Introduction The Apostle Paul claimed that real love

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes,

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these

Paul had LIVED both ways —with LOVE and without.

Paul’s life was filled with LESSONS , which include the following:

Real love is both SPIRIT and ACTION , not merely one or the other.

The more STUBBORN we are, the more necessary SUFFERING will be in our life.

Our gifts and talents count for a lot SPIRIT less than our , both

SMALL Christians measure themselves against ORDINARY Christians, ORDINARY Christians measure themselves against GREAT Christians,

Sowing words and deeds will bring a harvest of words and deeds. Sowing SELVES

Conclusion: Nominal Christians can be formed by the choices of a single day. Committed

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Introduction: The Apostle Paul claimed that real love is patience, kindness, humility, gentleness, forbearance, forgiveness, and faithfulness, and is the most effective thing in the universe. Let look together at Paul’s life and make some observations from which we can learn.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13: 1 (NIV)

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13: 2 (NIV)

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13: 3 (NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 1 Corinthians 13: 4 (NIV)

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13: 5 (NIV)

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13: 6 -7 (NIV)

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13: 8 (NIV)

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 1 Corinthians 13: 9 -10 (NIV)

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 1 Corinthians 13: 11 (NIV)

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13: 12 (NIV)

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13: 13 (NIV)

Paul had LIVED both ways —with LOVE and without.

Paul had COST. LEARNED at great

Paul claimed own LIFE. LITTLE about his

Paul’s life was filled with LESSONS , which include the following:

SPIRIT , not a CONDITION. Humility is a

Real love is both SPIRIT and ACTION , not merely one or the other.

The more STUBBORN we are, the more necessary SUFFERING will be in our life.

Our gifts and talents count for a lot SPIRIT less than our , both in terms of who we are, and in the longterm effectiveness of our life.

SMALL Christians measure themselves against ORDINARY Christians, ORDINARY Christians measure themselves against GREAT Christians, and GREAT Christians measure themselves against GOD.

Sowing words and deeds will bring a harvest of words and deeds. Sowing SELVES our is required to bring a harvest of SPIRIT.

Conclusion: Nominal Christians can be formed by the choices of a single day. Committed Christians are formed by the choices of a number of different days. Spirit-filled Christians are formed by the choices of every single day.