Healthy Living in a Sick World (Part 18)

Dr. Michael you sent exposing a flaw in the Corinthian church can be easily applied to the church today. A major part of the problem in the Corinthian church as it is a problem installment of churches today is that they think love is just a nice feeling. Love is just warm affection. But love or just about romantic desires. Not don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with these things. They may be a manifestation of the love they might be an expression of the true love, but they're not really the true love these are not the true love that the Bible tells us about here, and that true love is what Dr. Michael Yousef explores next on leading the way as he opens to first Corinthians chapter 13. It's often referred to as the love chapter in the Bible you'll see how living out your spiritual gifts often require one key ingredient to make it all effective, you guessed it, love, join with me now and listening to Dr. Michael Yousef for today's leading the way in chapter 13 Paul tells us up. Love is far from being business grew we must.

She fuzzy feeling that we talk about is actually listen to me carefully first Christmas 13 is actually a 2 x 4-year-old right. It's a 2 x 4 that is hitting the church with a 2 x 4, Chapter 13, you never thought about it this right now.

You do because having a spiritual gift does not make your spiritual are you with the same and have exposure does not make you Spiritualism limit. I have known right famous preachers who are carnal and so do you only walking in the spirit makes you spiritual. I want you to him arrived because the believers in the Corinthian church were very similar to the believers in the Ephesians church as we see them out in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, but in the book of Revelation chapter 2 is that what is that similar what they have lost their first love for Christ that were running on empty. Their philosophers love for Christ. But there were maintaining the program well also. First love for Christ, but they were living the engine of the church. The loss of first love but they kept the machine running the loss of first love but they maintain the outward façade of activities and the reason the loss of first love is because removed from the source of love. They got so bogged down in their self interest. They got so bogged down that there forgotten, whose church it is beloved. Not a single time that I come down the street and turned this church building without reminding myself this is the church of Jesus Christ. A major part of the problem in the Corinthian church as it is a problem in so many churches today is that they think love is just a nice feeling. Love is just warm affection and love are just about romantic desires. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with these things may be a manifestation of the true love.

They might be an expression of the true love, but they're not really that true love. These are not the true love that the Bible tells us about here. The agate play or agape or some pronounce it is not that self-seeking love at your pay demands something of us to give. For all of us. We offer so God for you howitzer talk is cheap.

Show me how you guy talk is cheap. Let me see if you can die to your opinion. Let me see if you can dart your ideas. Let me see if you can die to your possessions. Let me see if you can dart your feelings right. Agape has no room for pride and arrogance of self promotion. In John chapter 13 the Bible said when Jesus loved his disciple. He loved them to the end or another translation.

He loved them to perfection.

He loved them to complete this is what I have learned through the years from many painful experiences I won't bore you with. I have discovered that love less and less, love less mess is the root of disobedience to God.

Seldom do you read in the Gospels about Jesus saying to the disciples I love you guys. I love you guys. I love you guys, which we do and that's fine but you know what they knew. They felt that they have experienced or hidden have to keep repeating it through okay now. After the short introduction I get to the text but I wanted to fasten your seatbelt because a minimal fast you're ready. All right, verse one.

If I'm the most eloquent speaker in the world but incapable of loving. I am making a whole bunch of Norse is really what rough translation think I will give you a lot of rough translations but you get the meaning you might be a person with a silver tongue who sway millions of people, but without true biblical love is a bunch of noise. The Corinthians were clamoring for the gift of tongues that all want to speak in tongues all speak in tongues. Of all the gifts of the spirit will see in the next message they want that one. Why Paul said I speak even more than all of you. But even if I speak all of the languages that is known to the world and I don't have love, windbag verse two to proclaim the word of God without love will have no lasting or eternal impact. Oh, people might say look at him. Isn't he also is only used that word awesome only when referring to God. Only God is awesome.

Oh, look at her. Isn't she wonderful God says us a bunch of hot air. Not only that, but if I comprehend all the secrets of the universe, able to know beyond the physical realm is unable to see beyond the physical rep.

If I am able to perform supernatural acts. All of that is nothing without the fruit of love.

Beloved, you know, and I know that knowledge without aggravated producers spiritual snobbery, cockiness I will tell you not pray to God you don't misunderstand me. Spiritual knowledge is wonderful. It truly is. It is absolutely beyond description. Spiritual knowledge is a beautiful gift and I thank God for spiritual knowledge can be a blessing and fruit filled in the work of God, but only if it is ministered in love even if I'm a great man of faith, which I'm not who I can trust God for supernatural medical supernatural intervention which I believe he has given me that they're doing to have others never on behalf of myself. This means nothing if it is not exercised. Love, Jonah was a great prophet. Although he was a great prophet in the Old Testament. Experience one of the greatest if not the greatest revival known to man. It is absolutely amazing that he had total faith complete faith that if the word of God is preached to the pagan Ninevites that will repent and they will believe he knew that he believed that by faith. But Jonah did not have love for the member fights. Remember what I said earlier.

Love less mess leads to disobedience and delivery at the end of Jonah's life set on the rectory feeling sorry for himself for his success in the work of God love homelessness is the source of disobedience.

Verse three eloquence times prophecy spiritual knowledge that even faith.

None of these all this combined without love amount to anything, but is more add to this list benevolence that is giving of everything giving your entire net worth away and then you had take a vow of poverty.

If it is not done in genuine love means nothing to God is not only giving away of your possessions. All of them, all of them. Even if you give your body and be monitored and we sing more martyrs for Christ today than any other time in 2000 years of Christian history. But even if I give my body to be martyred for Christ if it is not done out of love and for love means nothing. The loveless person produces nothing is nothing in gains nothing. Look at verses four and five. Here is the most comprehensive biblical description of the fullness of love. The last two tells us what love is and what love is not. I know we all tend to measure ourselves with others. I know that it's a trap that I got called into earlier in my ministry so I know what I'm talking about. I know the only measuring stick is Jesus is our Michael that's impossible. Jesus was the perfect son of God. He was a divine son of God. Yes overnight if it is impossible and that is why it takes a lifetime of constant measuring and failing sometimes and succeeding. Other times, and constantly measuring and measuring and measuring yourself with Christ.

Love is patient listening is serious minded believer should be able to say I am more Christ like this year than I was last year.

Those of us oldies any serious minded believer should be able to say that my Christ likeness. This decade is greater than it was last decade. This is not pride. This is reality, it is important reality and others with patience means here. Someone who wronged you listen carefully someone who wronged you and wounded you deeply and it is within your power to retaliate but you don't patient here means never ever to retaliate when her person roams you personally listen them to make the distinction here is very important see in the Greek world which Paul is writing this is crazy talk is optional crazy to say you don't evaluate what you mean because revenge in the Greek culture was a virtue but Christ likeness says let God do it. He does a far better job than you can ever do hope to do, love is kind enough beloved limit failure, kindness has on the bar rectory and the greatest LaBarge of for kindness is in the home. If it fails in the home is not going to succeed anywhere else. Love is not jealous. Shakespeare called jealousy. The green sickness, the sorrows of fools is something I believe that can help us along the way.

I often remind myself that is always somebody better than me is always a better preacher.

There's always a better doctor. There's always a better lawyer is always a better salesman is always somebody better than you and would love sees someone more popular and successful, beautiful, talented love says more power to them about the military or something else that is so devastating about jealousy really more active. The wood in the but it is not only want what somebody else has, but often this disease. The other person to suffer ill. Your government him and please jealousy is not a harmless moderate sin. It is not an I've seen it in churches. I've seen as among pastors. Jealousy is devastating.

Proverbs 27 forces wrath is fierce anger is a flood.

But who can stand before jealousy. Jealousy drives people to do some horrible and terrible things to each other.

Love does not brag what is bragging start to make other people jealous as they come right next to each other. Bragging is make other people jealous of you.

Love does not parade accomplishments. Jealousy is wanting what somebody else has and bragging is parading what you have and make other people jealous of you. Jealousy puts others down in order that we may lift ourselves up, push them down so we can brag about how great we are.

CS Lewis said bragging is the outermost evil. It is the epitome of pride. Love is not arrogant that the Corinthians had no reason to be arrogant persons arrogantly think that everything he has self-made's him. Her question what is a cure for that. Remembering that everything and I'm talking about everything that you have is given to you. Everything you have is given to you that will curate this fact alone would draw the star needs and still make a standing on tiptoe, say, hey look at me.

Love does not act unbecomingly better translation. Love does not act grace less Lee gracelessly love always being gracious even to people who are rude. Did you get that this people on the road and the was you driving is gracious even to people who put us down in order to raise themselves up a blessing. Even people who are ungrateful for sacrifices that were made on their behalf. Love does not seek its own will set me it means the opposite of what we see all around us today from self-fulfillment to self-actualization to self-serving self this and self that self other thing the Corinthians would not even share their food of the lovefest communion so that Chapter 11 will ensure the food. Their attitude was what mine is mine and what's yours is mine to love is not easily provoked, not easily aroused anger now got to stop here and tell you something important. He is not talking about righteous anger the righteous anger that flares when Lucy sin and the devastation of sin and the merchants of sin, the righteous anger flares will receive false teachers and false preachers misleading thousands of people.

That's righteous anger is not talking about this is talking about anger that results from our pride being injured. Love does not keep records of wrong. The Greek word logos on my phone which you get the word logging the plugging of the trees were blogging when you log down and keep records, particularly in accounting and financing. The purpose for entering things on the ledger recorded a login in is important you have a permanent record. Rose go back to it. Listen carefully place in finances and in business. This is absolutely important. It is a must.

But in the relationship between a husband and wife relationship between believers that is not the case. Burn them every day keeping records keeping ledgers against each other can be a source of misery for those who keeping the books love sugar ricer records and do it immediately. Don't wait a month or two a year or two will get bigger so get rid of it right away. Bring it to the foot of the cross presented under the blood of Jesus Christ.

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. Now, beloved, is not an accident that the next description of love is that it rejoices in the truth, the Holy Spirit. It was not just throwing some words out there that none of these are logically organized words by the creator of the world, the spirit of God because false teachers and preachers because I well don't keep record of wrong therefore give the other side of it is rejoicing in the truth because without rejoicing in the truth. You will not have power inside of you to be able to forgive and let go of the ledgers is love does not accommodate the falsehood. No no no no no. Love does not wink at sin. Love does not tolerate unrighteousness. Love cannot tolerate false doctrine.

Love cannot tolerate false teaching. Love cannot tolerate compromise. Love bears all things that me you don't broadcast the failures of others before you go and talk to them. You need to talk to the person directly.

You don't go out and spread rumors and false innuendos deal with them one-on-one love believes all things, not suspicious or cynical love hopes all things, even one faith is weak.

Love holds on to hope. Love doesn't see a person's failure to be a final or permanent, always hopes that God is going to do his work in him or her in her always. Hope that's right, believing members of this church with them or talk to me. There will tell you this. I have said for many people on one-on-one individual narrative burden from this progress. When you have an unbelieving member of your family. Don't ever ever ever ever ever ever give up praying for them. Love endures all things. This actually is a military term and it comes from the fact that if doing war when an army comes and found the strategic position, like a hill or mountain you hold onto it on your fight and you stand your ground and you never give up. It's very important. Hold onto it. Love stands against over whelming opposition.

Love refuses to stop being believing in pulping and enduring love never stop loving Y versus 8 to 13 tells you why, because in heaven there will be no need for faith or hope. What we need faith in heaven, where faith now because we can see God. But in heaven we be seeing Jesus face-to-face will see him on the throne being glorified appraised of the daughters worship. No, no need for faith or hope because we hope to gain Christ because we can't see him but there will be no need for spiritual gifts because we will have the fullness of the spirit and yet love is forever the very air that we gonna breathe in heaven. Men give God glory. Why, because God is love you.

Listening to Dr. Michael you set in this series healthy living in a sick world on leading the way and hope you make it a point to visit us@ltw.org/Jesus to explore more about the love of God and learn more about how to be a follower of Christ and the flight time is completely gone. Allow me to quickly mention a free resource available from leading the way. Each month Dr. Yousef collaborates with the leading the way team to create relevant content in a magazine called my journal and it will only read ministry highlights and see special content from our leadership. Mitchell also experienced insights into world events and trends with a biblical perspective.

Get your free trial subscription started today get a representative a call and ask about my journal. The number 866-626-4356. That's 866-626-4356 or LTW.org LTW.org and we love getting your letters right to leading the way, PO Box 20100 Atlanta, GA 30325. That's PO Box 20100 Atlanta, GA 30325. Always remind myself of what God did in Egypt which is in the land of Egypt was in darkness in the middle of the night. Now they can see the hand in front of and yet in the community of faith the people of God is light and in every way. When the plagues were plaguing Egypt, God's people stayed secure the palms of his hands because they are to fulfill his purpose, and I believe with all my heart that God is going to protect his own in the middle of that friends because one purpose and one purpose only God wants the light of the gospel to shine brighter and the doctors passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth on leading the way this program is furnished by leading the way with Dr. Michael, you set passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth