And He gives you the gift of life because He wants you to enjoy it to the fullest by fearing and obeying Him. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.” I believe the Lord has sovereignly determined each person’s life span-He has designed how long you will live. Proverbs 9:10-11 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.” By fearing the Lord you will experience life to the fullest and not worry. Although no such fountain exists, there is something far better: a fountain of life. In the early sixteenth century, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon set out to find the fountain of youth, a spring whose waters had the power to restore youth. He was saying, “Which of you by worrying can lengthen your life?” Exercise and good health can help you function better while you’re living your span, but you can’t worry yourself into a longer life. A cubit was the distance from the elbow to the tips of the fingers-about eighteen inches. In Matthew 6:27 Jesus said that worry cannot “add a single cubit” to a person’s life span. That’s a harmful practice because you can worry yourself to death, but not to life. I have never met a man or known a man to die of overwork, but I have known a lot who died of worry.” We live in a day when people worry about how long they will live. Charles Mayo of the renowned Mayo Clinic wrote, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands and the whole nervous system. You can worry yourself to death, but not to life.ĭr. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, “‘Which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?’” (Matthew 6:27). From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Reread each reference in the five keys for implementing love in your life, and commit at least one to memory. Review the fifteen characteristics of love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, asking God to increase each of them in your life. As you love others, you glorify Christ and make Him known to the world. Godly love should be your highest purpose and greatest joy (Matt. Be fervent in your love for others (1 Pet.Realize that love is the Spirit's work (Gal.Understand that loving others is normal Christian behavior (1 John 4:7-10).Agree that you have the spiritual resources to love others as God loves you (Rom.Acknowledge that love is a command (Rom.If you're struggling with implementing love in some area of your life, remember these five keys: Your love may not be perfect, but it should be obvious. That kind of love should characterize every believer. Even when it's under severe attack, it forgives and clings to the hope of God's power and promises. Love believes the best about others and is never cynical or suspicious. It never broadcasts them but makes every attempt to reconcile and restore sinners. Love bears all hurts, sins, and disappointments. He forgave them and beseeched God to do likewise, following the example of his Lord, who on the cross prayed, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). A lesser man might have hated his tormentors, but not Stephen. His last act was to fall on his knees, crying out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" (Acts 7:59). He preached God's message without compromise, but his enemies stoned him to death. Stephen is a good example of enduring love. It refers not to withstanding minor annoyances, but incredible opposition. The Greek word translated "endures" in verse 7 is a military term that speaks of being positioned in the middle of a violent battle. 13:7).Įndurance is the final characteristic of love that Paul mentions in this passage.
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