To Receive Beyond and Above, Faith Works By Love!

The phrase came to me as God has been dealing with me about love. It starts at home. It is easy to love someone you don’t live with every day. When you pray for God to check your spirit, He will do just that. God revealed to me areas I can improve. One day I was talking to my mom, and she told me, “I’m not you, and you are not me.” God put a check in my spirit and said she was right. Sometimes it can seem like we are saying what is right, not realizing it is doing more harm than good. God is correcting me every day because in order to receive on a higher level, our love walk has to go to a higher level. To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). Pray for people but make sure we are walking in love with them as well; they both operate together. You will see things transform in you mostly.

Galatians 5:6 Easy Read Version: 6 When someone belongs to Christ Jesus, it is not important if they are circumcised or not. The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love.

I watched a movie dealing with two sisters. One of the sisters didn’t go to church and seemed to have everything in her favor. Due to a divorce, she moved in with her sister, that went to church and was married. She brought her two sons along with her. Her sister told her it was not fair she got a wealthy husband and children. She had been going to church, doing everything right and still couldn’t have children. She said it wasn’t fair and there is no God. Her sister told her don’t say that, “I just believe things will turn out as it should in the end.” She had more faith than her sister that went to church. She got what she spoke. It turned out great for her in the end because she had faith and discovered what she was searching for was in her all along.

Only through Jesus’ blood are we even worthy to approach the throne. Luke 17:10 Living Translation says: In the same way, when you obey me, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'”

The sister that did everything right and went to church felt entitled. However, her heart was not right. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and in due time he will exalt you (1 Peter 5:5-6). The other sister knew she didn’t deserve it, but she had faith that everything would turn out great. The movie is almost the flip side of the prodigal Son and his elder brother in Luke 15, starting at verse 11. The prodigal son was not afraid to ask for his portion. However, he was not mature in handling his money and lived a wild life without God. The prodigal Son came to himself after he lost everything. Just like the younger sister came to herself after leaving her husband in the movie. He humbled himself, and God restored him. The elder son was unhappy because he served his father and didn’t live a wild and riotous life. He felt his brother didn’t deserve a feast for bad behavior. The eldest sister in the movie was the same way. The goodness of God leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Remember, love is not boastful or self-seeking (Read 1 Corinthians 13). The only thing we should boast about is God. Our righteous acts are like filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6).

Love is also patient. Through faith and patience, we inherit the promise (Hebrews 6:12). Thanksgiving/praise, preparation, and expectancy are actual waiting. I like the phrase Gloria Copeland used “Faith takes it, but patience keeps it.” You take it when you pray; then, with patience, you will keep it alive while you are waiting.

To receive beyond and above, faith works by love.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me when I don’t deserve it. God, I repent for feeling entitled to receive something from you because of my righteous acts. I deserve hell, but you sent your Son Jesus to die for me. Now I have eternal life. Even on my best behavior, it is meaningless. It is an honor for you to receive me as your child. God perfect me in love. I receive the promise through faith and patience. In Jesus’ name! Amen.

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