Morning with Ebenezer

LOVE DOES NOT BOAST 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

In life most of the times we like to brag on what we possess or achieved in life. I am writing this while being guilty in this area too! We all have some degree of show off mentality. We like to be seen as successful people and hence we tend to advertise to people what we have. 

We are living in a Social Media era where everyone is trying to prove that he/she is successful to the world. Some have gone great length in this and lied about their lives that they may impress the crowds of their followers. In the Church we have people from different walks of life. Some are successful while others are still struggling to put food on the table.

There are some getting daily food is a miracle while others are beyond that; and trust God for bigger things. It doesn't matter what stage you are in life; but you are not called to boast. God has given us richly all things to enjoy. He has given us a certain access of materials things than others that you may use them to bless those who don't have.

This morning, I want you to know God has given you good things that you may share with others. All what you have, the fat bank account, that luxury car, that big house and education is for the profit of the body of Christ. God didn't intend all of those blessings to be used by you alone. He wanted all people in your circle of influence to benefit from what you have.

Don't be selfish, learn to share. There are some people who will not appreciate your heart of love; but keep sharing with them where you can. You are doing it for God, one day you will come to understand that it was not about them. It was all along about Jesus, you were doing for God and God will reward you for that. We shall continue with this Series of Love according to 1 Corinthians 13 tomorrow if God wishes, God bless You! 

****Morning Prayer****

Pray this prayer with me by faith and God is going to answer your prayer....

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for your word. Help me to be humble in all of my dealings in life and know that You are the one who has given me all things that I may enjoy. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Morning with Ebenezer

LOVE DOES NOT ENVY

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

The Greek word translated “envy” means “to burn with zeal.” Literally, the sense is “to be heated or to boil over with envy, hatred, or anger.” In the context of 1 Corinthians 13, the idea is that love does not focus on personal desires. It is not eager to increase possessions. God’s type of love is selfless, not selfish.

In contrast to God’s command, the Corinthian believers were ranking some spiritual gifts as more important than others and envying those who had the “best” gifts. In chapter 12, Paul points out that the different gifts are meant to serve one another and build up the church. No one person has all the gifts, but each child of God has at least one, and love demands that each gift be used to serve others rather than self.(http://www.gotquestions.org/)

Most of the time we envy others people gifts in the Church. We tend to want to be like so and so and think by that we will be seen as powerful people in the body of Christ. In the mean time in our normal lives; we tend to desire being like some people who we think are more successful than us. We don't appreciate what God has given us and end up hurting ourselves.

This morning, I want to encourage you to learn to rejoice when others people are blessed. We are not called to envy others but to love and rejoice with them in their success. If there is a friend or a person you know and has been promoted. You just rejoice with that person knowing that God has a good plan for you too!

I believe you have been given something with God. You are neither talentless nor gift-less; there is something in you that is so unique. If you seek the face of the Lord and ask Him to show you the purpose of your being. He will surely reveal everything you need to know about the gifts and talents He has deposited in you. We shall continue with this Series of Love according to 1 Corinthians 13 tomorrow if God wishes, God bless You! 

****Morning Prayer****

Pray this prayer with me by faith and God is going to answer your prayer....

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me where I felt bad seeing others blessed. Help me to rejoice with those who rejoice and to love everyone in my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Morning with Ebenezer

LOVE IS KIND

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

Kind is a state of having or showing a friendly, generous, considerate nature. Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. The Bible teaches us that love is kind, in other words love has an ability of being friendly, generous and considerate to everyone.

We are taught in early stages of our lives to be kind to all people but never trust strangers. As we grow older we learn that there are some people who tend to take advantage of us when they see we are kind to them.

If you have the heart of giving, there are some people who will keep on asking you money and things even if they don't need them. In life you need to learn to say no to some people; but never stop being kind to all people. A person, who has the love of Christ in him; will give generously without expecting anything in return.

This morning, I want to encourage you to be kind to everyone. Maybe people have been taking advantage of you. It reaches a point you feel like you should stop being kind to them and be a mean person. Jesus fed 5000 men without counting women and children; but still at the end of the day they shouted crucify him before Palate. 

You may help people today, who will later badmouth you; but still help them anyone way. If you are struggling to help some people just ask the Lord for a direction. There are some people who are real in need; but they don't appreciate the help they get from people. God may want you to continue helping them and leave Him to deal with them in His time. We shall continue with this Series of Love according to 1 Corinthians 13 tomorrow if God wishes, God bless you! 

****Morning Prayer****

Pray this prayer with me by faith and God is going to answer your prayer....

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be kind to everybody who come in my life in all the days of my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Morning with Ebenezer

LOVE IS PATIENT

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV

According to New Oxford American Dictionary patient is being able to wait without becoming annoyed or anxious. I have met many good Christians who are struggling in this area of patience. There are some people who are not patient drivers so they risk their lives daily that they may get ahead of everybody else.

We have some people who can't wait other to finish their sentences without interrupting. There are some of us who can't keep our promises. We tend to break them after sometime because we can't afford to keep waiting. I have seen Christians losing their temper and get annoyed easily; especially when they found themselves in the situations that they are forced to wait for something or certain people.

The Bible says love is patient, I was asking myself why Paul put patient to be the first component that forms love. I came to realize that patient is a foundation of all things, if you are patient enough great things will come in your way. If you are patient and wait for God, you will get the best of God in every thing in life. You can't say you walk in love, if you don't have patience in you, they all go together.

This morning, I want to encourage you to ask our Lord Jesus to help you be patient in all situations. You may be working with some people who get on your nerves every day. You have prayed God to take them in another department; but they are still there in front of you every new morning. Maybe God hasn't answered your prayers; because He wants you to learn to be patient and live with all sorts of people.

Sometimes God allow difficulties in our families, ministries and place of work that He may perfect our love. He wants us to be patient enough to live in any environments with anyone who may come in our way. He wants in all things to walk in love and be the source of hope in this hurting world that we live in today. We shall continue with this Series of Love according to 1 Corinthians 13 tomorrow if God wishes, God bless You! 

****Morning Prayer****

Pray this prayer with me by faith and God is going to answer your prayer....

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be patient with all people and in all situations. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Morning with Ebenezer

LOVE THE MOTIVATOR

Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 AMPC

There is a difference between doing charity works and walking in love. Many people things people who own charity organizations; and those who give themselves in doing charity works in the society have love in them. I believe most of these people do these good works for good intentions; but in order they can a reward from God they need to offer their services through love.

Paul says 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.  In other words giving your things to the poor, feeding them won't profit you anything; if love is not a motivator of your actions. If you will sacrifice yourself to die for others; but if you don't have love, your sacrifice will be nothing before God.

Love should be a motivator of all of our charitable deeds. We shouldn't do charity works that we may be counted as good people in the society. We shouldn't start charity programs or organizations that we may get material gains; or profit from donors contributions. Love should be the motivator of our giving, offerings and sacrifices in life.

This morning, I want to urge you to make sure that love is the motivator of charitable deeds in the society. If you want to help someone make sure that you do it by love. Don't help people because you to be known as helpful person in your community or Church. Don't do things that you may get praise from people and maybe leave your mark in history books.

If you do things that you may be seen, then you won't get anything from God. Your efforts and hard work will be in vain. God won't count anything; people may praise you and mention your name every now and then. But honestly that is what you are going to get, and you won't get anything from God. We shall continue with this Series of Love according to First Corinthians 13 tomorrow, God bless you!

****Morning Prayer****

Pray this prayer with me by faith and God is going to answer your prayer....

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. Lord help me to let love be the motivator of all of my actions. In Jesus' Name, Amen.