Tag: walk in love

Christian

An “Annoying Distraction”?

Cindy Dawson

Did you know even that if you’re the most eloquent preacher on the planet and thousands attend your conferences and buy your books, if you don’t show God’s love to people, God says you are only an “annoying distraction”?

And if you have such a strong faith that you can perform miracles, but you don’t love your fellow man, you’re just a nobody.

Not only that, if you sell everything you own and give it all to feed the poor, but you don’t spread God’s love, it does you no good at all.

Read 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 from the Amplified Bible, (AMP).

 “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.”

Many years ago, the Lord showed me the tremendous importance of showing His love to others. I was questioning something I was being taught in my church and decided to re-read the New Testament. I read it three times in a row as I searched for the truth.

I was looking for the answer to this: What’s the main idea of the New Testament? What is most important to God? Is it prosperity? Is it faith to heal the sick? Is it abundance in this life? Is it praying for revival?

I kept track of the number of times each topic was presented in the Word of God. Every time faith was taught, I tallied it. I did the same for every topic that came up including healing, prayer, prosperity, hope joy, mercy, love, and many others.

Do you know what I discovered? Overwhelmingly, the main message of the New Testament, and the most mentioned topic, was love! If love was the most talked about subject, it must be really important! I knew that if I understood nothing else, I must understand what matters most to God – love.

Back then we didn’t have Google, but now I know that the Bible mentions love 686 times in the New International Version. Thanks, Google!

“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” 2 John 6 NIV

With the discovery of this truth and knowing that walking in love was of utmost importance to God, I began on a journey to learn how to walk in love. The Old Testament and New are full of insights that teach us to love as Christ loves.

 “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NIV

How can you show God’s love to someone today?

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Lydia Torrey on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

The Power of Love

Cindy Dawson

The Valedictorian – A True Story

John walked down the crowded high school hallway carrying all the books from his locker when some bullies intentionally knocked them out of his hands.

A bystander walked up and helped him gather the books and supplies. Seeing that the boy was almost in tears, the bystander offered a few kind words.

The boy who had been bullied later became the class valedictorian. At graduation, he gave a powerful speech that caused the auditorium to become still in silence. He told the story of how at one time he had been planning to kill himself. He cleaned out his locker so that his mother wouldn’t have to do it after his death. He told how some students knocked the books from his hands leaving him in tears.

He explained how someone stopped and helped him gather his books, taking the time to speak kindly to him for just a few minutes. This act of kindness gave him the will to keep living because it showed him that kindness existed in the world. This simple act of compassion saved his life.

“Love is … kind…” I Corinthians 13: 4

I have failed to follow God’s path many times in my life. When I reflect on God’s kindness to me in spite of my failings, I am utterly amazed.

Why is God so patient and kind to me? Do I deserve it? Definitely not! And yet, He is always there, ready to listen to my cries for help when I need Him. Always faithful to His promises, always revealing His love for me expressed in His great kindness.

If I meditate on His kindness to me, how can I be anything but kind to others? God’s love is expressed in kindness. 

There have been many times when I received a note or gift from a friend, and that person had no idea that God was using their expression of kindness to lift my heart, encourage me, and turn my eyes back on Jesus.

Even though it may seem like a small thing to us, writing a note, providing a small gift, or a random act of kindness could be just what a person needs at that time. We must not think we don’t have time or we’re too busy. May we slow down and take the time to show kindness where it is needed.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NIV

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Titus 3:4-5a NIV

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by darlene on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Bible, Christian

Am I An Annoying Distraction?

Cindy Dawson

Did you know that if you’re the most eloquent preacher/ speaker on the planet and thousands attend your conferences and buy your books, but you don’t show God’s love to people, God says you are an “annoying distraction”.

And if you have such a strong faith that you can perform miracles, but you don’t love your fellow man, you’re just a nobody.

Not only that, but if you sell everything you own and give it all to feed the poor, but you don’t spread God’s love, it does you no good at all.

Read 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 from the Amplified Bible, (AMP).

 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [a]love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.

Several years ago, the Holy Spirit showed me the tremendous importance of showing His love to others. I was questioning something I was being taught in my church and had decided to re-read the New Testament. I read it three times in a row within a short period of time.

I kept track of the number of times each topic was presented in the Word of God. Every time faith was taught, I tallied it. I did the same for every topic that came up including healing, prayer, prosperity, hope joy, mercy, love, and many others.

Do you know what I discovered? Overwhelmingly, the main message of the New Testament, and the most mentioned topic, was love! If love was the most talked about subject, it must be really important! I knew that if I understood nothing else, I must understand what matters most to God – love.  I began to study love in depth.

“As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love.” 2 John 6

The discovery of this truth and knowing that walking in love was of utmost importance to God, I began on a journey to learn how to walk in love. The Old Testament and New are full of insights that teach us to love as Christ loves.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39

The Bible has a lot to say about what it means to walk in love. I look forward to sharing more about what I have learned (and am continuing to learn) about love.

Did you show God’s love to someone today?

With Love, 

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This is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Lydia Torrey on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog 

Bible, Christian

How Important Is Love?

Cindy Dawson

If you’re the most eloquent speaker on the planet and thousands attend your conferences and buy your books, but you don’t show God’s love to people, God says you are an “annoying distraction”!

If you have such strong faith that you can perform miracles, but you don’t love your fellow man, you’re just a “nobody”.

If you sell everything you own and give it all to feed the poor, but you don’t spread God’s love, it does you no good at all.

Let that sink in for a minute!

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction].

And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing.

If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.” I Corinthians 13:1-3 AMP

Several years ago, I was questioning something being taught at the church I was attending. It seemed to me like too much emphasis was being put on money and prosperity. I decided to re-read the New Testament. I read it three times in a row, looking for what God considered most important.

I kept track of the number of times each topic was presented in the Word of God. Every time faith was taught, I tallied it. I did the same for every topic that came up including healing, prayer, prosperity, hope, joy, mercy, love, and many other topics.

Do you know what I discovered? Overwhelmingly, the most frequently mentioned topic of the New Testament was love! If love was the most talked about topic, it must be really important! I knew that if I understood nothing else, I needed to understand what matters most to God – love.  I began to study it in depth.

“As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love.” 2 John 6

It was like God was teaching me that this is what He wanted me to study. This is what He wanted me to learn.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NIV

Did you show God’s love today?

With Love, 

Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog

Photo by Lydia Torrey on Unsplash