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“Loving Others Valiantly Inspires Now Greatness! (L.O.V.I.N.G)”

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

Editors Note: This devotional was originally published in Pittsburgh Standard on Friday, May 18, 2012 at 08:18 a.m. Anything that is ITALICIZED has been added on Monday, July 08, 2013! The background songs can be from any era including the present and are accessible using Internet Explorer!

SCRIPTURE:
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11)

Approach Question:
What do you wish happens to your love?

Observations:
I asked myself, "What does Paul's prayer consist of and what are the five reasons?"

Interpretations:
I asked myself, the significance of Paul praying this type of prayer?
I found it very significant that Paul did not just pray that their love may abound more and more but ADDED in knowledge and with depth of insight because I believe Paul understood that a loving response apart from the moral absolutism of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a loving response at all. That is why Paul emphasizes in his prayer 'more and more in knowledge and with depth of insight'  I believe this knowledge and depth of insight has to do with moral absolutism that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior.

Observations:
I asked myself what 'cause-effect' relationship do we see here?
Because their love can abound more and more with knowledge and depth of insight, the effect is
1. That they may be able to discern what is best until the day of Christ.

Interpretation:
I asked myself why is this cause-effect relationship so significant?
Paul's focus and prayer for the Philippians is not self-centered but Christ-centered. Every reasoning for Paul praying with those 2 requests  is so that until the day of Christ they may be able to discern what is best, may be pure, may be blameless, and may be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ that God can be glorified and praised. This shows me that even though a loving response is important, a loving response should never be alone without a moral absolutism that comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Implications:
I asked myself what are the important implications for my own life here?
 I learned the purpose of today's devotional is to pray knowing a relationship cannot be based on a loving response alone without the Gospel of Jesus Christ setting moral standards for living.

Yesterday, on July 07, 2013 during Sunday worship at Oakland International Fellowship, Pastor Hugo preached on 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and how appropriate this is to what I am re-learning!

I ask you now dear friend, what is your L.O.V.I.N.G  response based on?
Dear friend, if your loving response is based on being afraid to give absolute morals and absolute Truth, then you are not really loving the person as God wants you to love them. Not speaking out against sin and letting your loved ones continue to engage in it, because you want them to feel loved, is not loving but actually hurting them to the point of death. A loving response does not mean turning the back on sin. Jesus never did that and Paul is imitating Jesus even in his prayer. 

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy!" (Proverbs)

My darling wife Chandra always makes loving responses towards me in areas that I need to change or improve. I praise the Lord for that and especially her persistent prayers. Thank you Jesus! 

"A man who finds a wife finds a good thing from the Lord!" (Proverbs 18)

How true that is in my life for my wife continues to do what my mommy does regarding prayer and giving loving responses especially in areas I need to grow. Thank you Jesus.

You too can pray for others and give them a loving response that will be in knowledge and depth of insight.

Paul specifically prays that their loving response will be in knowledge and depth of insight which both refer to the knowledge and depth of insight that comes from God's Word as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. There is no middle ground. A loving response and moral absolutes are two sides of the same coin when we understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jerry Bridges makes that point too in his book 'Transforming Grace' which Pastor Ed and I went 1/2 way through it!

It is amazing what a loving response can do in the lives of others and move them even into greatness because of the Lord's grace. Niki Cruz was a gangster that a pastor could have thought was incorrigible to invest time and energy in him. But in love with courage, joy, and humility,  the pastor invested time in him and the results have been amazing even to this day. For the true story, read or watch 'The Cross and the Switchblade.'

A loving God cannot just let His creation do whatever it likes and then be restored to Him in their sin without a cost because in His moral absolute perfection, a loving God cannot allow sin into His presence. So God in His love, made a way out for you and me.

Friend, God desires that none should perish but all come into repentance and that includes you and me. That is exciting to know to understand the love Christ has for us. Jesus wants our loving response to be based on His moral absolutes and not on our own fears or feelings.

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy!"

A loving response will not always be easy and will take courage but it will pay off eventually. It should always be based on courage, joy, and humility that come from the Lord. Pastor Ed of Oakland International Fellowship wanted me live out courage, joy, and humility in my own life which can be a struggle at times but I praise the Lord for mentors the Lord Jesus placed in my life in the past, present, and future. At this stage of my life, Pastor Hugo  of Oakland International Fellowship mentors me :) When you give a loving response valiantly, it can inspire now greatness. That greatness comes from the work of the Lord working in our lives and in the lives of those we touch! Praise the Lord!

May the Lord Jesus guide you in His love leading you! Amen!

No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help by His grace alone!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-641-9426

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

2013 DEVOTIONALS:

Philippians 1:7-8: "How can your A.F.F.E.C.T.I.O.N grow towards others in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Thurs, June 27, 10:21 a.m.)

Philippians 1:7-8: "Why can you only be saved by G.R.A.C.E alone?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Wed, June 26, 10:42 a.m.)

Philippians 1:3-6: "Where are you C.O.N.F.I.D.E.N.T in?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Tues, June 25, 12:42 p.m.)

Philippians 1:3-6: "How can you attain a P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S.H.I.P in the Gospel?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Mon, June 24, 11:22 a.m.)

Philippians 1:1-3: "How will others R.E.A.C.T towards God when they remember you?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (Sat, June 22, 11:34 a.m.)

Philippians 1:1-2: "Why bother to let others T.R.A.I.N you when you are already a leader?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 21, 10:58 a.m.)

Philippians 1:1-2: "When do you B.L.E.S.S others in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 20, 08:33 a.m.)

Philippians 1:1-2: "Who will you be a S.L.A.V.E to in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 19, 1:26 p.m.)

Philippians 1:1: "Why should you believe you are H.O.L.Y instead of a sinner?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 17, 11:38 p.m.)

Psalm 46:1: "Where do you need R.E.F.U.G.E from?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 14, 08:30 a.m.)

Proverbs 14:12: "Why seek God's R.I.G.H.T over our right?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 14, 08:30 a.m.)

Psalm 42:5: "Why H.O.P.E and praise the Lord in your distress?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 13, 01:36 p.m.)

Psalm 40:1-5: "Where do you need to be L.I.F.T.E.D up in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 13, 01:34 p.m.)

Mark 9:28-29: "What can P.R.A.Y.E.R to Jesus do in your friends lives?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 11, 07:53 a.m.)

Mark 2:2-5: "What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D will you be thought of as?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 10, 07:03 a.m.)

Mark 3:14-15: "Why S.P.E.N.D time with Jesus daily?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 08, 11:07 a.m.)

Psalm 34:4: "What can you do with your F.E.A.R.S in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 07, 2013, 8:43 a.m.)

Psalm 33:4: "What will you do with F.A.I.T.H in your classes?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 05, 2013, 9:31 a.m.)

Mark 1:43-44: "What does your disobedience C.A.U.S.E for others in life?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (June 03, 2013, 2:57 a.m.)

Mark 1:41-42: "What past do you need to be C.L.E.A.N from?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 31, 2013, 10:54 a.m)

Proverbs 29:25: "Where will you take a S.T.A.N.D without wavering?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 30, 2013, 07:43 a.m)

Matthew 18:21-22:"Why F.O.R.G.I.V.E when it will happen again?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 29 2013, 09:35 a.m)

Psalm 27:14:"How do you C.O.P.E with your hurt?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 27, 2013, 11:13 a.m)

John 12:24:"Who do you remember physically and spiritually on this M.E.M.O.R.I.A.L day?" By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 27, 2013, 11:13 a.m)

"What has the law P.E.R.M.I.T.T.E.D you to do but it goes against the Lord?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 09, 2013, 6:57 a.m)

"Who do you become an A.T.T.R.A.C.T.I.O.N to and why?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (May 08, 2013, 6:58 a.m)

"What has A.N.G.E.R done to your relationships?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (April 29, 13, 1:28 p.m.)

"How can the L.I.G.H.T impact your life?"  By Ramesh C. Reddy (April 06, 13, 11:48 a.m.)