September 15

In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren….
— 2 Corinthians 11:26

The difficulty of travel when we first moved to the Soviet Union cannot be exaggerated. For example, because the whole USSR was gripped with deficits multiple decades ago, people never knew if they’d be able to find gasoline for their car. In the town where Denise and I lived, there was rarely gasoline at the gas station. The only reason we could drive our car was that we found a man who filled the Russian Army tanks with fuel. He siphoned gas on the side and sold it to drivers for $20 for five gallons.

But starting out with a tank of gas was no guarantee that you’d make it to your destination. You could be en route to some destination with a full tank of gas at the onset. But along the way when you needed to refill, you would drive into gas station after gas station that had big signs on the pumps that read, “CLOSED: NO FUEL!” It was a definite challenge to travel by car!

Then there were the trains! Russian trains today are beautiful and a delightful experience, but back in those early days after the fall of the Soviet Union, passenger trains were filthy. A person nearly needed waders to go into the restroom because the urine was so deep on the floor of the toilet stalls. Drunks drank vodka like water; drunken people physically fought each other; gypsies roamed the train cars and robbed travelers; and cockroaches scrambled across the floors.

In addition, the trains rarely ran on schedule, which meant there was a strong chance you would show up late for whatever kind of meeting you were trying to get to. It only cost about 25 cents to take a train back in those early days, but you more than paid for the inexpensive ride by having to put up with the inconveniences — the filth, the thieves, and the drunken fights. Add to that the frequent delays, and it took hours upon hours in the most unpleasant conditions to reach your destination by this mode of travel.

Finally, there was traveling by airplane. Today Russia has some fine, world-class airlines, but in the early ’90s, getting on a Russian airplane was a real adventure! I actually experienced times when I was seated next to someone who had a dog or goat on the plane with him! And the food — if you could call it food — was nearly thrown at you by flight attendants, who didn’t know anything about serving customers. I was once on a plane when the engines caught on fire. And on another flight, the flight attendants actually warned us that there would likely be a drop in cabin pressure because one of the doors had a broken seal!

Furthermore, ticket agents took bribes in those days and oversold seats on planes. One time I was on a plane that was so overloaded, a nursing mother was seated in the cockpit and the kitchens had people seated on the cabinet countertops and on the kitchen floors! My seat — which had been reserved and purchased in advance — was occupied by someone else when I arrived on board. So the flight attendant seated me in the coat closet on top of a crate of Pepsi bottles, which was crammed next to a rose bush that someone was taking to his home in the next city. And try to imagine it — before the flight took off, the flight attendant shut the curtain to the coat closet, so I sat in darkness the whole flight! By the end of that flight, my bottom felt sore from being poked by pop bottles, and my arms were scratched all over by the thorns on that rose bush.

As I remember those experiences that happened so many years ago, they remind me of what the apostle Paul wrote of his own travels in Second Corinthians 11:26, where he stated that he had been “…in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren….”

In this verse, Paul repeats the word “perils” seven times as he tells about what he faced as he traveled in his apostolic ministry. The word “perils” is from the Greek word kindunos, which simply means danger — telling us that traveling to preach the Gospel in the First Century AD was often a dangerous affair.

First, Paul says that he faced “perils of waters.” The word “waters” is potamos, which is the Greek word for rivers. Hence, we know that there were moments in his travels when Paul and his team had to cross dangerous rivers that could have jeopardized their lives. Dry riverbeds in that region of the world quickly swell to overflowing during flash floods — a constant danger to those who were traveling by foot.

Second, Paul says that he faced “perils of robbers.” The word for “robbers” is listes, and it depicted bandits that lay alongside the roads and robbed those who were traveling alone or in small groups. According to Paul’s testimony in this verse, he faced bandits at some point during his apostolic journeys.

Third, Paul says that he faced “perils of my own countrymen.” The word “countrymen” is the Greek word genos, which is where we get the word genes. Paul was saying that he had been in danger at the hands of people who were from his own ancestry. We know by reading the book of Acts that the Jewish community continually assaulted Paul and his team and put them in great danger.

Fourth, Paul says that he faced “perils by the heathen.” The word “heathen” is ethnos, and it referred to pagans. The pagan world was fiercely opposed to the message Paul and his companions preached, and as we read in the book of Acts, they were often confronted with dangerous situations at the hands of pagans.

Fifth, he says “perils in the wilderness.” The word “wilderness” in Greek is heremia, and it denotes an isolated, desert place. Such places were often confronted when one traveled by foot, and they could often prove to be dangerous because there was little water and no sustenance.

Sixth, Paul says that he faced “perils in the sea.” Acts 27 records one concrete dangerous event that Paul faced while he was at sea. However, Second Corinthians 11:25 says that he suffered shipwreck three times. That means there are two shipwreck events that are not even recorded in the Book of Acts!

Seventh, Paul says that he faced “perils among false brethren.” The key to this phrase is the word “false” — the word pseudos, which implies the idea of pretend brothers. They feigned to be in Christ, but in fact they were not. Perhaps they were spies or other enemies sent into the Church to try to obtain information about Paul and his team. The text does not make it clear who these particular false brothers were, but it makes it clear that they were a “peril” to Paul’s ministry.

In all seven instances we’ve seen, the word “peril” is the word kindunos, the Greek word for danger. This tells us that traveling as a Gospel preacher in Paul’s time was not always grand and glorious. There were constant threats, which had to be held off with faith and a determination to proceed regardless of the risks involved. Much of what Paul faced in his travels is not even recorded in the Book of Acts!

As I faced my own struggles in the earlier years of ministering in the former USSR, I took courage from Paul’s testimony in Second Corinthians 11:25. I am certain that ministers of the Gospel over the past 2,000 years have read these words and have similarly taken heart that their own particular struggles were not unique — and that if Paul could face such threats and go on to minister in God’s power and anointing, they could do it too.

Today I want to assure you — you can do whatever God has told you to do. The devil may try to thwart God’s plan for your life or hinder you along the way, but if you’ll stay in faith and keep pressing forward, these obstacles will move aside, and you will do exactly what God has told you to do!

I would encourage you to read the rest of Second Corinthians 11 to see what else the apostle Paul encountered as he traveled to do the work of apostolic ministry. The devil tried to oppose him, hinder him, and thwart him from making progress in every way possible. But Paul pushed through each attack and every moment of opposition, and he did precisely what God called him to do. Let that be your testimony too!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I thank You for the power of God that sustains me when I am in rough places. The devil has tried to hinder me, oppose me, and thwart Your plan for my life. But I’ve kept my eyes focused on the goal that You have given me — and as a result, You have empowered me to keep going forward regardless of the opposition that I have encountered. Today I ask You to empower me by the Holy Spirit to tackle and overcome every hindrance that I am facing. I thank You for this divine power that always helps to make a way!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world! The devil and the world itself may try to limit and hinder me from fulfilling God’s plan for my life, but I declare that I will not be defeated, nor will I allow the devil to have delight in mastering my life. With the name of Jesus, the power of God, and the endurance of the Holy Spirit, I will press forward by faith until I have gone where I am supposed to go and have done what I am supposed to do!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. What have you faced as you stepped forward to follow Jesus Christ and accomplish what He has called you to do? If Paul faced dangers, it shouldn’t surprise us if we face them too!
  2. How have you experienced the delivering and saving power of God as you’ve stepped out to obey God with your life? Can you think of times when you shouldn’t have made it, but His quickening power reached out and rescued you, empowering you to keep forging ahead?
  3. Have you read the rest of Second Corinthians, in which Paul relates the whole account of what he endured as he traveled in his apostolic journeys? As you do, realize that if Paul could overcome these things, you can overcome what you are facing too!

September 15

Love Never Fails!

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth….
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

In today’s Sparkling Gem, we come to the end of our study of First Corinthians 13:4-8, where Paul describes the behavior of the love of God. As Paul comes to the conclusion of his fabulous text about the agape love of God, he concludes powerfully in verse 8 by affirming that love “…never faileth….”

The word “faileth” is the Greek word pipto, a word that dates back to classical Greece and generally means to fall from a high position. It was also used on rare occasions to depict a warrior who fell in battle. In many places the word pipto is used to depict falling into ruin, into destruction, into some kind of misfortune, or into disappointment. In First Corinthians 13:8, Paul uses this word to affirm the eternal truth that love never disappoints or fails.

It is simply the truth that human beings often fail each other. I’m sure you have felt let down by someone else at some point along the way. And if you’re honest about your own dealings with others, you’ll have to admit that you have been guilty of letting others down as well. But agape love — God’s love — never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down. It is a love that can always be depended on and is always reliable.

People you know and respect may occasionally fall from the high position they hold in life — and that can be an emotionally difficult experience for you when you see it happen. Other times, fellow warriors may fall in battle or stumble into some kind of misfortune that disappoints you, and that is painful as well.

But you can be sure that the agape love of God will never fail you or let you down. This love is constant, unchanging, and unbendable. It is a love you will always find to be reliable and true — a love on which you can depend.

God wants you to learn to function in His high-level agape love, which is why the Holy Spirit so carefully inspired the apostle Paul to write these famous words in First Corinthians 13:4-8. This passage of Scripture is God’s mirror, designed for us to look into so we can see how well we fare at walking in the agape love of God.

I have compiled all the words, phrases, and translations we have been studying and placed them here as one complete text for you to read. Take a few minutes to read this text slowly; then ask yourself, Do I pass the love test? Or does this reveal that I need to mature more in this part of my life?

The following is an expanded interpretive translation of First Corinthians 13:4-8:

“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed; Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be; Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess; Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others; Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner; Love is not rude and discourteous — it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others; Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage; Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response; Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes; Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth; Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure; Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation; Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others; Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up; Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”

So after pondering these verses, what is your answer? Are you walking in this kind of love? Have you achieved the level of love that God wants you to have in your life? Do you manifest this type of love to others who are around you? Or do you now see that you still have areas in your life where you need to grow, develop, and change in regard to walking in love?

I plead with you to spend time in prayer about this issue of God’s love in your life. How you relate to others, love others, and impact others is the most important question in your life. Since this is such a vital issue, don’t you think it’s worth your time to get into the Presence of the Lord and ask Him to reveal those areas in your love walk that need to be improved?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to be the embodiment of Your love. I know that I fall very short of the agape love that You desire to see operating in my life. Therefore, I am asking You to help me move upward to the highest level of love so I can be a channel through which this love can be poured out to others whom I know and meet. Just as You have loved me, help me become a life-changing source of divine love to other people.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s love dwells in me. It flows from my heart to all those around me. People who are close to me are changed and transformed by this love that operates so mightily in me. When others see me, they think of the love of God, for it is demonstrated continually in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. After studying First Corinthians 13:4-8, what have you learned about yourself and the areas where you need to improve in regard to walking in love?

2. Which characteristics of agape love do you feel you are growing in and gaining territory? What is the proof on which you base your belief that you have achieved maturity in these areas of your love walk?

3. If Jesus were standing before you right now to examine your life, what would He say about how you walk in love toward others? What would other people in your life say about how well you walk in love toward them?

September 14

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
— 2 Corinthians 9:6

In recent years, many people have been forced into positions of financial hardship as they struggle to keep up with an unpredictable, ever-changing global economy. People from almost every walk of life have been affected by the rising cost of living. Families scramble to keep up with house payments, car payments, insurance costs, school costs for the kids, credit-card payments, and a myriad of other monthly expenses.

This economic instability has also adversely affected churches, ministries, and mission organizations. When things get tough in the economy, many believers simply cut back on their giving to God, choosing not to set aside their tithes or give special offerings to ministries or charitable organizations. This decline in giving has had catastrophic consequences in the Kingdom of God because preaching the Gospel and establishing churches require money. Regardless of what is happening in the economy, there is a lost world that desperately needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ — and when people cease to give to the work of God, it hinders the outreach to lost souls.

The Bible makes it clear that tithes and offerings are not optional for us as believers. In fact, we have an even greater responsibility to be consistent and faithful in difficult times. God is watching — and His law of giving and receiving always works!

Right now believers all over the world are faced with these questions:

Allow me to share an example from my own life. My parents’ response to these challenging economic times stands out to me as a wonderful example of being consistent regardless of what is happening in the economy. Perhaps no one understands the challenge of making ends meet on a limited budget more than retirees. My father is now in Heaven, so today I will give you the vibrant example of my mother. Although she lives on a fixed income and makes many difficult financial decisions, she has never stopped giving to the work of the Lord.

My mother has always been careful with money, but now that she lives on a fixed retiree’s income, she thinks twice before she gets in the car to drive to the grocery store or pharmacy. Instead of casually driving down the street to run a single errand, she combines errands to avoid driving when it isn’t absolutely necessary in order to save on gasoline expenses. She is extremely careful with her expenditures.

Nevertheless, she has always resolved that regardless of what happens in the economy, she will not cut back in her giving to the ministry. She knows that if she and others don’t stay on track with their giving, it ultimately affects souls that need to hear the Gospel and be saved. My mother has never considered her giving into the work of the ministry as something that could be “opted out of ” in order to cut expenses.

I want to encourage you to take the same stance of faith as my mother. Be unmoved in your commitment to support the work of God, regardless of what is happening in the economy. Every time you write a check for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom, He is watching. He sees each time you cut back on something else but refuse to skimp on your tithes and offerings. God sees it all, and He takes note of your love, devotion, and unwavering commitment to support His work. As a result, God will provide for you in ways that your natural resources could never provide. God will multiply your seed back to you in ways you could never expect or anticipate.

In Second Corinthians 9:6, the Holy Spirit said through Paul, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” Paul wrote in terms of seed when he spoke about giving to the work of God. Since this is the metaphor the Holy Spirit gives us, we need to consider what it means. What does a farmer — a sower of seed — do to guarantee that he will have a harvest in the fall of the year?

If a farmer puts seed into the ground, he is guaranteed to have a harvest. But what if he says, “It’s too hard to plant right now, so I’m going to hold on to my seed and not plant it this year”? Or what if he decides, “I’m going to eat my seed because I have so little of it”? These faulty decisions will guarantee that the farmer is going to experience a crisis at harvest time — because if no seed is planted in the ground, there simply will be no harvest.

The future of a farmer is completely dependent on getting his seed into the ground, and any farmer who fails to do this is guaranteeing his own crop failure. Therefore, regardless of how hot the weather or how difficult the task, a farmer must plant seed if he wants to reap a harvest. This is God’s law of sowing and reaping.

The law of sowing and reaping applies to every sphere of life, including finances. It supersedes natural laws and natural economic crises. Even if the world around you suffers financially, sowing seed into the Kingdom of God will bring you protection and blessing. This is God’s promise to you.

One of the best examples of God’s people being blessed in times of crisis is the account of the children of Israel when God delivered them out of Egypt. God’s people were blessed and protected while the world around them suffered. Although plagues ravaged the Egyptians, those plagues never touched the children of Israel because they hearkened to the voice of the Lord and did exactly what He instructed them to do.

The world around the Israelites was falling apart, but their obedience to God’s Word created an invisible wall that protected them from the destruction that crippled and laid waste to Egypt. If Israel had not obeyed God’s commands, that invisible wall would never have been erected and they would have experienced the same plagues the people of Egypt did. It was their obedience that set them apart and saved them while the godless world around them suffered terribly.

If you and I stay on track financially and give to God’s work, regardless of how difficult it seems to be to do so, we will be divinely protected, supernaturally provided for, and guaranteed a blessing multiplied back to us. Like natural seed, it may take awhile for the crop to grow, but God promises in Second Corinthians 9:6 that if we put seed into the ground, we will reap. If we sow sparingly, that is how we will reap. But if we sow bountifully, God promises that we will reap bountifully. The level we reap will be completely determined by the level we sow.

If you and I are sure of where God wants us to sow and how much we’re supposed to sow, we must stay steadfast in our obedience to give! We must first make sure we’re putting our seed in ground that will produce good fruit. Then we are to determine not to refrain from giving, regardless of the current economic climate or forecast.

Just keep your eyes faithfully fixed on Jesus in this matter of giving. Carefully obey His command to tithe, to give offerings, and to sow seed. As you do, He will cause harvests of blessing to come to you, despite anything that is happening in the world around you. This is God’s promise to you!

I’m very aware that many are worrying about the economy and wondering what’s going to happen in the future. But don’t let that happen to you! A spirit of fear will cause you to back off and retreat from doing what God commands — and that will put you in a negative cycle that brings a curse instead of a blessing. If you want to stay in a cycle of blessing, you must take authority over fear in the name of Jesus and then trust God as you obey His command to give, for that is His method of bringing you a harvest. Don’t shrink back; keep pressing forward; keep your eyes on Jesus; and believe for a good harvest to come from the seed you have sown into good soil.

If you do what is right and obey God’s command to give, you needn’t worry about the future because the law of sowing and reaping works. This universal law assures a harvest of provision for you, for your family, and for your business, regardless of what happens in the world around you. And that, my friend, is good news!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Heavenly Father, I thank You that the law of sowing and reaping works regardless of what is happening in the current world economy. Your Word commands me to give tithes and offerings, and I obey what Your Word tells me to do. You said that if I love You, I will keep Your commands. By giving, I am demonstrating my love to You. It is a part of my worship. I thank You for keeping Your promise that if I give, it will be given to me again. It is part of Your personal promise to me, and I thank You for being faithful to perform Your promise in my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I am consistent and faithful when it comes to giving tithes and offerings to the work of the ministry. People need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ — and I commit to using my money to preach the Gospel and to mature new believers in their faith. When it comes to my contributions, I declare that God can count on me. If there is any area that needs to be cut back in my expenses, it will not be in the area of my tithes and offerings. I will be faithful, and God will multiply my seed back to me. My time of harvest will come, and it will never be late. God is well aware of my situation, and He will keep His promise of sowing and reaping to me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. During times when the world economic situation is challenging to you, do you remain faithful to give your tithes and offerings, or do you see this as an optional choice to stop or to reduce your giving? Do you see yourself giving to God for His purposes or merely to men?
  2. Have you considered what happens to churches and ministries — the work of the Kingdom — when people stop giving? The needs of the ministry continue regardless of what is happening in the economy. So if everyone cut back, how would it affect the ability of the ministry to carry out the work of Jesus in these times?
  3. Can you think of a time when you were tempted to cut back on your giving, but you decided to remain steadfast, and in the end, you saw God multiply your seed back to you in some way that you could have never anticipated?

September 14

Love Bears All Things, Believes All Things, Hopes All Things, Endures All Things

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

As Paul continues giving us the characteristics of agape love in First Corinthians 13, he moves to the next four points in his message. He explains to the Corinthians (and to us) that genuine agape love “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (v. 7).

The eleventh point that Paul makes in this wonderful text is that love “beareth all things….” The word “beareth” is the Greek word stego, which means to cover, as a roof covers a house. Built within the word stego is the concept of protection, exactly as a roof protects, shields, and guards the inhabitants of a house from exposure to the outside influences of weather. The roof of a house is designed to shield people from storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, rain, hail, snow, wind, blistering hot temperatures, and so on. This protection is vital for survival in most climates, preventing people from either freezing to death or burning as a result of continual exposure to sunlight.

By using this word stego (“bear”), the apostle Paul is giving us a powerful illustration. First, we must understand that there are many different seasons to life, and not all seasons are pleasurable. In fact, some seasons of life are very stormy and difficult. There are moments when external circumstances assail us from without. If we have no shield to guard us during these stormy times, it becomes much more difficult for us to survive spiritually.

Paul lets you know that agape serves like a protection for you. Like the roof of a house, a friend who moves in the agape love of God will stay near in times of trouble. That friend will hover over you to protect you from the storms of life. Rather than expose you and your flaws to the view of others, a person who operates in this kind of love will conceal, cover, and protect you, for real agape love is always there in times of trouble to lend support.

The phrase “beareth all things” could be translated:

“Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure….”

Paul goes on to mention the twelfth characteristic of agape love, saying that love “…believeth all things….” The word “believeth” is actually the word pisteuei, which is the Greek word meaning to put one’s faith or trust in something or someone. The tense used in the Greek text lets us know that this is a constant, continuous entrusting of one’s faith in something or someone — involving a “never-give-up” kind of belief that something will turn out the very best. In light of this, the Greek phrase could actually be taken to mean that love “believes the best in every situation.”

Don’t misunderstand; agape love isn’t stupid, nor is it blind. It sees everything — the good, the bad, and the ugly. But because agape is so filled with faith, it pushes the disconcerting, disturbing, negative realities out of the way. This doesn’t mean agape ignores problems or challenges. It just makes a choice to see beyond the problems and conflicts, to strain forward to see the highest potential that resides in every person.

Let’s apply this to your children. Perhaps it is true that they are having problems right now or that they have done some things in the past they shouldn’t have done. But there is still hope! Today is a new day, and agape simply cannot give up believing that they will turn around! Although the past may have been filled with troubled times, the future is bright for those who believe God! Therefore, agape continually presses ahead full of faith — reaching forward by faith to see the other person whole, sound, healed, saved, redeemed, and right in the middle of God’s will for his or her life.

You see, the agape love of God just doesn’t know how to quit! It hangs on even when the going gets tough! It just keeps believing the very best, no matter what.

So I urge you to take a good, honest look at yourself to see if you are operating in this kind of high-level love. Do you strain forward to believe the best, or do you pick people apart and point out all their flaws and weaknesses? Do you see their potential through the eyes of love, or do you look on them through eyes of criticism? Never forget that love believes the best!

The phrase “believeth all things” could be translated:

“…Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation….”

Paul gives us his thirteenth point about love when he says that love “…hopeth all things….” The Greek word for “hopeth” is the word elpidzo, which depicts not only a hope, but an expectation of good things. This means that rather than assuming failure or a bad result in someone’s life, the agape love of God always expects the best in someone else. It not only expects it, but it is filled with an anticipation to see the manifestation of the thing hoped for.

The phrase “hopeth all things” could be taken to mean:

“…Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others….”

Next, Paul mentions the fourteenth characteristic of agape love, telling us that love “…endureth all things.” The word “endureth” is the Greek word hupomeno, which we have discussed several times before. It is the word hupo, which means under, and the word meno, which means to stay or to abide. Compounded together, it depicts the attitude of a person who is under a heavy load but refuses to surrender to defeat because he knows he is in his place. Because this person knows he is where he’s supposed to be, he has therefore decided that regardless of what tries to come against him, he is going to stay put and refuse to move!

This means agape never quits or throws in the towel. It simply doesn’t know how to quit. Real agape says, “I’m committed to be here — to stay with you and to work it out, regardless of the cost or the time involved. I am not quitting. I am here to stay!”

You see, that is what the Bible means when it says love “…endureth all things.” This kind of love is completely contrary to the flesh, which says, “I’ve done all I’m going to do. I’m not wasting any more of my life. I’m finished, and I’m leaving!”

A contemporary translation of the phrase “endureth all things” could be the following:

“…Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up.”

As you look into the mirror of God’s Word and examine the characteristics of agape love, can you say that this kind of love is operating in your life? Would others say that you have been a “roof” for them — protecting, covering, concealing, and guarding them during the hard and difficult seasons of life? Would others say you believe the best about people, or that you tend to be nit-picky and critical of others? Have you made the decision to “stick it out,” regardless of how long it takes?

When all of these Greek words and phrases are translated together, an expanded interpretive translation could read:

“Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure; love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation; love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others; love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up.”

Today I want to encourage you to do the right thing by determining to learn to operate in this high-level agape love of God. This divine love is already shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit, so now it’s up to you to open up your heart and let this divine river of love flow forth from you to others.

Are you going to open your heart and let God’s love spill out to those around you? The choice is now before you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me learn to operate in this supernatural, life-changing, high-level love. Please help me to quit judging others for the problems in their lives and to start thinking about how I can protect and cover them in times of difficulty. Holy Spirit, please help me believe the best about them. I also ask You for the strength to remain committed — to stick by their side until the victory has been won and they have become everything You intended for them to be! I am anticipating a new surge of Your power and strength right now to help me get started on this path, and I’ll keep believing and confidently expecting until I see the results in my life that I know You want!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s love operates mightily in my life! Because I walk in agape love, I protect, shield, guard, cover, conceal, and safeguard people from exposure. The love of God in my heart compels me to strain forward with all my might to believe the very best in every situation and the best about every person. This love of God that has been shed abroad in my heart never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up on other people. I bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have others believed the best about you in the past, even though you didn’t give them much reason to hope for a turnaround in your life?

2. Has anyone ever been a “roof” to you — protecting, concealing, and covering you in a time of weakness? What did this mean to you? Have you ever gone to that person and thanked him or her for being such a help in your time of need?

3. Who is the one person in your life right now whom you are believing will make a big change in his or her life? How much time do you spend praying for this person every day?

September 13

Love Rejoices Not With Iniquity, But Rejoices With the Truth

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Have you ever secretly rejoiced when you heard that someone you didn’t like or someone you disapproved of had gotten into some kind of trouble? Upon hearing of that person’s difficulty or hardship, perhaps you were tempted to think, Serves him right! He deserves what he’s getting! After what he did to me and to so many others, he deserves a little punishment! If this describes you, let me tell you — this is not the way God’s love reacts to such situations!

There was once a man who seriously wronged our organization. What he did was so wrong that if the events concerning him had occurred in a Western nation, he would have been judged in a court of law and sentenced to prison for his actions. But because it was not in a Western nation and many complications existed in this case, all my wife and I could do was let it go and pray for God to deal with this individual. We knew if he didn’t repent, he would come under severe judgment.

In the years since that event occurred, this man has come into many miserable hardships in his life. His children fell into terrible sin; he lost everything financially; and his reputation became stained because of the many things he had done to a whole host of people. When I first met this man, he went to church and had a ministry; the touch of God was on his life. But he became a mess of a man — one of the saddest stories I have ever personally known.

When this individual first began to fall into trouble, I found myself privately wanting to rejoice that judgment had finally come his way. Then the Holy Spirit convicted my heart, and I realized that rejoicing in this man’s trouble was not the way the love of God behaves. After allowing the Spirit of God to deal with my heart, I began to inwardly mourn over the condition of this man who had once been so mightily used by God.

In First Corinthians 13:6, Paul wrote that love “…rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” The phrase “rejoiceth not” comes from the Greek phrase ou chairei. The word ou means no or not, and the word chairei is from the word chairo, which is the Greek word for joy. It carries the idea of being glad about something. It is the picture of a person who is euphoric over something that has happened. Other words to describe chairo would be overjoyed, elated, ecstatic, exhilarated, thrilled, jubilant, or even rapturous. The word “iniquity” is the Greek word adikos, which conveys the idea of an injustice or something that is wrong or bad.

The entire phrase ou chairei could be translated in the following way:

“Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else….”

My secret desire to rejoice at this other individual’s hardships was completely contrary to the love nature of God. Even though this man had done wrong to me and to many others in the Christian community, the right response was to pray for his restoration. Real love simply doesn’t rejoice at someone else’s misfortunes.

Then Paul goes on to tell us that when someone else gains some kind of advantage in life that we have been desiring, love isn’t threatened by that person’s success but rather rejoices with his victory! The word “rejoice” is again the Greek word chairo, the same word used above.

This means the second part of this verse could be translated:

“…Love is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth.”

When you see other people blessed — perhaps receiving a blessing or special attention that you have longed to receive yourself — are you able to truly rejoice with them? Does it thrill you to know that other people are moving upward in life? Or does it threaten you and make you sad when you see someone else receiving a blessing you wished was yours?

How you respond to other people’s troubles and blessings reveals a great deal about your true level of spiritual maturity. So ask yourself:

It’s good to ask yourself these questions and to let the Holy Spirit deal with your heart about these issues. Why don’t you take a little time today to let God’s Spirit search your heart and show you if you can improve in these areas of love in your life?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me overcome those fleshy moments when I am tempted to rejoice at someone else’s hardships. I must admit that when I hear something has happened to a person who wronged me, something inside me secretly rejoices. I know that this is wrong and that it is not the way You behave. Please forgive me for responding in a way that is contrary to love. Help me to be concerned and prayerful for every person who is undergoing any kind of hardship in life — even those who have acted like they are my enemies.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am blessed when I see someone else receiving a blessing or special attention. It thrills me when I see other people moving upward in life. Even when someone steps into the blessing I’ve been believing for in my own life, I am elated for them!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When you see other people receiving a blessing or special attention that you long for yourself, are you able to really rejoice with them? Does it thrill you to know that other people are moving upward in life?

2. Would you have to honestly say that it upsets you and makes you sad when you see someone else receiving a blessing that you wished was yours?

3. Do you rejoice when you hear bad news about someone who did you wrong in the past, or does it break your heart to hear about the problems he or she is facing?

September 13

Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea.
— Acts 11:29

I have no doubt in my mind that we are facing the most serious time in the history of mankind. Jesus warned of impending floods, earthquakes, and wars as we approach the end of the age. These calamities will become more and more frequent in the days ahead — but how we deal with them is up to us. We can respond in fear, or we can be prepared and rise up in faith to seize the hour for the spreading of the eternal Gospel.

There are numerous instances in Scripture where believers prepared themselves for difficult times after being forewarned. In Matthew 24:1-8, Jesus Himself warned the Early Church that trying circumstances lay ahead in their future, and instead of succumbing to worry and panic, these believers continued to believe and work and prosper. Another example is found in Acts 11:27-30, which tells of believers in Antioch who were warned by the Spirit of an impending famine and then began to set aside food and prepare for the coming crisis.

Notice that when these believers heard this warning from the Spirit, they were “determined” to take action. The Greek word for “determined” is horidzo, which means to be bound or to be obligated. In other words, these believers didn’t hoard their prosperity in times of need. Bound by a sense of covenant obligation as fellow believers, they determined to act. Working together in unity, the believers in Antioch prepared a relief offering to send to the church in Jerusalem so the money could be distributed to believers in need. The action of the Antioch congregation before a time of crisis made them God’s agents of provision and deliverance for others when the crisis actually occurred.

Today the Church’s response to crises is often fractured, disorganized, and negatively influenced by poor doctrine. In the face of an impending catastrophe, one camp’s strategy is to run and hide, whereas another will deny that the crisis even exists at all. Both of these strategies ultimately produce the same result: They prevent the Church from demonstrating God’s manifold wisdom to the world.

There’s no way to avoid the end-time prophecies outlined in the Bible — troubles will increase on the earth in the days ahead. However, these troubles are prime opportunities for those of us who know God and are called according to His purposes. By God’s power, we can walk in faith through every fiery trial and become sources of supernatural provision to meet the needs of those who are suffering, demonstrating His love, grace, and wisdom to those who don’t yet know His saving power in their lives.

Even if days of darkness lie in the future, these are not days to fear. Rather, they are opportunities for you to rise up as a man or woman of faith and do great things for the Kingdom of God. These are days for you to demonstrate that you are a member of the Church of Almighty God and that you will meet the needs of the lost and hurting. Just as God used the church of Antioch to meet the severe needs of believers in Jerusalem — this is your moment to shine! But in order to be God’s hand of deliverance and provision, you must plan and prepare. Are you praying about how to prepare so God can use you mightily in these last times?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, there is no doubt in my mind that we are living in the last of the last days. The challenges in our future are unlike any faced by the previous generations. Jesus warned of impending calamities as we approach the end of the age. He did not warn us of these difficulties to scare us but to prepare us. Holy Spirit, I trust You for the wisdom I need in order to plan and be prepared in every area of my life for what lies ahead. I ask You to make me Your hand of deliverance and provision for others as You equip and enable me to meet the severe needs of those who are suffering in these difficult times.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Therefore, I am well organized and prepared for any dark days that lie ahead. I rise up in faith and boldly seize the hour for the spreading of the eternal Gospel. I remain sensitive to and in touch with the Spirit of God, and He teaches me how to prepare as He leads me according to truth and shows me things to come. God has blessed me so I can be a blessing to others. I have resolved to be an expression of God’s hope and blessing; therefore, He will bless me with resources and provisions that I can share with those who are in need.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Have you ever considered how God wants to use you to help people in times of distress? In what ways are you prepared to help people in times of distress? What steps could you take to get better prepared?
  2. Think of how God used the church at Antioch to help suffering believers in Jerusalem. Because God spoke to them — and they listened — they were prepared to help those who were in need. Are you listening to what the Holy Spirit is telling you about the days to come?
  3. Joseph is a great example of a believer who prepared for difficult times. Because He listened to God’s voice and prepared, Joseph was a blessing in hard times. In fact, God used him to provide for an entire nation! Can you think of ways to emulate Joseph and prepare to help the people God has placed in your life?

September 12

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him.
— Luke 14:28,29

I have it on my heart today to share a vital principle from the Word of God that will help ensure your next endeavor in God has a successful outcome. Over the years, I’ve seen how so many believers like to blame the devil for just about everything that goes wrong in their lives. But although the devil certainly does try to wreak his share of havoc and destruction in Christians’ lives, everything bad that happens cannot be blamed on demonic attacks. I have discovered that a believer’s defeat can often be attributed to a lack of planning and preparation.

Jesus spoke of this crucial principle in Luke 14:28,29, saying, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him.”

Jesus began this verse by underscoring the importance of sitting down and counting the cost before beginning a project. The phrase “sitteth down” comes from the Greek word kathidzo, which depicts someone who sits down and takes a long time to seriously contemplate the project he is about to initiate. Part of that contemplation process is counting the cost of the endeavor. The phrase “counteth the cost” is the Greek word psiphidzo, which means to count or to calculate the real cost of the project before it is commenced. This process includes the careful consideration of not only the monetary cost involved in fully accomplishing the assigned task, but also of all that will be necessary in order to complete the task — time spent, physical effort expended, relationships impacted, etc.

Furthermore, the word “finish” is apartismos, which means to bring a project to completion. According to Jesus, it is very important to have the foresight before you get started on a project to ensure that you have the wherewithal to finish it. Getting started on a task is easy, but if you don’t have a solid financial and logistical plan in place, you will see very little progress.

Jesus continued in Luke 14:29 by saying, “Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him.” This word “mock” is the Greek word empaidzo, which means to ridicule, to mock, or to taunt someone. According to Jesus, if you give up on your project before it is complete, bystanders will ridicule and taunt you. And even if bystanders don’t mock you, the devil will most certainly accuse you of being a stupid failure who can’t finish what you start. Therefore, the wise course of action is to avoid this cast of accusing voices altogether by developing a meticulous plan well in advance. By sitting down and seriously contemplating the logistics of your project — what it will cost, where the money will come from, how much help you’ll need, and so on — you will know exactly what you need to see your endeavor through to completion.

Allow me to share an example from my own life. My wife Denise and I have lived in the former Soviet Union since the early 1990s. During this time abroad on the mission field, we’ve seen many missionary families come and go. In fact, of all the families who moved to the former USSR in the early 1990s to share the Gospel, we are the only family that remains as far as we can tell.

Certainly it’s true that some missionaries left because God called them to take the next step in their ministries and move to a new location. However, time and time again, Denise and I watched people leave prematurely because of unresolved personal issues that they didn’t take care of before they moved their families across the world. They would quit their jobs and move their entire families to Russia without counting the cost. And as a result, they would become so distracted by unresolved problems back home that they couldn’t focus on their work on the mission field. There is no doubt that these people were called to the mission field. But because they didn’t take care of their personal responsibilities, they couldn’t complete what God had called them to do.

There are a multitude of reasons why these well-meaning people were forced to leave the mission field early. Each reason is an example of failure to count the cost and to do things right from the start. The following list represents a few of the issues we’ve seen derail the ministries of missionaries overseas:

For those who did things wrong and failed to count the cost before leaving on their faith journey, these people lost a lot of time and money and suffered a great deal of unnecessary emotional wear and tear. Only a few times have we seen any of these missionary families return. Most became so sidetracked that they never made it back to the mission field where God called them.

Through observation and personal experience, Denise and I have learned that it may take a little longer to do things right the first time around, but nothing is as difficult as abandoning your divine call because you didn’t count the cost and do what you should have done in the beginning. Doing things right the first time is the smartest, cheapest, and best way to live!

I am so thankful that we have been able to continue our ministry in the former Soviet Union because we took the time to sit down and count the cost. We know that if we do things wrong, we’ll only have to backtrack and fix the problem, so we do our best to get it right from the very start of every assignment. We haven’t been successful 100 percent of the time, but with the help of God’s Spirit and sound counsel, we’ve been successful most of the time. For this, we give glory to God! We have peace in our hearts that our family members are secure, and we strive to keep our relationships with our partners alive so they feel connected to our ministry.

As a result, Denise and I have been free to focus on the task before us without unnecessary distractions that might pull us away from the call God has placed on our lives. Remaining in this place of freedom requires a great deal of effort. Often it has meant spending less money or moving slower than planned with certain projects. But in the long term, our efforts have empowered us to keep pressing forward into new and uncharted territory.

So today I strongly encourage you to do what Jesus said: Sit down and contemplate the total cost of the task or assignment that lies ahead of you before you begin. Count the cost from every angle to make sure you will truly be able to finish with excellence what you started out of obedience. You can do whatever God has called you to do — as long as you take heed to His words and do it His way!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I thank You for the common-sense approach that I’ve read today. I know that You have called me to do significant things with my life, so I accept the challenge to sit down and calculate the costs before I get started. The last thing I want is to start something I can’t finish and give others a reason to mock me or to deride Your holy assignment. I do not want to create an opportunity to hear the accusing voice of the devil or the mocking voices of doubters or non-believers. So help me use my mind, seek wise counsel, and take each step of faith carefully and methodically. I receive Your supernatural assistance to do every natural thing You’ve called me to do.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I declare that I start every project by first sitting down to seriously contemplate the cost and the effort it will take to complete it. I ask You to help me think through every step that is required to finish this project. I will start this assignment with the full assurance that this is correct. I am confident and persuaded that I will finish what I have started because I fasten my attention and take my direction from Jesus, who is both the Author and the Finisher of my faith!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you personally know anyone who started a project that he was unable to complete? How did people respond to that event? When that person announced his next project, did people believe or doubt him?
  2. When you hear the phrase “count the cost,” what does that mean to you personally for the future plans you are currently praying about? It would be good for you to count the total cost — financial, physical, emotional — needed to complete the project you are planning to start.
  3. It is the strong spirit of a man that sustains him and enables him to endure. What steps have you taken to build new habits into your walk with God that will increase your spiritual stamina and consistency and ensure that you will be able to finish with even greater strength than when you began your assignment?

September 12

Love Seeks Not Its Own, Is Not Easily Provoked, Thinks No Evil

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

In First Corinthians 13:5, Paul continues his message about the agape love of God. The seventh characteristic he gives us is that this high-level love “…seeketh not her own….”

The word “seeketh” is the Greek word zeteo, which means to seek. However, it was also used to depict a person who is so upset about not getting what he wanted that he turns to the court system to sue or to demand what he is striving to obtain. Instead of taking no for an answer, this person is so intent on getting his own way that he will search, seek, and investigate, never giving up in his pursuit to get what he wants. In fact, he’s so bent on getting his way that he’ll twist the facts; look for loopholes; put words in other people’s mouths; try to hold others accountable for promises they never made; leap on administrative mistakes as opportunities to twist someone’s arm; or seek various other methods to turn situations to his benefit. This is manipulation!

There is no doubt that Paul had the image of a manipulating, scheming person in his mind when he wrote this verse. Have you ever met such a person? Have you ever encountered a man or woman who schemed and manipulated all the time to get what he or she wanted?

The point Paul makes here is that love is not scheming or manipulating, for this kind of behavior is dishonest and untruthful. Scheming and manipulating to get your own way is simply wrong! If you can’t honestly state what you think or what you want, then don’t say or do anything. Speaking half-truths and white lies or operating according to a secret agenda is not the way that agape love behaves.

The Greek words in this text could be understood to mean:

“…Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage….”

After making this point, Paul then lists the eighth characteristic of agape love. He tells us that love “…is not easily provoked….”

The word “easily” does not appear in the original Greek, but it was later supplied by the King James translators. Some scholars have asserted it was injected into the King James Version because the translators of the day wanted to make a certain point to King James, who was famous for losing his temper and flying off the handle!

The Greek text has the word paroxsuno for the word “provoked.” It is a compound of para, meaning alongside, and oxsus, which means to poke, to prick, or to stick, as with a sharpened instrument. When compounded together, the new word portrays someone who comes alongside another and then begins to poke, prick, or stick that other person with some type of sharpened instrument. He continues to pick, poke, and stick until the victim becomes provoked. He’s finally had enough of this person’s relentless actions of picking, poking, and sticking, so he responds by violently and aggressively assaulting the offender. The result is a fight — a conflict of the most serious order.

We find the word paroxsunos used in this way in Acts 15:39, where Luke records information about a conflict that transpired between Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on the next journey, but Paul was against it because John Mark had already proven himself unfaithful on an earlier trip. As they debated the issue, the words they exchanged must have been very sharp. This is why Luke wrote, “And the contention was so sharp between them….”

This is a translation of the word paroxsuno, letting us know that Paul and Barnabas came alongside each other in close debate and then began to poke, stick, prick, and jab each other with their words. The Greek language leaves no doubt that the conversation that ensued was extremely hot. In fact, this provocation was so severe that it disrupted their friendship and destroyed their partnership in ministry.

The word oxsus is also the Greek word for vinegar. I especially find this interesting because the word oxsus is the exact word for “vinegar” in the Russian language. The fact that this is the word for vinegar lets us know that the words Paul and Barnabas spoke to each other were stringent, sharp, severe, sour, tart, bitter, and acidy. These words were so bitter that it left a sour taste in their mouths and their memories. As a result of these harsh words, these two men who had served God together in the ministry separated: “…Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; and Paul chose Silas, and departed…” (Acts 15:39,40).

I’m sure Paul remembers this experience very well as he warns believers everywhere that love is “…not easily provoked….” He speaks by experience when he tells us that this is not the behavior of love. Having reaped the consequences of losing his temper and saying regrettable, acidy words in a moment of conflict, Paul warns us that agape love does not behave in this fashion.

An interpretive translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 13:5 could read this way:

“…Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response….”

Then Paul lists his ninth point about love, telling us that agape love “…thinketh no evil.” The Greek word for “thinketh” is logidzomai, which was an accounting term that would be better translated to count or to reckon. It literally meant to credit to someone’s account.

Before us is the image of a bookkeeper who meticulously keeps accurate financial records. But in this case, the bookkeeper is an offended person who keeps detailed records of every wrong that was ever done to him. Just as a bookkeeper has an entry for every debit and credit on the books, this person painstakingly stores in his memory all the mistakes, faults, grievances, disappointments, failures, or perceived wrongdoings that someone has made against him. Rather than forgive and let it go, the offended person has carefully maintained records of each action done to him that he deemed unjust or unfair.

This is certainly not the way love behaves! If you want to know how love behaves, look at the behavior of God toward you. Although God could drag up your past before you all the time, He doesn’t do that! In fact, after He forgave you (Psalm 103:3), God decided He wouldn’t deal with you according to your sins or reward you according to your iniquities (Psalm 103:10). Although He could remember your past mistakes if He chose to do so, God doesn’t and never will choose to remember them.

Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” This means that God doesn’t keep records of your past forgiven sins! Once they are under the blood of Jesus, God separates them from you forever.

You see, that is how real agape love behaves. So if you are ever tempted to keep mental records of wrongs someone has done to you, be aware that you’re not giving to that person the same mercy God has given to you. Someone who has been forgiven as much as you have been forgiven has no right to keep a record of someone else’s mistakes!

Paul’s words “thinketh no evil” should actually be translated:

“…Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes.”

Is there anyone you are holding hostage in your mind because of what you deemed to be an inappropriate action taken against you? If that person did wrong, it’s right for you to confront him in love. But once you have dealt with the matter, you need to release the offense and let it go — just as Jesus has released you from your past and is believing that you are now on the right track!

If you have a hard time releasing people from their past wrongs, it’s a sign that you need agape to be released in your life. The fact that you’re flipping back to that old record of wrongs again and again — bringing up past grievances that should have been forgiven and forgotten — means you are not perfected in love! Throw that diary away! Didn’t God throw away His diary about YOUR past?

When all these Greek words and phrases are translated together, an expanded interpretive translation could read:

“…Love doesn’t manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage; love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response; love doesn’t deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes.”

Well, how do you feel after looking into the mirror of First Corinthians 13:4-8 today? There are three more days to go as we delve deeply into the precious, Spirit-anointed words in this passage of Scripture. Don’t rush through these particular Sparkling Gems. As you read them, take the time to carefully digest them; take them deep into your heart and soul. God wants to change you, but before you can change, you must first recognize what needs to be fixed!

If God is speaking to your heart, don’t rush from this quiet time with Him too quickly. Stop everything you are doing, and make it your most important matter of business to get your heart right first with the Lord and then with others!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me put an end to any scheming or manipulating tendencies that still reside in my soul. I know that this is very grievous to You and damaging to my relationships. I repent for participating in this evil behavior, and I ask You to help me be honest in all my dealings with other people. Help me to curb my anger, hold my tongue, and refrain from speaking words that bring harm. Thank You for forgiving me for past sins. Today I am making a decision to wipe the slate clean regarding anyone who has ever acted unjustly or unfairly with me. 

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I don’t try to manipulate situations or look for ways to scheme to get what I want. I don’t deceptively twist situations to my advantage, nor do I deliberately engage in actions or speak words that cause an ugly or violent response. I have been forgiven much; therefore, I quickly forgive others, never keeping a record of others’ wrongs, sins, or mistakes. God is doing a mighty work in me, and every day I am becoming more and more free!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever been guilty of manipulating situations or scheming behind the scenes to get what you wanted? When you were doing it, was your heart grieved because you knew what you were doing was displeasing to the Lord?

2. Have you ever spoken words that were so ugly, they resulted in harming a precious relationship? Were you afterward sorry that you didn’t control your temper? If you have damaged a relationship due to bad words, why don’t you lay down your pride and go ask that person to forgive you?

3. Have you forgiven those who have done wrong to you in the past, or do you still hold them hostage in your mind? Have you kept a record of their offenses so you can replay them over and over again in your mind, or can you honestly say that you have forgiven them and have no ill feelings toward them?

September 11

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
— 2 Timothy 4:8

At the time that the apostle Paul wrote Second Timothy, he was imprisoned in Rome, awaiting the moment of his own execution, which would be death by decapitation. However, when we read his final words in Second Timothy 4:8, we discover that Paul wasn’t focused on his own death, which would indeed be gruesome. He looked beyond that event to that glorious moment when Jesus would personally step forward to give him a “crown of righteousness” as a reward for his faithful service.

Today I want us to look at this word “crown.” The New Testament mentions five different types of crowns that will be given to Christians as rewards for the various ways they ran their race of faith. But before we look at all five different types of crowns, first let’s look at the word “crown” to see exactly what kind of crown the New Testament is talking about. In each instance where it is mentioned, it is the same Greek word. The Greek word for a “crown” in these verses is not the word for a royal diadem, as a king would wear. Rather, it is the Greek word stephanos, which describes the crown given to athletes — most notably, runners — after they had run their race or finished their contest victoriously. It was generally referred to as a victor’s crown.

At the conclusion of a contest or race, a winner was declared, and a “crown” was placed on the champion’s brow that was made of pine or olive branches and leaves. Although the crown wasn’t made of expensive material, it was highly valued as a public recognition of the skill, commitment, discipline, endurance, self-control, self-mastery, and training that had enabled the athlete to win the competition. Being awarded the victor’s crown brought a person great acclaim, honor, and respect in the eyes of an adoring public. Therefore, it was every athlete’s chief aim to obtain this crown.

For Christians who ran their race of faith, wholly giving themselves to pursuing God’s plan for their lives, there could be no greater reward than Jesus Christ Himself personally placing this victor’s crown on their brow. This is in fact the promise that Christ makes to Christians who have endured to the end and victoriously finished their race of faith. A day is coming when Jesus will step forward, dressed in the regal splendor of the exalted King of kings, and He will place a victor’s crown upon the heads of those who had steadfastly run their race to the very end. The Savior Himself will personally place this priceless reward upon the brows of the faithful.

As noted previously, there are five different types of crowns mentioned in the New Testament. Each of these crowns is a specific and distinct reward for Christians who have faithfully fulfilled God’s call on their lives.

  1. First Corinthians 9:25 refers to a crown of incorruption. Paul described this as a special crown given to believers who practiced physical self-governance and therefore ran a successful race in life. Those who practiced self-discipline and refused to let the flesh hinder their race of faith can look forward to receiving this precious reward.
  2. First Thessalonians 2:19 refers to the crown of rejoicing. Theologians often refer to this as the soul-winner’s crown, as it is a crown given to those who brought others to Jesus. Oh, think of the joy those who have brought others to Christ will experience when they receive a crown of rejoicing or a soul-winner’s crown.
  3. Second Timothy 4:8 refers to the crown of righteousness. This crown is specially designated for those who longed for Jesus’ appearing and lived holy lives in anticipation of His return. This is the crown that Paul referred to when he wrote about his own death and the crown that Jesus would give to him.
  4. First Peter 5:4 refers to the crown of glory. This is often called the pastor’s crown because it is a special reward that will be given to shepherds who faithfully pastored and taught God’s people. You would do well to read First Peter 5:4 and to personally see this special crown that will be given to faithful pastors.
  5. James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10 refer to the crown of life. This crown is often referred to as the martyr’s crown because it is given to those who suffered for their faith, those who died for Christ, or those who were committed to finishing their race of faith regardless of the difficulties they encountered in this life.

Athletes who prepared, trained, and won their competitions were highly regarded. Likewise, Christ will give special honor to those who victoriously ran their race of faith to its conclusion. On that day in our future, Jesus Christ will stand, step forward to us as we bow before Him, and place one of these respective crowns on our brows if He has found us faithful to the task that was assigned to us.

There are believers who are still in that fight right now, and their struggle has been great. Paul was still in his race when he wrote Second Timothy 4:8. But rather than focus on his imminent execution by decapitation, Paul chose instead to focus on the crown of righteousness that the Lord would soon be placing upon his brow.

Similarly, if you are running in a fierce race of faith that is requiring every ounce of your spiritual, mental, and physical strength, I encourage you to lift your eyes to Heaven and see Jesus with your crown in His hands. One day your race will be finished, and if you made it all the way to the end, He’ll place that crown on your head — a victor’s crown for one who finished his race of faith!

To be honest, sometimes I am tempted to yield to weariness or to wonder if the fight has been worth it. Other times I know I’m looking at difficult times on the road directly before me. In these vulnerable moments, I often lift the eyes of my faith and focus on the moment when the King of kings will place a victor’s crown on my own head because He found me faithful. Thinking of that makes me want to stay in the race and finish it all the way to the end! How about you?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, Your Word clearly teaches that when we see Jesus in Heaven, He will have a special “reward” in His hand — a victor’s crown — to place upon our heads. But more important to me than receiving a crown is that I please You. To receive a crown from You will be a blessing, as it is Your recognition of what I have done, and it will be a treasure that I can lay at Jesus’ feet on that day. But the greatest reward for me will be knowing I have run a race that brought You pleasure!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I declare that I will run my race of faith all the way to its final conclusion. There will be no dropping out of the race halfway along the God-ordained course of my life. I’m in this to finish it and to bring glory to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am thankful that because I will be faithful to the end, on the day I see Jesus, He will give me a victor’s crown. But most of all, I want to see the satisfaction in His eyes that I’ve run a race of faith that has brought glory to His name. His glory is my highest goal and the reason I am running in this race of faith!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you envision running your race of faith in a way that will take you all the way to the finish line? Are you giving it all the spiritual, physical, and mental strength you can muster to run that race like a champion?
  2. By looking at the five different types of crowns that Christ will give to faithful champions, which crown do you think you will receive when you see Jesus face to face? Which crown would you like to receive? What decisions are you making to ensure that you do receive it?
  3. When you think of seeing Jesus face to face, what thoughts immediately come to your mind? Is this an event that brings joy to your heart and mind, or does it cause you to be fearful? What reasons are behind your reaction to this very important question?

September 11

Love Vaunts Not Itself, Is Not Puffed Up, and Does Not Behave Itself Unseemly

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly….
— 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

When Paul wrote First Corinthians 13:1, he alluded to “super-spiritual” people in Corinth who boasted of great spirituality but who exhibited very little love in their lives. He said they were like a “sounding brass” and a “tinkling cymbal.”

As noted earlier (see September 9), these particular phrases indicate that these people talked incessantly, annoying and aggravating others with their never-ending, self-consumed chatter. In fact, the words “tinkling cymbal” were the very Greek words used to depict the clashing of cymbals that announced the onset of a war. This gives us the impression that the ceaseless talking and bragging of these “super-spirituals” often made their listeners fighting mad!

Could this be the reason Paul makes his fourth point on the characteristics of agape by saying that love “…vaunteth not itself…”? The word “vaunteth” has lost its meaning in today’s vernacular, but in Greek it is very powerful! This word comes from the Greek word perpereuomai, which means a lot of self-talk. In other words, it describes a person who endlessly promotes himself and exaggerates his own virtues. His self-promotion is so outrageous that he is usually prone to exaggeration that borders on lying. One Greek scholar has said that the word perpereuomai pictures a person who is full of hot air. Another expositor has said this word refers to a windbag!

The word “vaunteth” is Paul’s strong warning to let us know:

“…Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others….”

Even as I write, my thoughts have turned to an individual who fits this description perfectly! If you know anyone like this, you’re probably thinking of that person as well, because people like this are such an annoyance that it’s hard to ignore or forget them.

Regarding the man I’m thinking of, people who see him coming in their direction immediately begin to look for a way to escape. They know that once this man gets hold of them, he’s going to start talking endlessly about himself, his projects, his ideas, and his accomplishments. He boasts to such an extreme degree that it is outright obnoxious. The problem is, he doesn’t seem to be aware how full of his “self” he is!

Once a mutual friend asked him, “Why don’t you ever ask about anyone else? All you ever talk about is yourself and your own feats. Don’t you think it would be good to show at least some interest in what others are doing? Do you know how selfish you seem to be to other people?”

The man answered, “Is anyone else besides myself doing anything that is worth talking about? I’m the only one doing anything significant.” He was so self-consumed that he couldn’t even recognize the fact that there are other hard-working high achievers in the Kingdom of God!

Coming from a terrible, insecure foundation in his own life, this man somehow feels that he must stretch the truth to a ridiculous extreme and brag about his own accomplishments. He has sung his own praises so long that no one close to him wants to hear those songs anymore! His total lack of concern for others and his complete preoccupation with himself have become offensive and disgusting to nearly everyone who knows him.

Often people exaggerate and boast endlessly because they have a hidden agenda they want to promote or because they want to gain some higher position or place of authority. Other times they are hoping to make the kind of impression that might give them special status or recognition in the eyes of others. Finally, they may just feel driven to prove their worth. Regardless of the reason that people boast about themselves, this kind of behavior does not demonstrate the way that agape love behaves!

Agape love is so strong, so sure, and so confident that it doesn’t need to speak of itself or its accomplishments, even if those accomplishments are greater than anyone else’s. Real agape love would never flaunt itself in this way; instead, agape love wants to focus on the accomplishments of others in order to build them up and make them feel more valuable and secure. Remember, agape isn’t a self-focused love — it is focused on giving of itself in order to meet other people’s needs.

Paul gives the fifth characteristic of agape love when he tells us that love “…is not puffed up.” These words are based on the Greek word phusio, which means to be proud, to be swollen, or to be inflated. Thus, this word vividly paints the picture of a person who is filled with pride.

Paul warns that agape is never phusio. This means agape love is never deceived into thinking too highly of itself, nor does it arrogantly claim that it is better than others. Making this word even more significant is the fact that the word phusio also carries the notion of a person who has an air of superiority and haughtiness or a person who is snooty or snobbish in his dealings with other people.

Paul uses the word phusio in First Corinthians 4:6 to denote the pride and arrogance that was developing between wrangling members of the Corinthian church, each of whom believed that his or her particular leader was more important than other leaders. In First Corinthians 4:19, Paul uses phusio again as he warns these believers to change their behavior; otherwise, he will come to rebuke those who are “puffed up.” This arrogance involving leadership was the primary source of division, contention, and rivalry in the Corinthian church.

In First Corinthians 5:2, Paul uses the word phusio yet again. After boldly confronting the Corinthian church for tolerating a grossly immoral situation among its members, Paul expresses his amazement that they could be “puffed up” in light of the ungodly relationship that was thriving right before their eyes. Then in First Corinthians 8:1 (NKJV), Paul uses the word phusio when he tells the Corinthians, “…Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”

When you consider the Greek meaning of the words “puffed up,” it becomes evident that Paul was letting us know:

“…Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner.”

After Paul tells us that love is not puffed up, he proceeds to give us his sixth point. He writes that love “doth not behave itself unseemly….”

The Greek word for “unseemly” is aschemoneo, an old word that means to act in an unbecoming manner. It suggests a person who is tactless or thoughtless. It also expresses the notion of a person who is careless and inconsiderate of others. Both his actions and words tend to be rude and discourteous, and he exhibits bad manners in the way he deals with people. His language is harsh and brutal, revealing that this person is uncaring, insensitive, and unkind. In short, we would say that this is a person who “acts ugly.”

Because of the word “unseemly” in First Corinthians 13:5, it explicitly means that the Holy Spirit is telling us:

“Love is not rude and discourteous — it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others….”

So how do you fare when you look into the mirror of God’s Word today? Do you pass the love test, or have you come up short again? If you see that you have fallen short of the high-level love God wants you to possess and exhibit in your life, it’s time for you to go back to the Lord and talk to Him about it again! Never stop going to Him until you know that you are walking continually in the high-level love He wants you to demonstrate in your life!

When all these Greek words and phrases are translated together, an expanded interpretive translation could be as follows:

“…Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others; love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner; love is not rude and discourteous — it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others….”

Is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart? Is He showing you areas where you have:

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, it’s time for you to take immediate action! You need to spend some quality time with Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you, and let His blood cleanse you; then ask the Holy Spirit to start the process of transforming you into the image of Jesus. Don’t stop until you think, see, and act like Jesus Christ — every moment of every day!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me live my life in a way that glorifies You. You are my Lord, and I am Your servant and child. I don’t want to do anything with my life that brings disrespect or dishonor to Your precious name! Help me to not exaggerate or embellish the truth. I ask You to correct me when I am lured into snobbery or pride and to lovingly rebuke me when I “act ugly” toward others. I want to be like You, Jesus, and I’m not going to stop pressing ahead until I demonstrate Your life and Your nature in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am never going to stop until I have attained the high level of love Jesus wants me to have in my life! I don’t go around talking about myself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts. I don’t behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner. I’m not rude and discourteous. I’m not careless or thoughtless. As I spend time with Jesus, I am being changed into His image — and I demonstrate His life and His nature to other people!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you been guilty of exaggerating or embellishing the truth to make yourself look better in front of other people? Would you feel comfortable telling those same stories if you were face-to-face with Jesus?

2. Have you ever been guilty of acting in a snobbish or clannish manner? Are you and your friends so tight that others might view your group as an exclusive little clique?

3. Have you been acting in a fashion that glorifies the name of Jesus? Or are there certain ways you behave that are too “ugly” to be representative of Jesus?