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“Love Others Valiantly Inspiring Now Greatness!'(L.O.V.I.N.G)”
Ramesh C. Reddy
SCRIPTURE:
Approach Question:
Observations: Paul's prayer consists of 2 requests: 1. This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge! 2. This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more with depth of insight! There are five reasons Paul brings these two requests before God on behalf of the saints: 1. That they may be able to discern what is best until the day of Christ. 2. That they may be pure until the day of Christ. 3. That they may be blameless until the day of Christ. 4. That they may be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ! 5. That God can be glorified and praised!
Interpretations: I found it very significant that Paul did not just pray that their love may abound more and more but added in knowledge and with depth of insight because I believe Paul understood that a loving response apart from the moral absolutism of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a loving response at all. That is why Paul emphasizes in his prayer 'more and more in knowledge and with depth of insight' I believe this knowledge and depth of insight has to do with moral absolutism that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior.
Observations: 2. That they may be pure until the day of Christ. 3. That they may be blameless until the day of Christ. 4. That they may be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ! 5. That God can be glorified and praised!
Interpretation:
Implications:
I need to pray knowing a relationship cannot be based on a loving response alone without the Gospel of Jesus Christ setting moral standards for living. The Apostle Paul's prayer is that things will be done in love but never forgetting that in that same love, moral absolutes have to apply too. A loving response is not based on humanism but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so happy the Lord Jesus does not just love us and leave us there but shows us how to live our lives giving us the indestructible, infallible, inspirational Word of God to live our lives for His honor and glory! Breathe In Bible Live Eternally! "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV) So when the Lord Jesus places people in my life to teach me, rebuke me, correct me, and train me in righteousness so that I may be thoroughly equipped for every good work, it is because I am loved and that's the true loving response instead of letting me do whatever I like. Praise the Lord! I still remember a conversation with Pastor Hugo that happened 7 years ago, like it was yesterday which I shared with Pastor Josh last Thursday. When our precious daughter Esther (7) was born, she did not weigh much as we hoped she would. As an insensitive husband, I rebuked my precious Leela that it was all her fault that Esther weighed so little because no matter how much food I got her, she did not eat, not taking into consideration the drastic effects morning sickness could have on a woman's body. My Leela did not say anything but welled up in tears. I can never see my wife in tears, even to this day, no matter how angry or upset I am, so I went to comfort her because I felt so bad she cried. I did not expect her to be in tears.When I shared this with Pastor Hugo, in his loving way filled with knowledge and depth of insight, without making me feel condemned but convicted, he asks me, 'Did you feel bad because you made her cry or because of what you said to her?'. When I said, 'Because I made her cry', he told me, 'You should feel bad because of what you said to her! If she did not cry then would you have been okay with what you said to her'. By his loving counsel, he made me see what blunder I did. I am not a perfect husband and Pastor Hugo called me on it with his loving response based on Scripture. Pastor Hugo would always remind me that loving people and leaving them there is not the way of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our love for people should move us to action to show them the truth and lead them to Christ so the 5 things that the apostle Paul prayed for can happen in our lives too. I love how Pastor Josh exhorts me to 'listen, listen, listen to your wife'. A loving response is active listening and not passive listening. I share my vulnerability in this story to show how a loving response based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ looks like compared to a feel good Gospel that makes you feel loved without addressing moral shortcomings, etc. Speaking out against sin but doing it with love is a loving response when it is based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ instead of letting people do their own things thinking 'otherwise, they won't think I love them' I ask you now dear friend, what is your L.O.V.I.N.G response based on? Dear friend, if your loving response is based on being afraid to give absolute morals and absolute Truth, then you are not really loving the person as God wants you to love them. Not speaking out against sin and letting your loved ones continue to engage in it, because you want them to feel loved, is not loving but actually hurting them to the point of death. A loving response does not mean turning the back on sin. Jesus never did that and Paul is imitating Jesus even in his prayer. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy!" (Proverbs) "If you love your child, you will disciple them. Otherwise, it shows you don't love them." (Proverbs) My darling wife Chandraleela usually makes loving responses towards me in areas that I need to change or improve. I praise the Lord for that and especially her persistent prayers. Thank you Jesus! "A man who finds a wife finds a good thing from the Lord!" (Proverbs 18) How true that is in my life for my wife continues to do what my mommy does regarding prayer and giving loving responses especially in areas I need to grow. Thank you Jesus. You too can pray for others and give them a loving response that will be in knowledge and depth of insight. Paul specifically prays that their loving response will be in knowledge and depth of insight which both refer to the knowledge and depth of insight that comes from God's Word as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. There is no middle ground. A loving response and moral absolutes are two sides of the same coin when we understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing what a loving response can do in the lives of others and move them even into greatness because of the Lord's grace. Niki Cruz was a gangster that a pastor could have thought was incorrigible to invest time and energy in him. But in love with courage, joy, and humility, the pastor invested time in him and the results have been amazing even to this day. For the true story, read or watch 'The Cross and the Switchblade.' A loving God cannot just let His creation do whatever it likes and then be restored to Him in their sin without a cost because in His moral absolute perfection, a loving God cannot allow sin into His presence. So God in His love, made a way out for you and me. "For God so loved the world [you and me] that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes [you and me] in Him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life. " (John 3:16, NIV) God loves you so much that God in His love wants you to come to Heaven but He has to prepare the way so it won't conflict with His moral absolute Truth. This is where Christ comes in. Jesus Christ went to the cross of Calvary to ransom us from all our sin by shedding His precious cleansing blood for you and me. The ticket for our Salvation and redemption into Heaven was paid with the BLOOD OF CHRIST. That is how much Jesus loves you. You cannot save yourself for only Christ can save you! "He who had no sin became sin for us so that in Him we may become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV) That's how much Jesus loves you and that is the loving response based on moral absolute Truth. Jesus saves you by His grace to free you from the bondage of sin and death but you have to accept the free gift of grace. The donor has been provided for you and now is the time to receive Christ's sacrifice to atone for your sins. Now when you accept Jesus Christ into your lives asking Him to become the propitiation for your sins and justify you by His grace so that you can be daily sanctified in Him, you will be saved and have Eternal Life. You will enter Heaven when you die because when God looks at you, He sees the righteousness of CHRIST covering over you by His BLOOD, so God's judgment will pass over you. Friend, God desires that none should perish but all come into repentance and that includes you and me. That is exciting to know to understand the love Christ has for us. Jesus wants our loving response to be based on His moral absolutes and not on our own fears or feelings."Faithful are the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy!" A loving response will not always be easy and will take courage but it will pay off eventually. It should always be based on courage, joy, and humility that come from the Lord. When Pastor Ed was pastoring here, he always wanted me live life with courage, joy, and humility which can be a struggle at times but I praise the Lord for mentors the Lord Jesus placed in my life in the past, present, and future. When you give a loving response valiantly, it can inspire now greatness. That greatness comes from the work of the Lord working in our lives and in the lives of those we touch! Praise the Lord!May you love others valiantly inspiring now greatness! Amen! "Love Others Valiantly Inspiring Now Greatness!'(L.O.V.I.N.G)/"What is your L.O.V.I.N.G response based on?"
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)
If you would like to
invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your
life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim
God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your
eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time
to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray the prayer
below, meaning it in your heart. No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help! No matter who you are, it is not ever too late to join a Bible-believing church or a college fellowship. I highly encourage each of you to come to Small Group on Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Oakland International Fellowship on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. for prayer, 10:00 a.m. for Community Bible Time in Gospel of John, worship at 11:30 a.m, and fellowship lunch at 12:30 pm. May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His love now and forever! Amen! Friend, if you have prayed this prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave you nor forsake you! Amen! Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory@gmail.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-641-9426 "This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)
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Philippians 1:7-8: "How can your A.F.F.E.C.T.I.O.N grow towards others in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 13, 20, 11:00 a.m) Philippians 1:7-8: "Why can you only be saved by G.R.A.C.E alone?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 13, 20, 10:51 a.m) Philippians 1:3-6: "Why be C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T in the Lord?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 08, 20, 09:44 a.m) Philippians 1:3-5: "How can you attain a P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S.H.I.P in the Gospel?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 08, 20, 09:44 a.m) Philippians 1:3: "How will others R.E.A.C.T towards God when they remember you?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 07, 20, 10:07 a.m) Philippians 1:2: "When do you B.L.E.S.S others in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 06, 20, 11:10 a.m) Philippians 1:1: "Why bother to let others T.R.A.I.N you when you are already a leader?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 04, 20, 11:55 a.m) Philippians 1:1: "Why should you believe you are H.O.L.Y instead of a sinner?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 03, 20, 9:53 a.m) Philippians 1:1: "Who will you be a S.E.R.V.AN.T to in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 02, 20, 6:55 pm) "What will your P.R.E.S.E.N.T look like in 2020?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Jan 01, 20, 1:13 pm)
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