1 Corinthians 13: 13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
New International Version (NIV)
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I had a very interesting excursion yesterday evening. As I relate to you this story, please keep in mind that as I describe the events and reactions; I must be ever conscious of the fact that I have also been guilty of the same. So, I am off to drive across Florida nearly 2 hours so that I might go to fundraising event for a worthy christian organization who help the needy. I was running as usual barely on time; well, actually late in departure underestimating the traffic. My tickets to the event had not arrived in the mail so I headed to the address on my written confirmation of reservation. I was so excited to see Alistair Begg in person. I just wanted to thank him for his ministry. Well, I arrived about 10 minutes late to my destination only to find that no one is there; and the doors are locked. Since it appeared to be housing for homeless, I quickly looked around to see that there was a church steeple on the next block; so I walked. Soon I realized probably not the safest neighborhood; but God was with me. I arrived at the back of the church and peered through locked doors and saw a brochure that had Alistair’s face on it announcing the event on the 21st though the notice was too far to read it. I proceeded to walk the entire block trying each door only to find them all locked. As I made my way fully around the building, a tall large man opened the back door obviously irritated that I had disturbed the bible study class he was in. I asked if he knew where the event was and he told me another church across town. He was further agitated as I looked up the other church on my gps before I left to again walk two blocks in a very bad neighborhood and he let me walk it alone. I hurriedly arrived at the second church to find a few scattered people in the parking lot, none of which wanted to be bothered. Again I tried the doors to find them locked. One man busy on his cell phone saw me approaching him and turned his back not to be bothered. I found a door open and heard church bells down the hallway and rushed there. These poor people were very kind; though, they did not know anything about the event. They all seemed to truly wish me well despite my interrupting their practice. By this time, I am certain Satan is trying to prevent my arrival and with even greater determination I returned to the original destination and began to peer through windows. Finally, a brochure that I could read. I put the address into my GPS on my phone and found that it was across town in the other direction and if I arrived it would be over. I knew whatever delays, God had a plan; so once more, I was off. Sure enough, I arrived as the first departing cars departed. I rushed inside, gazing from side to side in hopes to locate Pastor Begg and at least thank him as I had planned. I gazed at faces who all saw me searching and would then turn their heads away. I hurried to the front where a group stood talking, once more to be ignored. I waited politely for their conversation to end at which time they turned their back to walk away. So I called after one lady who stopped, seemed concerned; went to see if Pastor Begg was in the back {he had just left in a car}
She then said she should rush off and left me with another gentlemen I assumed was a pastor whose face showed his desire to leave, though his voice tried to understand. I wondered why God had ordained the evenings events to be as they were; but I knew God had a reason. So quickly I pulled a copy of my book "Ultimate Inspiration God’s Plan of Love" and handed it to the man who without glancing stuffed it into a sack which I assumed would never be emptied. As he too starts to leave me there, I said is there no one here that I can leave a donation for the mission? He said that he was from the mission. So as I wrote the check, I kept talking about God’s omnipotence in our lives; even when we don’t understand such as what purpose was there of my not arriving in time to see Pastor Begg who is unaware of any of this story. He looked again at the book and the card which was cast into the bag and now places the card in his shirt pocket. All the way home I listened to a sermon by John Piper regarding the fact that our justification and our righteousness are imputed to us by faith alone and not works. The events and the sermon stood to remind me not to get so busy working to please God that I get in the way of His overflowing love being able to be poured through me to the world. If I do anything right, it is His power in me and not me performing the work. I must humbly get out of the way so He can be Glorified by performing His Works through me. I have no right to boast of anything that I have accomplished for God. On the contrary, the works I have performed of my own power may at times appear to be good; but are only wood, hay and stubble. The works that are truly of any value are the ones when I have died to self and He has reigned Victorious through me. In no way did I mean this to rebuke those of last night, I truly do not know their hearts nor yours; but I mean this to rebuke my own heart for the times I have displayed a disinterest or tuned a deafened ear or thought the work I am doing for Christ as important without acknowledging first that I am not the performer—He is. To God be the GLory for great things He has done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O9DZNFAmz0