Expressed

Gal. 5:^22-23 “The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kind-heartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this.” (Voice]

We are going to run through the components of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the first one Paul mentions is Love. This is unconditional love; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The love Paul is referring to in today’s scripture reference is “Agape” – unconditional. It is only the Holy Spirit that can make you love someone unconditionally. God also put this love in you but sometimes we cannot really relate to the word love. So, to help us, God broke down what love is and how love is expressed in 1 Corinthians 13. It is so important that we read it periodically and consistently. 1 Cor. 13:¹ “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” In other words, gifts minus fruit equals noise maker creating chaos. Love is more powerful than prophecy.

A lot of people want to walk in the supernatural, God is saying love is the key. 1 Cor. 13:^2-5 “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.” When you do life with some people, it is either their way or the highway. That is not love. Love keeps no record of being wronged, that is love. It is sad to see people in adult bodies behaving like children. They have just grown physically but have not grown in any other way. “That was how at midnight on the fifteenth of May, you said xyz about my mother and the same way you said abc about my brother two years ago. Do you think I had forgotten?” God is saying, love does not keep record of wrong. This is something I am totally grateful to God about, most times, I forget the things people have done to me. I just don’t remember, and I am grateful to God for that. People come to me, “Oh Pastor, you mean you are not upset with me about what happened?” How can I be upset with anyone when I do not even remember what he or she did wrong? Sometimes, I am the one who has hurt them, and I do not even remember what I did. Forgive me! Love does not keep record of wrong. 1 Cor. 13:^6-7 “It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” Perhaps it is time to ask, do I really love my spouse or does this person really love me? It is a hard question.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to love as God outlines in His Word, in Jesus Name. Amen!