“If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” — 1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV84) Paul already let us know that without love, a faith that can move mountains and a wisdom that discerns the truths of mysteries is worthless. In our verse […]
7/26/23 Daily Devotion – The priority of prophecy!
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” — 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV84) Three aspects of this verse are important to capture. First, Paul entreated us all to follow the way of love. When? He would answer always! There is never a time that we as Christians are not […]
7/25/23 Daily Devotion – The greatest of these is love!
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV84) I am sure that we all have heard sermons and read books and devotions on this popular verse. So much has and could be said! Paul, at the close of his thoughts on love, compares […]
7/24/23 Daily Devotion – ‘Love never fails!’
“Love never fails.” — 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NASB) It does too fail! I have not only seen its failures, but I have lived them. I saw love fail right before my eyes. I know that the Bible is the Word of God, but this verse must be wrong. It must be a bad translation. But it’s […]
7/23/23 Daily Devotion – It’s time to think like grown ups!
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. (1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV84) Paul is drawing toward the close of his thoughts on love. In our verse for today, he uses the transition […]
7/22/23 Daily Devotion – Love bears, believes, hopes and endures all things!
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7 NASB) What a contrast! Without love, we are nothing; but with love we can endure all things. This verse is loaded with powerful statements. Each, worthy of their own devotion. Paul tells us that love bears all things. Not […]
7/21/23 Daily Devotion – Love rejoices in the truth!
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:6 NIV84) Love is not free flowing and whimsical, but is decisive and discerning. Love knows the difference between right and wrong, and evil and truth. Notice that Paul does not use falsehood and truth, which seem to be more appropriate opposites […]
7/20/23 Daily Devotion – Love is More Than a Feeling (Part 2)
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV84) As I delve into this second devotion on love, I can’t help but notice that Paul states a lot of what love is not. That has me wondering, why? Why not just […]
7/19/23 Daily devotion – Love is More Than a Feeling (Part 1)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV84) For most of us love is a feeling we have about someone. We tend to measure it and describe it with emotion and feeling words. I find it interesting that in the chapter […]
7/18/23 Daily Devotion – Without love, nothing matters!
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I […]
