As we journey through very complicated days our prayer is, “LORD LESSEN OUR REACTION. DEEPEN OUR RESPONSE.” We can have distinction without division, but we cannot compromise the truth in the process!
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing (unrighteousness) but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ESV
Verse 6 is a central phrase in this chapter of love, and it says (Love) does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth.
True love does not rejoice in unrighteous. We are called by God to be aligned with His Right-side up Kingdom in our upside-down world.
True love does not delight in or rejoice in that which is offensive to God. True love does not rejoice in the rejection of God’s good and perfect design of male, female, husband and wife. True love does not rejoice in the rejection of truth in any way. As followers of Jesus, we must remember that true love is tethered to truth.
Isaiah 5:20-21 (The unrighteous) say what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. 21 Woe to those who are wise and shrewd in their own eyes! TLB
To rejoice in what is unrighteous is to do the opposite of love and in fact, bears/bares more of a resemblance to hate. We are called to be aligned with the right-side up Kingdom in our upside-down world.
We do not wrestle with political candidates, but our battle is against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. That doesn’t mean we ignore the issues. We need to be fully aware of the issues, but we must realize the origin of the issues come from a deeply spiritual place and are part of an eternal battle that is taking place!
The rule of Law in this land after the next 4 years will either be more aligned with the Truth of Scripture, or it will be less aligned with the Truth of Scripture.
We do not wrestle with political candidates, but our battle is against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. That doesn’t mean we ignore the issues. We need to be fully aware of the issues, but we must realize the origin of the issues come from a deeply spiritual place and are part of an eternal battle that is taking place!
Revelation 12:4 And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth. (BSB)
Revelation 12:17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring... ESV
The dragon is at war with all life that comes through a woman’s body according to the book of Revelation. God has used women mightily in the earth. God used a woman to give birth to God! Women are carriers of life, and the devil hates the life of humanity. The dragon loves taking the life of the unborn or ruining the lives of the born at the youngest possible age.
Make no mistake about it life does not begin at birth. Life began before you were ever even conceived.
Jeremiah 1:5 says, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Psalms 139:13-14 says, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
When you go to the polls you need to reconcile in your conscience what you are supporting when you cast your vote as a responsible Christian American. There is a difference between an American Christian and a Christian American. If you are a Christian American, then your deepest convictions come from your citizenship in heaven as your first priority rather than any earthly alignment.
The Truth of Scripture should be our highest value in the way we live, in the way we love and in the way we vote for the direction of our Nation.
I’d like to share a quote from Dr. King. Not Dr. Martin Luther King Jr but rather his niece, Dr. Alveda King, “While I do not make formal political endorsements, I can say: I will be voting for Christian values in November, and I believe it is the duty of every faithful American to do the same. In the journey of Christian life, we wear many hats along the road. There is the career hat, the "fun" hat, the "political" hat, and for some the "church" hat. As Christians, we might want to consider, that there is one hat that we should never remove. That hat is the "helmet of salvation." Removing our helmet can leave us vulnerable and open to compromise, idolatry, and man pleasing circumstances.”
GP2RL: Begin reading Matthew 5 reflecting on the Beatitudes. Consider how these truths align with 1 Corinthians 13.
The Truth In Love
DISCUSSION GUIDE
We are going to take some time to take a look at the parallel between 1 Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter and Matthew 5, the Beatitudes. There is some very interesting alignment here. Clearly the Bible says that we, as followers of Christ, will be known by our love, not our strong opinions about our deep convictions. We should have strong opinions about our deep convictions, but the Bible says we are to be known by our love. Do not confuse meekness for weakness because it is not! Meekness is incredibly strong because it is conviction and passion that has been brought under control for the Master’s use! Dunamis power of the Holy Spirit doesn’t just explode in every direction without Kingdom purpose! We must be willing to die to ourselves in the way we allow Jesus to love others through our surrender, even our enemies. Especially our enemies!
Our prayer of agreement over this season: “Lord lessen our reaction. Deepen our response.”
It is a good thing to hear what God is revealing in the hearts of those around us. Feel free to use this question however you feel it fits in your time together as a group.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ESV
2. How does verse 6 challenge or affirm your understanding of love?
3. Why is it important that love rejoices with the truth? What might be the consequences of trying to separate love from truth in our personal lives or in the church?
4. How can we more effectively respond to others in a way that reflects both love and truth? 5. Can you share a time when you felt led to speak or remain silent on a controversial issue? What was the outcome?
Remember we are salt and that makes the truth painful to a sinfully wounded world. Be as loving and considerate as you possibly can without ever compromising the truth.
Everywhere we go, we bring...
GP2RL: Begin reading Matthew 5 reflecting on the Beatitudes. Consider how these truths align with 1 Corinthians 13.