Your Daily Devotional for June 5, 2006

June 5, 2006

 

Abounding in Love

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.”

 

1 Thessalonians 3:12

 

True love always abounds in difficult times. As Paul writes this epistle, he is acutely aware of the great afflictions, sufferings, and tribulation that the church of Thessalonica had endured for their Gospel witness. It was a time of testing for this church, and Paul had sent Timothy ahead that he might comfort them and establish them concerning their faith, “that no man should be moved by these afflictions,” but it was now time for Paul to address a need (1 Thessalonians 2:2-3). As Paul prayed for the church of Thessalonica during this time of affliction, he felt a great need for them to “increase and abound in love one toward another.”

 

I believe today, if we were to search our hearts and pray, we would find this same attribute lacking. There is a great need in our churches, for abounding love.  

 

I believe we would find a need for a greater love for Christ. The Bible says, in 2 Corinthians 5:14a, “For the love of Christ constraineth us...” We can learn a great lesson from the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2. This church was remembered by the Lord because they labored, had patience, and had not fainted, but the Lord said, “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:4). If you have come to a place of complacency and if living for the Lord has become drudgery, it is time to look to the Cross of Jesus and let the love of Christ be renewed in your heart.

 

There is also a need for a greater love for His church. Ephesians 5:25 says that “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” With every opportunity we have to serve the Lord in our local churches, we must consider the price that was paid. I love my church, and I thank God, not only for what He is doing, but also because of the sacrifice that was made for it. Jesus gave His life for the church and has allowed us to be a part of it!

 

I believe there is also need for a greater love, one for another. The Bible says in 1 John 4:16, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” God wants us to have His attribute of love in our lives as we walk with Him. We must walk in love, one for another.

 

Finally, we are also in need of a greater love for a lost world. A few years ago, as I made a hospital visit for one of our church members, I grabbed a few wooden heart Christmas ornaments that some ladies in our church had made. After visiting the family and having prayer, I went around the lobby area, to some of the hospital rooms, and began giving out some of those hearts and tracts. There I was—a Baptist preacher, with a tie on, walking into hospital rooms around Christmas time. As people looked at me and wondered what I was doing, I just smiled and told them where I was from and gave them an invitation to our church.

 

As I saw those people in hospital beds, and many families gathered around, I realized that sickness and even death are no respecters of Holidays. When I think about the brevity of life and the love of God, I pray and ask God to help me always to have a compassion for the lost.

 

Do you love Christ as much as you did on the day of your salvation? Do you love your church and those around you enough to serve others? Do you love the lost enough to tell them of God’s love for them? Love is free, so give all you can!

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1