Self Exam

How often do you take a good close look at yourself? You know, as an individual, in how you relate or care for others? Too often the lens we examine others through is much more critical and focused than the optics we use to look at ourselves.

The Bible reminds us to be vigilant in our self view being equally as honest with ourselves as we should be with others. Sometimes we stray and fail to remove that huge two-by-four from our own eyes while calling attention to that ocular speck of our brothers or sisters. Lord, help us in this area; Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD, Amen.

Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. – Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. – I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. – I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments. – But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

(Lam 3:40) (Psa 26:2) (Psa 51:6) (Psa 119:59, 60) (1Co 11:28) (1Jn 1:9) (1Jn 2:1) (Heb 10:19,22)-sb

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Self Exam

How often do you take a good close look at yourself? You know, as an individual, in how you relate or care for others? Too often the lens we examine others through is much more critical and focused than the optics we use to look at ourselves.

The Bible reminds us to be vigilant in our self view being equally as honest with ourselves as we should be with others. Sometimes we stray and fail to remove that huge two-by-four from our own eyes while calling attention to that ocular speck of our brothers or sisters. Lord, help us in this area; Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD, Amen.

Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. – Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. – I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. – I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments. – But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

(Lam 3:40) (Psa 26:2) (Psa 51:6) (Psa 119:59, 60) (1Co 11:28) (1Jn 1:9) (1Jn 2:1) (Heb 10:19,22)-sb

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Downsizing

This morning following devotions, I pushed back and began to look around at all the stuff crammed into shelves, drawers, mounted on the walls, piled up on tables, stuffed into closets. This led me to take a stroll through the rest of our small house, and to my surprise, (perhaps the word should be shock) the awareness of the sheer volume of STUFF took my breath away!

It was not always this way. In the 90's, my bride and I took downsizing to the max as we sold our house in Virginia and loaded what little was left onto a converted Trailways bus and hit the road. Every earthly possession of ours fit nicely on that bus. We used to laugh silently to ourselves when kind folks would give us gifts during our travels, knowing that when we accepted, something else would have to go. One item comes in, another goes out. Organizing our stuff was easy!

When we finally parked the RIG and moved back into a non-wheeled house, some adjusting had to occur. We had been on the road living on the bus for a bit over ten years. Recalling our first few nights in our new non-movable home, everything we owned fit nicely in the kitchen and living room. As we explored the balance of the near empty building, we were taken by what we determined was –wasted space-- !  A sudden urge came upon us to put something on that blank wall, or fit a cabinet or bookcase in that corner. Little by little, inch by inch, in a very short period of time, we have filled this house up with loads and loads of STUFF! Very little –wasted space-- remains.

My youth brings back a memory of George Carlin and his humorous examination of STUFF. He would quip; (para-phrase); You collect so much stuff that you have to get rid of a bunch of your stuff so that you can go out and get more stuff! How true this is. We will be making weekly trips to the Goodwill starting next week as we begin the process of downsizing.

Much of what we now have in this house is rarely, if ever, used. If it is used, it is once a year or perhaps two, or, we think –we just might need this thing one day-- The STUFF becomes un-useful on a daily or weekly basis, takes up space, and often is hiding something that you DO use frequently and when finished you always dutifully place it back behind the thing you do not use so that you will know where it is when you need it again. This is insane!

Downsizing is an activity that is good for the soul. We constantly carry around issues, thoughts, mental projects, emotional baggage that instead of helping us to advance in our walk with Christ, it makes us stumble.

Matthew records the words of Jesus; (Mat 6:19) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. What applies to our physical STUFF also applies to our spiritual STUFF. We all have too much STUFF.

Jesus continues; (Mat 6:20) "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal...

The less non-essential baggage we carry in our minds the more effective our efforts become when giving of our time to our Lord. Clarity, especially in prayer is vital. Getting rid of junk, things like jealousy, envy, selfishness, anger, pride and deception clears the walkway and removes stumbling blocks as we advance on the road to eternity with our Christ, our Savior. So often, the sheer noise of all this STUFF drowns out the small quiet voice of Him who loves us so. As a result, we miss the message. I don't want to miss His messages!

That which you store up as a treasure in heaven will pass through the flame of purification. The rest will perish. Oh, by the way, all the STUFF left behind on earth after your last breath, will be somebody else's STUFF.    Another good reason to DOWNSIZE.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Downsizing

This morning following devotions, I pushed back and began to look around at all the stuff crammed into shelves, drawers, mounted on the walls, piled up on tables, stuffed into closets. This led me to take a stroll through the rest of our small house, and to my surprise, (perhaps the word should be shock) the awareness of the sheer volume of STUFF took my breath away!

It was not always this way. In the 90's, my bride and I took downsizing to the max as we sold our house in Virginia and loaded what little was left onto a converted Trailways bus and hit the road. Every earthly possession of ours fit nicely on that bus. We used to laugh silently to ourselves when kind folks would give us gifts during our travels, knowing that when we accepted, something else would have to go. One item comes in, another goes out. Organizing our stuff was easy!

When we finally parked the RIG and moved back into a non-wheeled house, some adjusting had to occur. We had been on the road living on the bus for a bit over ten years. Recalling our first few nights in our new non-movable home, everything we owned fit nicely in the kitchen and living room. As we explored the balance of the near empty building, we were taken by what we determined was –wasted space-- !  A sudden urge came upon us to put something on that blank wall, or fit a cabinet or bookcase in that corner. Little by little, inch by inch, in a very short period of time, we have filled this house up with loads and loads of STUFF! Very little –wasted space-- remains.

My youth brings back a memory of George Carlin and his humorous examination of STUFF. He would quip; (para-phrase); You collect so much stuff that you have to get rid of a bunch of your stuff so that you can go out and get more stuff! How true this is. We will be making weekly trips to the Goodwill starting next week as we begin the process of downsizing.

Much of what we now have in this house is rarely, if ever, used. If it is used, it is once a year or perhaps two, or, we think –we just might need this thing one day-- The STUFF becomes un-useful on a daily or weekly basis, takes up space, and often is hiding something that you DO use frequently and when finished you always dutifully place it back behind the thing you do not use so that you will know where it is when you need it again. This is insane!

Downsizing is an activity that is good for the soul. We constantly carry around issues, thoughts, mental projects, emotional baggage that instead of helping us to advance in our walk with Christ, it makes us stumble.

Matthew records the words of Jesus; (Mat 6:19) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. What applies to our physical STUFF also applies to our spiritual STUFF. We all have too much STUFF.

Jesus continues; (Mat 6:20) "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal...

The less non-essential baggage we carry in our minds the more effective our efforts become when giving of our time to our Lord. Clarity, especially in prayer is vital. Getting rid of junk, things like jealousy, envy, selfishness, anger, pride and deception clears the walkway and removes stumbling blocks as we advance on the road to eternity with our Christ, our Savior. So often, the sheer noise of all this STUFF drowns out the small quiet voice of Him who loves us so. As a result, we miss the message. I don't want to miss His messages!

That which you store up as a treasure in heaven will pass through the flame of purification. The rest will perish. Oh, by the way, all the STUFF left behind on earth after your last breath, will be somebody else's STUFF.    Another good reason to DOWNSIZE.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Those who have believed

What a great comfort it is to know that you are a member of the most exclusive family in the universe. This is the TRUE First Family.

Referring to those who have believed, Jesus boldly proclaims:

"They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."

In prayer to our Father, the Lord Jesus opens His heart speaking of those whom God called and drew to salvation in Christ:

"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Paul speaks of that beautiful hour when a trumpet will herald the rapture and first resurrection of the dead in Christ:

When He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our testimony to you was believed. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

How wonderful is this?

(Mal 3:17) (Joh 17:6, 9-10) (Joh 14:3) (2Th 1:10) (1Th 4:17) (Isa 62:3) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Those who have believed

What a great comfort it is to know that you are a member of the most exclusive family in the universe. This is the TRUE First Family.

Referring to those who have believed, Jesus boldly proclaims:

"They will be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."

In prayer to our Father, the Lord Jesus opens His heart speaking of those whom God called and drew to salvation in Christ:

"I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

Paul speaks of that beautiful hour when a trumpet will herald the rapture and first resurrection of the dead in Christ:

When He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed--for our testimony to you was believed. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

How wonderful is this?

(Mal 3:17) (Joh 17:6, 9-10) (Joh 14:3) (2Th 1:10) (1Th 4:17) (Isa 62:3) sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Prayer and Faith hold hands

E.M. Bounds, aka; Edward McKendree Bounds has been long known as a great proponent of effective prayer, and of even greater faith as a result. His teachings entitled The Essentials of Prayer have long guided young and old to the beauty and power behind the direct line to our creator.

Bounds wrote that “Augustus Caesar found Rome a city of wood and left it a city of marble”. Today, we place a great deal of pressure on our Under Shepherds to do the same in our churches, but in the spiritual vein. Sadly, we often fail to properly support this leader as he reminds us of the value in strong faith and the power of prayer.

(Psa 5:3) In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

According to Bounds, “He is sent to get them to pray, to trust God, and to keep their eyes on God”. We all, each believer, are a part of this ministry. As we follow the preacher's lead, and the Word of God, our collective role is to change, through Christ, unbelieving sinners into solid praying and believing saints. You gotta have faith if you expect any success.

(Rom 5:1) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

(Rom 5:2) through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

God places great importance on the value of faith and this is the reason we need faith in order to be saved. When you have faith, you will find prayer standing right beside. Faith is your belief, prayer is your voice. It is by faith we are saved, and it is by faith that we remain saved.
Paul wrote in Ephesians that the life he lived was lived in faith, not by sight. Faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him (and for us).

(Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God....

Let each of us capitalize on our faith by pitching in to help our Pastor, sharing the Good News, through the tremendous power of prayer. Be in prayer at all times. Its in the Book!

Have you read your Bible today?

Prayer and Faith hold hands

E.M. Bounds, aka; Edward McKendree Bounds has been long known as a great proponent of effective prayer, and of even greater faith as a result. His teachings entitled The Essentials of Prayer have long guided young and old to the beauty and power behind the direct line to our creator.

Bounds wrote that “Augustus Caesar found Rome a city of wood and left it a city of marble”. Today, we place a great deal of pressure on our Under Shepherds to do the same in our churches, but in the spiritual vein. Sadly, we often fail to properly support this leader as he reminds us of the value in strong faith and the power of prayer.

(Psa 5:3) In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

According to Bounds, “He is sent to get them to pray, to trust God, and to keep their eyes on God”. We all, each believer, are a part of this ministry. As we follow the preacher's lead, and the Word of God, our collective role is to change, through Christ, unbelieving sinners into solid praying and believing saints. You gotta have faith if you expect any success.

(Rom 5:1) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

(Rom 5:2) through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

God places great importance on the value of faith and this is the reason we need faith in order to be saved. When you have faith, you will find prayer standing right beside. Faith is your belief, prayer is your voice. It is by faith we are saved, and it is by faith that we remain saved.
Paul wrote in Ephesians that the life he lived was lived in faith, not by sight. Faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him (and for us).

(Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God....

Let each of us capitalize on our faith by pitching in to help our Pastor, sharing the Good News, through the tremendous power of prayer. Be in prayer at all times. Its in the Book!

Have you read your Bible today?

Bright and Morning Star

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel”.....

The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. --- "Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether."

"Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?"

The watchman says, "Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again."

"I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life and I will give him the morning star”.

"Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

"It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. "Therefore, be on the alert--for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning.....in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. "What I say to you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'"

(Rev 22:16) (Num 24:17) (Rom 13:12) (Son 2:17) (Isa 21:11) (Isa 21:12) (Joh 8:12) (Rev 2:28) (Mar 13:33-37) -sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Bright and Morning Star

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel”.....

The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. --- "Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle Or a young stag on the mountains of Bether."

"Watchman, how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?"

The watchman says, "Morning comes but also night. If you would inquire, inquire; Come back again."

"I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life and I will give him the morning star”.

"Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

"It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. "Therefore, be on the alert--for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning.....in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. "What I say to you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'"

(Rev 22:16) (Num 24:17) (Rom 13:12) (Son 2:17) (Isa 21:11) (Isa 21:12) (Joh 8:12) (Rev 2:28) (Mar 13:33-37) -sbagster

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

SIN AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT

Facebook, Twitter, My Space, InstaGram. Communications vehicles of the internet. Messages and ideas transmitted from a portable computer in Rome, Georgia and received in seconds in a basement apartment in Perth, Australia with copies acknowledged in Munich, Paris, and Budapest. Once the SEND button is clicked, your words literally travel around the world. Once the written (or pictured) word is released, it remains on someone's system somewhere FOREVER.

Gods bookkeeping is kinda like the internet in that every word, deed, good or bad, every lie and every sin is recorded FOREVER. Eventually, each of us will stand before one of two thrones and the books will be balanced. [Revelation 20:12]

When I was young, our music came on 78 rpm records. Portable radios weighed 14 pounds. My first telephone number was 21. We still used out-houses and thunder mugs, and Airmail had only recently been invented. No cell phones, no Ipods, no CD's. Sending a message to a distant city meant writing, by hand, your words, sealing them in an envelope affixing postage of three cents, and delivering it to the postman. Within a week, message received. Airmail, two days quicker, but the price would be 13 cents. THIRTEEN CENTS........CAN YOU IMAGINE?

Back then a person had time to think about what was being written. Time to consider what the impact might be on others. Words have power you know. On more than one occasion “time” saved my bacon. Time allowed me to reconsider my words, and since letter writing and mailing is not instant, hurtful and even shameful words or news was changed or tempered to soften or place into perspective the intended message. The letter would be received only by the intended party and unless carelessness ensued, would remain private. Confessed sins would not become public fodder. Oh how things have changed!

Today, the internet, Facebook, Twitter, et al, have become Satan's most celebrated tool. “Sin, at the speed of light” is Hell's new motto. The Devil no longer has to roam the earth to and fro, all he needs is reliable 4G service! Not only can you SIN, that SIN can be posted on Facebook and SHARED, and others will CONGRATULATE you on this public confessed SIN and CELEBRATE the very SIN itself!! How cool is that? Even though you know that what is being shared was a SIN before the SIN was committed, you still SINNED, then posted that SIN on your page, even added your new Photo showing the broad smile of approval on your proud face, and.............other ignorant souls applaud the SIN and offer their laudatory comments in support.

Oh my Lord, how far we have fallen. How grave is our illness?

“ANATHEMA MARANATHA” ! ! ! [1 Cor 16:22—KJV]

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

SIN AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT

Facebook, Twitter, My Space, InstaGram. Communications vehicles of the internet. Messages and ideas transmitted from a portable computer in Rome, Georgia and received in seconds in a basement apartment in Perth, Australia with copies acknowledged in Munich, Paris, and Budapest. Once the SEND button is clicked, your words literally travel around the world. Once the written (or pictured) word is released, it remains on someone's system somewhere FOREVER.

Gods bookkeeping is kinda like the internet in that every word, deed, good or bad, every lie and every sin is recorded FOREVER. Eventually, each of us will stand before one of two thrones and the books will be balanced. [Revelation 20:12]

When I was young, our music came on 78 rpm records. Portable radios weighed 14 pounds. My first telephone number was 21. We still used out-houses and thunder mugs, and Airmail had only recently been invented. No cell phones, no Ipods, no CD's. Sending a message to a distant city meant writing, by hand, your words, sealing them in an envelope affixing postage of three cents, and delivering it to the postman. Within a week, message received. Airmail, two days quicker, but the price would be 13 cents. THIRTEEN CENTS........CAN YOU IMAGINE?

Back then a person had time to think about what was being written. Time to consider what the impact might be on others. Words have power you know. On more than one occasion “time” saved my bacon. Time allowed me to reconsider my words, and since letter writing and mailing is not instant, hurtful and even shameful words or news was changed or tempered to soften or place into perspective the intended message. The letter would be received only by the intended party and unless carelessness ensued, would remain private. Confessed sins would not become public fodder. Oh how things have changed!

Today, the internet, Facebook, Twitter, et al, have become Satan's most celebrated tool. “Sin, at the speed of light” is Hell's new motto. The Devil no longer has to roam the earth to and fro, all he needs is reliable 4G service! Not only can you SIN, that SIN can be posted on Facebook and SHARED, and others will CONGRATULATE you on this public confessed SIN and CELEBRATE the very SIN itself!! How cool is that? Even though you know that what is being shared was a SIN before the SIN was committed, you still SINNED, then posted that SIN on your page, even added your new Photo showing the broad smile of approval on your proud face, and.............other ignorant souls applaud the SIN and offer their laudatory comments in support.

Oh my Lord, how far we have fallen. How grave is our illness?

“ANATHEMA MARANATHA” ! ! ! [1 Cor 16:22—KJV]

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Love, Sweet Love

(1 Cor 13:1-13)-NASB

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

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; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

Love, Sweet Love

(1 Cor 13:1-13)-NASB

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

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; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?