a message so appropriate for my situation. By God's grace my heart was open to receive His word, something which I don't take for granted. There was so much of the love of God in that message it was hard not to receive it. I felt God answering my prayers, graciously dealing with the affairs of my heart.
Pst Bailey recounted the story of a couple of prisoners who were tortured to denounce Christ. They endured the sufferings and managed to overcome the ordeal. However, they became aggressive. And when they were released, they remained aggressive towards those around them. Hence we need to be careful that as we exercise longsuffering, we must not neglect kindness. Love suffers long and is kind. The list goes on about the definition of love, but for the story, this would suffice for now.
It is so easy for one's heart to become hardened as a person goes through hardship in life. But it is so important that we remain tender towards God and be kind towards others.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35
Indeed it had been God's grace that has brought me this far in the journey of loving. I've experienced first hand how amazing that with love, one can endure and sacrifice so much. It was a humbling experience. Honestly, for one, the fact that there was even the slightest tinge of struggle showed that it was not something natural - I don't have it. To know what is God's love and being made aware that we don't have what it takes, is really humbling.
I believe that in this journey, as God worked through me to show kindness and love to His children, God is also working in me to purify my heart. That's what matters to Him the most - our heart. Purity means no deceit, no hypocrisy. Ultimately, we want to be more and more like Jesus.
Hence I'm full of admiration towards my Abba Father whose love is so vast. He patiently and faithfully steers me towards the right path when I wandered off course in this journey of self-discovery. May the Lord continue to grace my life with a bigger capacity to love the way He does.
I have to remember that it's all about Him, not about me.
DEEPER IN LOVE
By Don Moen
VERSE 1:
There is a longing
Only You can fill
A raging tempest
Only You can still
My heart is thirsty, Lord
To know You as I'm known
Drink from the river
That flows before Your throne
CHORUS:
Take me deeper
Deeper in love with You
Jesus, hold me close in Your embrace
Take me deeper
Deeper than I've ever been before
I just want to love You more and more
How I long to be deeper in love
VERSE 2:
Sunrise to sunrise
I will seek Your face
Drawn by the Spirit
To the promise of Your grace
My heart has found in You
A hope that will abide
Here in Your presence
Forever satisfied
I was quite late, but the minute I stepped into the auditorium, what was spoken at that point was a message so appropriate for my situation. By God's grace my heart was open to receive His word, something which I don't take for granted. There was so much of the love of God in that message it was hard not to receive it. I felt God answering my prayers, graciously dealing with the affairs of my heart.
Pst Bailey recounted the story of a couple of prisoners who were tortured to denounce Christ. They endured the sufferings and managed to overcome the ordeal. However, they became aggressive. And when they were released, they remained aggressive towards those around them. Hence we need to be careful that as we exercise longsuffering, we must not neglect kindness. Love suffers long and is kind. The list goes on about the definition of love, but for the story, this would suffice for now.
It is so easy for one's heart to become hardened as a person goes through hardship in life. But it is so important that we remain tender towards God and be kind towards others.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35
Indeed it had been God's grace that has brought me this far in the journey of loving. I've experienced first hand how amazing that with love, one can endure and sacrifice so much. It was a humbling experience. Honestly, for one, the fact that there was even the slightest tinge of struggle showed that it was not something natural - I don't have it. To know what is God's love and being made aware that we don't have what it takes, is really humbling.
I believe that in this journey, as God worked through me to show kindness and love to His children, God is also working in me to purify my heart. That's what matters to Him the most - our heart. Purity means no deceit, no hypocrisy. Ultimately, we want to be more and more like Jesus.
Hence I'm full of admiration towards my Abba Father whose love is so vast. He patiently and faithfully steers me towards the right path when I wandered off course in this journey of self-discovery. May the Lord continue to grace my life with a bigger capacity to love the way He does.
I have to remember that it's all about Him, not about me.
DEEPER IN LOVE
By Don Moen
VERSE 1:
There is a longing
Only You can fill
A raging tempest
Only You can still
My heart is thirsty, Lord
To know You as I'm known
Drink from the river
That flows before Your throne
CHORUS:
Take me deeper
Deeper in love with You
Jesus, hold me close in Your embrace
Take me deeper
Deeper than I've ever been before
I just want to love You more and more
How I long to be deeper in love
VERSE 2:
Sunrise to sunrise
I will seek Your face
Drawn by the Spirit
To the promise of Your grace
My heart has found in You
A hope that will abide
Here in Your presence
Forever satisfied
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