Love lasts forever (Day 4 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

Jewelry stores boast that diamonds are forever.

Wrong.  Love is the only thing that lasts forever.  Love will last longer than even the largest diamond.

Our knowledge may fade away, our speech may be stilled, and all of that doesn't matter, for love carries you through it all.

As children, we thought and acted like children.  Children are innocent in their ways, viewing the world with wide-eyed wonder.  But as we become adults, our childish ways are put behind us.  We may look in a mirror and not like what we see.

But through love, our deeds will show forever.  Those around us will always remember the qualities of love we gave to the world.  Remember what love is and what isn't.  And always remember the love endures.

To show someone love is to give them grace and forgiveness.  Revenge has no place in love.  Remember that the next time someone wrongs you.

Love endures (Day 3 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

I am not a sports fan.  But I do love most sports movies, like Miracle or Facing The Giants or even Rudy.

At the heart of all these is someone, or a team of someones, who are underdogs.  Against all odds, they work hard and never give up, no matter the circumstance.

They endure under a heavy burden and possibly a great disadvantage--take Rudy, where you have someone who's a foot or more smaller than the other players, weighed much less, and still had the heart to take it all on.

In verse 7 from the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians spells this out.  Love never gives up.  Love never loses faith.  Love is full of hope.

And against through every circumstance, love endures.

No matter how difficult your relationship is, place it in God's Hands, knowing your love will endure.  He will show you what  you need to do.  Love isn't passive.  You need to put action into love.

Now, read through the entire chapter again, from verse 1 through verse 7.  Let God's Word speak into your heart.

Then put your love into action.

What love is not (Day 2 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

Here is where most couples get into trouble, when they run to divorce or break-up at the first sign of conflict.  In the book of 1 Corinthians, starting in the second half of verse 4 through verse 6, there are a number of things listed that love is not.

Not jealous.

Not boastful or proud.

Not rude.

Love does NOT demand its own way.

It is not irritable.

Love keeps absolutely no record of wrongs.

Think of the worst relationship you've ever had--this could even be with your current partner.  Do any of the above ring a bell?  You may not see it in yourself, only in the other person, but at this moment I want you to take a moment, ask the Lord to come into your heart and speak the truth, and think about how you treat your loved ones.

Are you ever jealous?  Proud?  Boastful?  Rude, perhaps?  Do your loved ones get on your nerves, causing you to be irritable?  Maybe it's not them getting on your nerves after all.

Are you demanding and selfish?  Do you keep bringing up things your loved ones did wrong?  Let me give you a hint here: no one can change the past; only the future.  If you truly do not see yourself at fault for any of these, let me give you another hint: you are; you are just too blind to see it.

The boastful one is interesting, especially in today's age of social media.  I know many husbands and/or wives who post how much they love their spouse.  Now this may be fine and dandy, but why do you need to post this?  Who are you trying to impress?

My late wife Melissa disliked certain days like Valentine's or Mother's/Father's Day, because why should one wait for that one day to honor their loved ones?  They should honor their spouse every single day.

In August 2019, my grandfather Ray passed away.  He was the epitome of how one should treat their spouse.  He called grandma his "forever loving doll."  And he treated her like the angel that she was.  He was a prime example for us grandkids on how we should treat our own spouses.  Are any of us perfect?  Heck no!  Was he perfect in his marriage?  I doubt it, but we never knew it.

Read the verses we covered today over and over again.  Even go back to the beginning and read through verse 6.  Ask God to speak into your heart.  Ask Him what you need to do.

Your loved ones are worth it.

What love is (Day 1 of Love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13)

Nearly every wedding, a union of man and woman, shares the "Love is patient, love is kind" verse from the 13th chapter in the book of 1 Corinthians.  But as high as the divorce rate seems to be, a couple's love diminishes.  It is no longer patient.  No longer kind.  Sometimes it takes days, weeks, or even months.  And in some cases, years or decades.

Originally, I was going to share from the 13th chapter, starting with verse 4, but by doing so I'm missing out on the first three verses.  And they are just as important.

Verse 1 is simply, one may speak with an angelic tone, sweet and soft, but without love it is like a clanging gong.  Harsh-sounding, huh?

Verse 2 goes on by stating that one may have all of the knowledge of the world, possess great understanding of the many mysteries that surround us.  They can even have faith in their abilities, that they can move earthly mountains because of their vast knowledge.  But if ones does this without any love, it is nothing.

Verse 3 handles our possessions and body.  We may even give away all of our possessions and not take care of our body in the proper way, all in the name of us boasting of our accomplishments.  But if we do not have love, we gain nothing.  Watch how people boast about giving away their wealth, spouting it for all the world to see about how great and wonderful they are.  While underneath, in their heart, do they do it out of love?  It is certainly doubtful.

Love is everything.  Kind and patient are two important qualities on how we treat others.  Be patient, be unselfish, be kind.  That is how a couple should treat each other.  Both of them.  Not just one.

Because God is Love.  His Love didn't come into this world while riding a giant white stallion, brandishing a golden sword, and shouting from the tops of mountains.  No.  His Love came in the form of a baby, born from a virgin, while livestock and shepherds and even wise men from faraway lands came to welcome Him into the world.

Love takes work.  No doubt about it.  But if you read these verses and ask God to place the love he desires into your heart, you too may find the patience and kindness that will make a couple's love flourish.  Your love will become a beacon for many generations to come.

Close examination of the love verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 13

I am going to do something special this week.

It has been over 14 weeks since my wife's passing, when the Lord took away her illness and lifted her up into his loving arms.  For the months prior to her passing, when she was at the nursing home (she was only 47, but her illness had gotten so bad she could be cared for at home), she had made read the "Love is patient" verses from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, each time I visited her--which was practically every single day.

One thing I noticed while reading the verses (this would be verses 4 through 13 in the 13th chapter from the book of 1 Corinthians) is how true they are for all aspects of our marriage.  Typically, verses 4 through 7 are read during weddings, but while reading the rest of the chapter I found so much truth into one's life.  Not only early on in our marriage, but even during what we knew were our last days before her passing.

I truly believe that if more married couples read and took to heart these verses, the divorce rate would fall dramatically.  The once troubled marriages would no longer be as troubled.

So, for each day this week, I'll examine these 10 verses.  Then, read them for yourselves, asking God to speak into your heart.

Back to Judah to build the foundation

In the book of Ezra, chapter 1, the new king of Persia, King Cyrus, upon taking over from the former Babylonian Empire, proclaimed that all of those displaced from the kingdom of Judah may return back to their homeland.  This was done as prophesied that they would be taken from the lands of Judah for seventy years.

And when King Cyrus came to power and made the proclamation, it was exactly seventy years.

King Cyrus also offered the goodwill of their neighbors to provide silver, gold, goods, and livestock as an offering to the Lord as they made their way back home.  Even every single article taken from the Temple of the Lord by Nebuchadnezzar was given back.

In chapter 2 was a long meticulous list of the families and their descendants who were exiled.  Even those whose genealogical records could not be found were given over to the priests of Judah, so they could be cleansed.  Upon arrival back to Jerusalem, many of the family heads gave freewill offerings to the house of God, in order to rebuild the Lord's Temple on the original site.

When we come to chapter 3, they offered burnt offerings to the Lord, even before the foundation of the Lord's Temple had been built.  They burned offerings day and night, and during all of the holy occasions appointed by the Lord.  By the time the foundation was laid, everyone took up positions of praise to the Lord.  There was a wide range of emotions, from weeping to shouts of joy.  The sounds of their praise could be heard from far, far away.

Taking the Lord with you into battle

Psalm 64 is known as the "Prayer for Protection from Secret Enemies."  Seems rather fitting, given what's going on in the world today with COVID-19.

The psalmist asks God to guard our life from the enemy, hide us from their secret counsel and conspiracy.  The words of our enemies are like venomous arrows.  Our enemies encourage themselves in their evil agenda, devising plans of deceit and injustice.

Remember this Psalm as you go through life nowadays--and not just today, but everyday.  Even in the years, decades, and centuries to come.  The Lord is with those who worship Him.

Starting in verse 7, God will attack them unexpectedly.  They will stumble, using their own words against them.

In the end, the righteous will rejoice in refuge of the Lord and we will glorify His Holy Name.

The Fallen May Rise Again

The 36th chapter from the book of 2 Chronicles is the final chapter.  And it is jam-packed with leaders going back, not following the Lord and resulting in the fall of Jerusalem, only to rise again with the Lord at their side.

First we have king Joahaz, who reigned for a short three months.  The Egyptian king Neco imposed a fine on Judah, also deposing him and replacing him with his brother Eliakim.  However, Neco changed the king's name to Jehoiakim.  He was then brought to Egypt.

In this chapter we also meet the Babylon king Nebuchadnezzar.  He met king Jehoiakim and bound him in bronze chains, and took him to Babylon.  He also took some of the articles from the Lord's temple.

After king Jehoiakim's reign was his brother Zedekiah.  He not only rebelled against the Lord and His prophet Jeremiah, he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar.  You see, Nebuchadnezzar made him swear allegiance to the Lord and Zedekiah's heart hardened.  His officials also turned a hard heart against the Lord, bringing back many of the false pagan gods that had defiled the Lord's house during previous rulers.

Because of this, the Lord kept sending messengers to Israel, but His people mocked the messengers.  Then the Lord's wrath was fierce.  No one was saved against His might, brought down by the Chaldeans.  The Chaldeans burned God's Temple, destroying all.  The destruction lasted for seventy years, to fulfill the prophecy.

The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the king of Persia, Cyrus.  He gave Cyrus all of His kingdoms and Cyrus proclaimed that he would rebuild the Lord's Temple once again.

Lift up your hands to the Lord

In Psalm 63, the psalmist David started with a cry out to the Lord, that his body was thirsty for His glory.  His Power and Love were better than life itself.

In verse 4, the psalmist praised God for as long as he lived, lifting up his hands in prayer.  In different versions of the Holy Bible, most versions point out the simple act of lifting up our hands in Heaven, lifting them up to the Lord.

Reminds me of this song:

I remember this song even back when I was in college, in the early 1990's.

The rest of the psalm is filled with praising the Lord, that His Love is better than the richest feast we can imagine.  Even though there are evil doers who plot against us, they will die and be thrown down into the depths of the earth.

Always remember that we need the Lord, no matter our circumstances.  Thank and praise Him, in good times and bad.

Honoring God during Passover

Ironic that during this time of year, we come to the 35th chapter from the book of 2 Chronicles, for it encompasses the Passover celebration, under the direction of king Josiah.

This occurred in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign.  Everything was done with such organizational precision that it all took place within a single day.  The details were so precise, all to honor and serve God.  Each family had their place in the ceremony, and all was done as the Lord prescribed in the Book of Moses.

Never since the days of king Samuel had a Passover celebration had taken place in such a fashion.

The other half of chapter 35 dealt with king Neco from Egypt, leading his army near Judah, and king Josiah sending his army out to confront them.  But king Neco sent a message, telling Josiah not to interfere, for the Lord told them to fight another nation.  They had no quarrel with Josiah.

But Josiah refused to listen, and disguised himself.  But he was mortally wounded and taken away from the battle.  He died soon afterward.

This is an interesting point, because we have no story about king Neco's message from the Lord.  All Neco knew was that he was listening to the Lord--which he was--and had absolutely no beef with Josiah--which he didn't.  But Josiah did not listen.

We can make a parallel point with those who receive the message of God today.  Take a small town with two churches.  One is a traditional church, like a Catholic or an old Lutheran church, and then a new upbeat, nondenominational church rolls into town.  The traditional church may think they're competing with the other (like Josiah and the Egyptian king Neco's army) and seemingly go to war with each other.

Satan wants nothing more than to see Christians fighting with each other.  And why should we?  We're still worshiping the same God.  At the moment, there are at least six (sometimes more) different religious podcasts that I listen to in any given week.  Some run Monday through Friday, some just once a week, some every other week, some once or twice a month, and another one has three times a week.  All share pretty much the same message--the Goodness of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross--but in a variety of ways.

People need to hear the message of Jesus in different ways.  Don't criticize one message, because you may not know what they're hearing from God.  We never know what king Neco's message was, but it certainly didn't involve king Josiah and Jerusalem.  If someone doesn't understand your message of Christ Jesus, maybe they'll understand another.  As long as they come to Christ, that's all that matters.

Patience (going at things slow)

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 34, we have the next king of Judah Josiah.  He was only eight years old when he became king, and ruled for thirty-one years.

What's good about Josiah was that he did what was right in the Lord.  But unlike many of his predecessors, he didn't rush into anything.  He was patient, even when it came to the Lord.  Even though he did the right things, it wasn't until he was sixteen before he began to seek out God.  Then, in his twelfth year as king, he had the altars of false gods taken down.  He completely purified the land.

Starting in his eighteenth year, he had the Temple purified and paid to have it repaired to an even better shape than before.  Those under his leadership served faithfully as he entrusted the Temple and its construction in their care.

While repairing the Temple, an ancient book, the Book of the Law written by Moses, was discovered.  Then, he was in great distress, for written in it were the commandments of the Lord and how His wrath would be stricken onto them for their ancestors did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  But since Josiah came to the Lord with such a humble heart, God was pleased and would not strike them down.

From that point onward, Josiah and his people continued to do what was right in the Lord's eyes and even kept to his Laws.

When I first read this chapter, I was a bit perplexed at how long it took king Josiah to do some of the things he had done, even if they were right.  Then I put myself in his shoes, at eight years old, being a ruler of a land, and the great responsibility placed on him.  He must have studied greatly, taking his time, to fulfill what he needed to do.

When you find yourself with great responsibility, take your time to do things right.  As a leader of people at my day job, I took my time (and still do) to make sure things are done right.  I do not make rash decisions, and as much as I can, I pray about the decision before it's made.

The Lord is our refuge

Psalm 62 starts with how we wait, we must wait in patience, for the Lord is our true salvation.  He is our eternal refuge.  We are to maintain our faith all the time, for one never knows when our enemies will come for us.

This is so true nowadays when the world seems to be turned upside-down with this latest pandemic.  It is when times are tough that our faith is tested the most.  Take my own life since May 2019 when my wife's health started to deteriorate.  It all came to an end with her passing on January 16th of this year.  But has my faith waivered.  Nope.  Did my wife's faith waiver?  Not a chance.  We both knew where we're heading when we leave this earth.

And for her, it was far sooner than I.

The Lord is your rock and salvation.  Our victories can only become because of God.

Verse 10 is interesting enough to examine a bit more closely.  It talks about those who make a living by stealing, extortion, fraud, and that it isn't a way to make a living.  Also, as one's wealth increases, don't make money the center of one's life.  Just that verse alone is by far some of the best advice one can receive.

True sincerity and humbleness in the Lord

Continuing on in the book of 2 Chronicles, we read about two kings of Jerusalem--yes, two!--in chapter 33.

The bulk of this chapter revolves around Manasseh.  He was only twelve when he took the throne, and he reigned for fifty-five years.  Even though his father did what was right by the Lord, Manasseh was the exact opposite.  He rebuilt the pagan shrines, practiced witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted with mediums and psychics.  He even sacrificed many of his sons to these false gods.

As you guessed it, the Lord was angry.  He even spoke to Manasseh and the people of Jerusalem, but they ignored Him.

The Lord sent armies from Assyria and they took Manasseh prisoner.  He was bound in bronze chains and had a ring put through his nose.  Ouch!

Manasseh, finally seeing God's awesome and incredible power, prayed like he had never prayed before.  God knew he was being sincere and humble, seeing what was in his heart.  So He freed Manasseh.

Manasseh rid his land from all pagan shrines and all of his people worshiped the Lord.  He continued this until his death.

His son Amon then became king, and he ruled a mere two years.  He ignored his father's humble nature toward God and did what was evil in God's eyes.  The reason for his short reign was that his servants assassinated him.