Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Amplified Bible

“It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life
a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28

A Different Way. These words of Jesus provide an example that is totally different from the human framework we inherited from man’s fall. Stop and really think about it. It’s incredible that God was born in a manger and not in a palace. Jesus did the opposite of what the people of the time thought revolutionaries were supposed to do—He didn’t brag or try to get praise—He came to serve. And through that, He altered the eternal course of humanity.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

Refreshing. Sometimes it seems as if seasons of refreshing elude us, but they are available when we abandon our constant introspection and preoccupation with “me, me, me” and get out and serve others. I’m most miserable when I have my arms crossed in inaction. But when I recognize that God has done something good through my life, when I become grateful, when I praise and worship God—I am refreshed.

Acts of Love. God wants to anoint your daily routine. Start praying on a daily basis: “Here I am, God, use me,” and let the Holy Spirit use you. The little things you do for people—a text, a thank you, a door held open, an extra tip—are the big things. If we function in these little acts of love with the heart of a servant, we can create a revolution in our world.

God bless you!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2011 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I am patient.

I am kind.

I am not jealous.

I don’t brag.

I am not arrogant.

I don’t act unbecomingly.

I don’t seek my own.

I am not provoked.

I don’t take into account a wrong suffered.

I don’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoice with the truth.

I bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things.

LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Copyright © 2010 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church.

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

God’s love does not originate from our niceness—it’s been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit!

Our first increase of love needs to be toward God. We can start well in our love walk and then drift if we aren’t connected to the source. The believers in the Ephesian church, despite all their good works and perseverance, were held accountable by God because they left their first love (Revelation 2:4). If we’ve let our love grow cold, there is a way to get strengthened so that once again our love for God is central. “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Revelation 2:5a).

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

The love walk is the most vital thing you can be doing right now. As you renew your dedication to grow in your relationship with God and walk in love toward others, a by-product will be a sharpened understanding of the next steps you should take in life. As you are seeking God first, the other concerns in life will start to work out according to God’s will (Matthew 6:33)!

Press on!
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

God has called us to an effective, significant life, and in order to fulfill this call we need love. Without love, our actions become white noise (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Love is a force that we can apply to the challenges in our lives to move past obstacles to the next level.

Do not give the devil a foothold . . . and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:27, 30-32

A huge part of the love walk is forgiveness. Said President Ronald Reagan of his assailant less than 48 hours after being shot: “I know that my healing depends on forgiving him.”* Your breakthrough may be dependent on your willingness to shut the door to bitterness. The Holy Spirit is right there to help you forgive: “Whom God calls He equips”—even the hardest calling of walking in love (Hebrews 13:21; 2 Timothy 3:17).

A door of opportunity is opening, and God is preparing us as individuals and as a church body with this daily life of love and forgiveness. That’s why simple acts of obedience—choosing love instead of anger or bitterness—must be the highest priority in an effective Christian life.

We love because God first loved us!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. *Time Magazine April 17, 2000.

Do not give the devil an opportunity. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:27, 31-32

Love, conforming to the image of Christ and valuing people, produces an atmosphere charged with potential. If we let ourselves become bitter instead of living this Christian life to the fullest, we are of no good to those who desperately need help. Jesus, with ultimate love, came to bridge a fallen world to a holy God and to set captives free. But He didn’t stop there. He sent the Holy Spirit to help us so we can overcome every obstacle in our lives and help others break out of their bondage.

Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

There are seasons when God will move on a generation and give them an opportunity to turn to Him. I believe we are approaching such a season, and now is the time to deal with the weights and encumbrances that try to make us back off (Hebrews 12:1). As we humble ourselves and are quick to repent, we open the door to an increased flow of God’s love in and through our lives.

Keep your eye on the big picture of what this life is all about: As you believe for God’s perfect will to come to pass and stay ready to follow the Holy Spirit, you will see resistant hearts open up to the gospel and closed nations welcome Jesus’ perfect love.

Get Ready!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

The effective heartfelt prayer of a righteous man will accomplish a lot (James 5:16b). As we approach the fall season, I want to give you some focus prayer points for these next 60-90 days.

1. Pray for the removal of obstacles.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also
lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us
run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-2a

2. Pray for the increase of love.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge
and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in
order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with
the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and
praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

3. Pray for personal growth.
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and
carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in
deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects
into Him who is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15

4. Pray for the 100% will of God.
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for
you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual
wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:9

5. Pray with the end in mind.
Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood,
hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because
it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s
work. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13

Press On!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8

We have been given the opportunity to choose our attitude in life. The bad report wants to indoctrinate our thinking. But when we go to the Word, we can get an attitude adjustment by “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV).

This doesn’t mean you need to bury your head in the sand; however, you are to guard your thoughts and not focus on the problem, but on what brings peace to you and glory to God. Turn every problem into a prayer. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 Phillips).

Attitude is defined as “a position assumed for a specific purpose.”* We are to assume the position of real Christians who look for broken moments and God-given opportunities to share the love of Jesus in a tangible way. That kind of attitude will change the world.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company . . . a church . . . a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . . . we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our Attitudes. —Chuck Swindoll

Press on!
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. John Bertram Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English. London: G. Bles, 1958.

*Attitude.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength and . . . you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31

God has called us to be activated doers and out-of-the-box thinkers. It’s easy to become so bogged down and preoccupied with our own little set of problems that we don’t even see we carry a life-saving message. By obeying the Scriptures to “honor God and help people®,” we can strip away the distractions of life and get down to the bottom line:

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Jesus redeems us and then invites us into the ministry of reconciliation, sending us out into the world to find people who have broken lives. The world can’t relate to pious self-righteousness, but it can relate to love and kindness that emanate out of our love for God.

We serve a big God, and He wants us to pursue big visions — to get out of the four walls of the church and be the wide-awake world-changers He’s called us to be (Mark 16:15). “Then they [the people Jesus redeems] will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4).

Think Big!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit . . . 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5a

This Thessalonica church impacted their world and became an example to all believers because of three things: their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope. These people became imitators of Jesus and because of it the gospel went out in their city, in their region, and throughout their world.

The Thessalonians had their time, but now this is our time. We’ve received the gospel message not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5a). God has called us to take our moment we’ve been given and express the love of Christ.

What I like about the Bible is it shows reluctant people, flawed people, and people with issues who were lost, but God shone His light on them and the gospel went into their lives—not just in theory, but also in power. We are not left powerless either. When Jesus ascended into heaven we received the amazing advantage of the Holy Spirit to equip us for effectiveness (John 16:7).

“The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Daniel 11:32b NKJV). God has called us in our daily life to have a heart and expectation for amazing exploits but with a willingness to serve in the daily grind in faithfulness, steadfastness, and obedience strengthened by the amazing Holy Spirit. Plug in. Stay connected. Pray. As you do that, you will be effective in spreading the good news of Jesus in this time!

Press on!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.