ABIDE - DAY 21
LOVE IS OUR DRIVING FORCE
1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Here it is folks… the very last day of our 21 days of prayer and fasting. I have said this to you all over and over that I truly feel that this time, that we have set apart for Him, will accomplish something much bigger than you can possibly even imagine.
We have studied faith, hope, and this past week Love. Abiding in all 3. But Paul went on to say that “the greatest of these is love”. Why? Because true love needs to be the driving force for everything that we are and everything thing that we do in this world.
Let’s read:
Mark 5
1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”
8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
14 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
We read earlier this week that God is love (1John4:8). This story right here is the epitome of Love in Action. A story of Jesus leaving the multitudes behind, crossing the sea in the middle of the night, through a raging windstorm just to get to 1 man, who was alone, broken, and hurting. Why did He do it? LOVE
Remember Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Love isn’t born just out of emotions, feelings, familiarity, or attraction, but from the will and as a choice. Love requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return… It is completely unconditional. This was Jesus walking in what Paul called the “greatest” place that we are to ABIDE in.
This man, that was found alone living in the tombs, was now completely free and ready to be a witness of the Lord all because of His encounter with Love.
Where were you when Jesus found you?
Where would you be if He hadn’t came to you?
In that place, you encountered real Love. This love needs to be the driving force for everything in our lives. It is the place where we ABIDE.
1 Corinthians 13:13 - And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Here it is folks… the very last day of our 21 days of prayer and fasting. I have said this to you all over and over that I truly feel that this time, that we have set apart for Him, will accomplish something much bigger than you can possibly even imagine.
We have studied faith, hope, and this past week Love. Abiding in all 3. But Paul went on to say that “the greatest of these is love”. Why? Because true love needs to be the driving force for everything that we are and everything thing that we do in this world.
Let’s read:
Mark 5
1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”
8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
14 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
We read earlier this week that God is love (1John4:8). This story right here is the epitome of Love in Action. A story of Jesus leaving the multitudes behind, crossing the sea in the middle of the night, through a raging windstorm just to get to 1 man, who was alone, broken, and hurting. Why did He do it? LOVE
Remember Love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Love isn’t born just out of emotions, feelings, familiarity, or attraction, but from the will and as a choice. Love requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return… It is completely unconditional. This was Jesus walking in what Paul called the “greatest” place that we are to ABIDE in.
This man, that was found alone living in the tombs, was now completely free and ready to be a witness of the Lord all because of His encounter with Love.
Where were you when Jesus found you?
Where would you be if He hadn’t came to you?
In that place, you encountered real Love. This love needs to be the driving force for everything in our lives. It is the place where we ABIDE.
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