TSP DAILY DEVOTIONAL
LOVE CONVEYORS
13th February 2020
Dr. Phil Ransom-Bello
KEY SCRIPTURE/MEMORY VERSE: Ecclesiastes 7:9(NIV)
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
If a lump of clay is not yielded or malleable in the hands of the potter, it will certainly come out looking misshapen. In the same way, it’s important for a believer to be submitted to the dealings of the Spirit of Love so that you can be thoroughly furnished for good works.
If we have truly received the Love of God which is essentially, the giving of Jesus (John 3:16), then it is difficult for our love to seek it’s own or be all about our own self-interest.
Romans 12:10 says to prefer one another in honour.
This is not far-fetched from our everyday life. Pause for a second and think about your colleague or sibling or friend or spouse or neighbour and ask yourself- Who do I put first? Myself or this other person?
In 1 Corinthians 13:5, we see that love is not provoked. Before you think about whether this is in your capacity or not, remember we established that we don’t look at this from our human nature but from who we now are in Christ. Scripture in I John 4:7 tells us that love is of God and everyone who is born of God has received the capacity to love.
So the question is- are you born of God? Are you saved? Then, you are not easily provoked.
I remember when I used to be this way. In fact, I became the example people used when they wanted to describe someone with an anger problem. Things easily got to me and I was quick to react. But here’s what I realized- I found out that the gravity of a problem is dependent on how things easily get to you or how you take it.
Look, if a person’s action has no effect on you, then your tolerance or patience for people will know no limit. Take the example of a baby who is tapping the mother’s arm, the baby’s action has no effect on the mother.
If you know how to take things very well, even when you are hit headlong with very trying challenges, but because of the abundant love dispensed in your heart, you know how to just diffuse everything.
Anger is not something to be proud of. Our text today says anger is the label for a fool. Scripture says don’t let the sun go down on your wrath. Allowing the sun go down on your anger is merely a show of self.
You must realize that our love walk as believers goes beyond just the love action- when it’s you who initiates an interaction and takes the initiative to express love but it also deals with your love reaction, which is when you have to respond with love in those moments when you are on the receiving end of an interaction and you’re not in the control of the action or offense that has been done to you.
Look, if God could transform me, then He can do the same for you too. An angry person will make decisions rashly without processing. Some believers use the excuse of “oh this isn’t church so let me quickly deal with this person at work”.
No, you are the church. Don’t compartmentalize your love expression for different places. Your nature of love is inseparable from you. It’s your lifestyle.
Allow yourself be the device through which the Spirit of love is conveyed.
REFLECTION
Am I easily provoked or am I quicker to react in love when people do things to me?
DECLARATION
-I am born of God therefore I am a love being.
-I have the capacity to love.
-I am submitted to the dealings of the Spirit of love and as I submit, I am thoroughly furnished for good works.
-I have put on love as a skin. Offenses and actions have no effect on me like water off a duck’s back.
-My love does not give or care about myself.
-My love is not easily provoked.
-My love walk is strengthened daily, both to initiate and respond in love.
-Today, testimonies abound for me because the Gospel works.
-I am blessed!
HEARING BY THE WORD
(Recommended Listening)
Listen to LOVE ~ The Series 2 >> Dr. Phil by The StandPoint Church on #SoundCloud
