Love With All Your Heart ....series chapter 14

Love With All Your Heart

by

Linda Driver

 

 

Love is enduring;

Love preservers and endures everything without weakening.

George was a quitter. No one could count on him for anything. When things got tough, George just checked out. Nothing seemed worthy of exerting any effort to ensure success in George's opinion. He found it much easier to make an excuse and ignore his responsibility. George had a history of broken relationships, short term jobs, and broken contracts and obligations. George just drifted from one location to another, always choosing to leave whenever the pressures became too heavy. George had no concern for the people he hurt or let down because of his irresponsibility or broke promises. He felt no sense of obligation to anybody. He seemed to have no backbone, no convictions, no concern for others. George took all that he could from any situation and never gave in return.

 

Then one day George came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

"Love....endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7

 

    "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"

Hebrews 12:1

 

"and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble."

Mark 4:17

 

    "And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;"

1 Corinthians 4:12

 

 "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

2 Timothy 2:3

 

"not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;"   

Romans 12:11

 

"Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it."  "For love is as strong as death."

Song of Solomon 8:7,6

 

"For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:"   

Hebrews 10:36

 

Love is not wavering or weak, but is committed, come what may.

Love is firm and resolute no matter how it is treated or how unpleasant the circumstances.

Love dos not consider its own comfort and convenience.

Love can be counted on to fulfill its obligations.

With compassion and tenderness, love is willing to confront and rebuke sin in order to restore a brother.

Love reaches to touch people's lives so that they may experience the righteousness of God.

Love is not based on emotions or impulses, but on a holy decision.

Love is loyal, dependable, and unchangeable.