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Now we could share some spiritual thoughts on romance & marriage. But this year, I'd rather send this devotional writing as a valentine to each of you, then have a loving moment with my wife.... and maybe a good fillet at Cast Iron (which is close to home), then finish the day together with a prayer, a heart-shaped Reese's peanut butter cup, & a decaf. Now in our "Finishing Well" age friendships, there are married folks, some widowed, some single or single again, and some married again. This is a unique & unpredictable "age & stage" of life for all of us. Most have enough "miles" on us that we've experienced incredible joys, deep sorrows and in all honesty, we know God will be with us and never leave us, but we don't know for sure what we're in for "this side of heaven". Jesus never promised we wouldn't go through storms. He just assured us we didn't have to go through them alone! So regardless of our "marital status", (which doesn't DEFINE us but God can use to REFINE us), let's take a closer look this week of February 14th at how the Bible describes what we call "love". And please allow me to title the devotional "LOVE HANDLES", based on Paul's writings to the Corinthian church with, of course, a focus on chapter 13. Here we go....taking a look at all the things that godly LOVE HANDLES! Let's "ramp up" to chapter 13 with a comment from each chapter seeing how Paul had to "direct traffic" in this early church, who certainly reminds us "you can take the PEOPLE out of the WORLD, but it's hard to take the WORLD out of the PEOPLE!" Chapter 1...Love handles divisive loyalties God never intended for us to have (1 Cor 1:12-13) by TELLING THE HARD TRUTH OPENLY. Now it's normal for us to connect with some spiritual leaders more than others, but when that gets too intensive, a divisiveness of "my spiritual Dad is better than your spiritual Dad" can surface. The church then had that problem. So Paul confronted & redirected them back to their "main connection" being with Jesus. Chapter 2...Love handles the mystery of God with words from the Spirit rather, than our own cleverness (2:2-5) and in doing so, TELLS THE HIDDEN TRUTH PLAINLY. I think Paul was much more prompted by the Spirit of God for words than needing to rhyme, composing his own marketable version of "chicken soup for the soul", or conjuring up another "alliterative outline" with each of his points beginning with the same letter! In verse 2, Paul says while he was with them he would "forget everything except Jesus Christ, the One who was crucified". He encouraged them to have the mind of Christ (v16), realizing it takes spiritual people to grasp the deeper things of God (v14). He wanted people to remember God's words more than his own memorable quotes. Chapter 3...Love Handles "OUR SPIRITUAL MATURITY". Paul's love for the people's well-being called for him to be honest and letting them know they were still on spiritual milk, not solid food yet. He speaks more plainly in 3:3, saying they were still "controlled by their sinful nature, in being jealous of each other, quarreling, and living like people of the world!" He didn't pull any punches. We all know that love hurts, love heals, but sometimes when the truth needs to be said, "love SPANKS"! It's this chapter Paul distinguishes his work as a "foundation builder" who was "planting the seed", as opposed to Apollos, who came in to water and nurture, building on the foundation of Jesus that Paul had laid. Make no mistake, Paul says, while we all do our part it is "God who makes things grow" (v6). Paul also reminds the Corinthians that he is their spiritual father on earth. Being an apostle who was "late to the party", Paul had to defend God's call on him to leadership. Ever once in a while, those folks needed a little "who's your daddy" speech! Chapter 4...Love Handles "PREJUDICE". We all have a tendency to draw conclusions far too early about people. Paul plainly says in verse 5, "not to make judgments about anyone ahead of time because only the Lord will bring the dark secrets to light and reveal our private motives". I know. He hits us right between the eyes! Chapter 5...Love Handles "PRIDE". Paul is loving all through his Corinthian letters, but in this chapter, he has to use some "tough love". He was amazed (and so are we) that the immoral situation there in their church of a son living in a sinful relationship with his step-mother. And to make things worse, it went "unconfronted" by the local church fellowship! Paul came with a strong message of "shame on him, shame on you, shame on everybody"! Now if you're sympathetic to the guy, take a lap in Leviticus 18 & read that chapter til your eyes bug out! Every sexual sin you've ever heard of (and many you haven't) is listed right there! Paul helped them understand they had a responsibility to "purge the evil from among them" and call out blatant, defiant unholiness. Some might say, "but who are we to judge?" Well buckle up because by the end of the chapter, Paul clarifies that it's not our responsibility to judge those "on the OUTSIDE, but it definitely is to judge those "on the INSIDE" of the kingdom who are caught up in a sinful lifestyle. Our "spiritual confrontation" should always be based on a loving, not critical spirit. Notice in verses 12 and 13, we're given the responsibility to "be our brother's spiritual keeper" and practice church discipline, & trust me, that's not easy. It's not often I've seen it done effectively through the years. Mostly because we don't take the time to build a loving relationship where we can "speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15). We many times "skip some steps" and don't have enough "relational credibility" with one another. And in all honesty, if a small group leader, or minister, or even a godly friend points something out that really is a wrong path a brother or sister is taking, there are plenty of other churches for folks to choose from to avoid facing their sinful pattern. This is a moment where "love handles DELICATE SITUATIONS". You can even notice the strong language of Paul saying he symbolically is handing this unrepentant person "over to Satan" so his sinful nature will be destroyed and he'll return to his saving relationship with the Lord. And if you would allow me to speculate, I believe Paul is saying "sin beats the daylights out of us". And when we don't have fellowship to fall back on, then we experienced the extreme "loneliness" that rebellious sin brings to a believer. It's a wake up call where the Holy Spirit can bring a great sense of conviction. But don't go try this alone. It's under the authority of the church and the heart of the shepherds will lead as love handles scraps these tough things as only God's love can! Chapter 6...Love Handles "CONFLICTS". Perhaps a subtitle, for this chapter would be, "Christians Should SETTLE OUT OF COURT" (if it all possible). Paul says I'm embarrassed you can't resolve the little things between yourselves as believers & have to appeal to an ungodly judge who now can ridicule the empty claims of the church about being the loving people of God. In verse 7 and on, he makes the case for just "taking the loss" & allow yourself to be cheated. In the grand scheme of things sometimes, this is more expedient if an agreement cannot be reached. Paul returns to the thought of sexual immorality which was rampant in the Corinthian Church by saying there's a time to "run Forrest run!" And the chapter ends with a beautiful & memorable verse, reminding us we are the "temple of the Holy Spirit and we don't belong to ourselves because God bought us with a high price, so honor him with our bodies". That message will preach to any middle school, high school, or college age fellowship. Those groups typically talk about only 3 things all year long anyway. # 1… Sex and dating. # 2...The end times. # 3...Will there be sex & dating in the end times? Chapter 7... Love Handles "Our MARITAL CALLING". As I mentioned earlier, at our age, many of us are married, single, single again, or married again. This is the chapter in the Bible that Paul gets very real with people about what God says, and what his own opinion might be. Being single, he realized how much he could accomplish for the gospel by not having a family to take care of. And although he recommended it highly, he certainly didn't demand it or command it. He even gives great teaching on a "spiritually mixed marriage", which is a believer married to a non-believer. Now I think we know the passage that warns against that where Paul also says, "don't be unequally yoked with a nonbeliever." In many cases, some of these folks were both pagans when they got married, then one spouse (usually the wife, but not always) became Christian and the other didn't. What do you do with that? Paul simply teaches if your unbelieving spouse wants out, you're no longer bound to them. But that is not the first choice. God's "Plan A" is always that we stay in that covenant out of love and honor for Him. But I found through the years that it only takes one person to quit and it's all over. So contrary to Crosby, Stills & Nash in the 60s singing, "Love the One You're With", Paul says "love the CALLING you're in". If God has allowed you to marry, stay married. If God has you single, and you have a gift to remain single, then by all means, with His strength and power, serve Him as a "whole single person" with many Christian friends around you! It really is amazing how much the Bible answers questions we might have as we go through life if we would just take a moment and dig a little deeper in the well to read and study and see what God has told us all along! Chapter 8...Love Handles "Our SPIRITUAL FREEDOM". We move on to where we have a little more "relational responsibility". We just can't "do as we please" in the kingdom of God because other people who may look at things a little more tenderly with a weak conscience may interpret our freedom as rebellion or callousness. Culturally, the people then went to Kroger's or perhaps Aldi's to get the "cheap meat on sale" after those animals were sacrificed at a temple of idols. In the new believers' thinking, that side of beef became unholy "through association", with the worshiping of idols & they couldn't bring themselves to participate in that barbecue. Paul says, rather than insist "those idols are nothing and I'll eat what I want", we ought to be "considerate" of other believers who might find that offensive. He goes on to state his case on remaining single as a "preferred marital status". I think sometimes we have to understand that his perspective was partly based on the dramatic way he was saved, as well as how much time had he lost by persecuting the church! He wanted to make up for it and spread the word of the kingdom with whatever time God gave him. And like most passionate iconic leaders, he wanted everybody else down deep to feel the same way and follow his example. Please notice his sensitivity in verse 40, saying this is just "his opinion", but he thinks he's giving godly counsel. I would submit to you that Paul was humble, even though at times he might've appeared to go a little over the top and get in people's faces. God bless his spiritual zeal.... and may we be zealous in our own right for the things of God that we develop deep convictions about! Chapter 9...Love Handles "Our PASTORAL RIGHTS". Most of his Christian life, Paul had to defend his apostleship. The Jewish Christians were intensely angry at him and they tried to influence the Gentile Christians in that regard. So Paul went out of his way not to be a burden & didn't charge a penny barely accepting anything unless in certain circumstances. In this chapter, he lets love handle his (could have been, but wasn't) sense of ENTITLEMENT. As an apostle, he could have asked for a lot more from believers, but chose to become a "slave to all people" as seen in verse 19. The classic passage of verses 21-22 revealed his heart in wanting to "become ALL things to ALL people so that by ALL means he might save some". Chapter 10...Love Handles "Our TEMPTATIONS". This chapter contains the famous verse 13, which simply says "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common mankind; and God is faithful, so he will not allow you to be tempted to be on what you're able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." The problem is, as we well know at our age, is we don't look for the ESCAPE soon enough. We "flirt with temptation" and sometimes fly "too close to the flame". PAUL WAS EQUIPPING THESE NEW CHRISTIANS TO RELY ON GOD AND LOOK FOR A WAY OUT OF THE CULTURAL TENDENCIES THAT WERE SO SINFUL. THEY HAD BEEN A PART OF ALL THEIR LIVES. Chapter 11...Love Handles "Our WORSHIP EXPERIENCE". Time for another spanking Paul begins, encouraging them Because they traditionally held to the values he had set for them in planting the church. He does talk a lot about cultural matters, like the covering of one's head in worship for women. We could take a lot of time for this, but suffice it to say that that was a simple indication of her marital status and her respect for her husband, as she came into the presence of God. This also reminded her husband that he was under God's leadership and authority! Now in verse 23 and following, Paul leans in heavy on them because they had abused the Lord's Supper. Some were coming early and not leaving any food for the poor people. Let the spanking begin. He reinstruct them of how Jesus did this and how we can't take this moment flippantly or lightly. He reminds them they are to examine themselves as they eat the bread and drink from the cup. He goes so far to say, if somebody's hungry then eat at home, in other words if you can't build unity, then stay home don't bring your divisiveness! Pretty strong words. Pretty holy experience got intense for us. Pretty much better move on before I go into overtime! Chapter 12...Love Handles "Our SPIRITUAL GIFTS". Could take a while here. But let's enjoy the brevity and unity of verse 4… "There are a variety of gifts, but the same spirit!" Just as there is a listing of the 9 fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, there is a listing of the 9 gifts of the Spirit here in chapter 12. And then has followed by a classic teaching of we're all part of the body of Christ and we can't resent each other's identity or placement or gift or ability or anything else! If you happened to catch Aaron McClary's message at Northside this past weekend, he did an excellent job of illustrating this passage! Accepting one another, serving one another, and celebrating one another in the body of Christ is at the heart of unity. Paul was encouraging that for them and for us. "Love handles.... our spiritual gifts" when we use them for His glory and to encourage one another! And here it is... Chapter 13... "Love Handles EVERYTHING" In verses 1-3...His Love Handles our need for SINCERITY. If it's not really love, it doesn't help a thing. In verses 4-7...His Love Handles our need for HUMILITY. It is the essence of selflessness. In verses 8-12...His Love Handles our need for MATURITY. We'll get there when he gets us there! We leave our childish traits behind. And it'll all make sense when He unveils His completion in us! And the final verse of the chapter (13:13), the Bible says something very profound. There will come a time when faith & hope are no longer necessary. They will come to an end. God uses our FAITH response to begin our heavenly journey. He uses the HOPE we choose to hold on to as we continue on the narrow path that leads to life, not the broad path that leads to destruction. But when we get to heaven, there will be no need for FAITH because it will be realized. And no need for HOPE, because it will be fulfilled. But LOVE lasts more than a lifetime! It lasts forever. The greatest of these is love. In the immortal words of Tina Turner, "What's Love Got to Do With It?", the answer to that rhetorical question is EVERYTHING! Now in the remaining chapters (14-16), love Handles the use of our "Spiritual Gifts", the "Reality of our Resurrection" and the "Friendships that Sustain us". And in his whole 2nd letter, Paul encourages the Corinthian believers with "love & a gentle spirit", not having to return with the "punishing rod" he'd hoped to be able to avoid in his next visit as he mentioned in 1 Cor. 4:21. So as we wind down our devotional thought that always seems to take a little longer than I intended, what do you need "God's love to handle" in your life right now? If left unchecked, fear, anger, or pride are the things the devil uses in his attempt to diminish God's influence on our life. Can you pick the 1 the devil typically targets you with? We're not "unaware of his schemes" (2 Cor 2:11). Whatever situation we find ourself in today in our finishing well phase of our life while here on the earth… "let His love handle" every challenge, every testing, every difficulty, and every decision in our lives! Love you guys… And may God bless your Valentine's Day with a reminder of His love… the greatest love of all! george
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