Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 43

February 12;       I Corinthians 13:2;       43/260(II);       ‘Love’s Better’

1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

I Corinthians 13 is called the love chapter.  The Holy Spirit, through Paul, describes the attributes of God’s love in verses 4-8.  This love is supernatural and it is deposited into our spirit when we become Born Again by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).  Verse 8 teaches that God’s love never fails.  Here is a very vital truth.  God’s love is in our spirit as Christians.  God’s love never fails.  God’s love is completely dependent upon us, as Christians, to bring forth that love even when we would rather not.  The love of God is based on our character and not the actions of others.  Verses 1-3 give us a very clear understanding of how powerful God’s love is.  We can be eloquent in sharing the things of God or powerfully pray in other tongues, but if we do not walk in love and treat others with the love the Lord treats us with, we are just a ‘bag of wind.’  We can be used by the Lord in prophecy and know the deep things of God.  We can have tremendous faith, but all of this is meaningless if we do not manifest the love of God in our lives.  We can be very philanthropic and give everything we own away.  We can even be willing to be martyred, yet the Lord says love is better than that.  God’s love flowing out of us often means that we have to die to ourselves to bring it forth.  I love the anointing of the Holy Spirit, enabling me to preach and teach far beyond my own ability.  I love to sense the anointing of the Holy Spirit flowing out of me as I lay hands of those in need of healing.  God’s love is better.  The anointing upon us when we love others is just as powerful as the anointing to preach or heal.  Love’s better.