Walk with the Love of God
Format: mp3, pdf, doc
Pages: 13
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Walk with the Love of God
Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille
You know, for those of you when you got saved and knew it, most of us…some of us didn’t know it. I never knew it. I never remembered the day when I wasn’t a Christian. But for some of you who do remember the day when you first accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I’m sure that that day was real exciting, invigorating, illuminating and all the other adjectives you can think of. But I’ve learned through the years in the ministry that, for the most part, people who are saved have just been left dangling or hanging in air after they’ve saved. They bring them to the altar or whatever you call it, and get them born again of God’s spirit. And then after that they give them a Gospel of John, Old Testament and all that stuff. And then they say, well, now God bless you, go out and live it.
Man, if you did that to a newborn baby it’d die within two weeks time; and that’s usually what happens. But because of the immensity and the greatness of the new birth, Christ in you the hope of glory, some of that birth many times lives on for a year, a year-and-a-half or two years if it has no nurture, no feeding of the greatness and the direction of God’s Word. And then it’s still the enthusiasm, the great dynamic of the Word disappears and the light disappears, and they go back to what I call an abnormal normalcy of the church and the life that, you know, you’re just a part of it. It might as well be a club.
Now, most people hope, after they’re born again, that everything will just turn out all right. They now have eternal life, we know they’re going to be in heaven, so what difference does it make if they have an H of a time getting there? All the problems, all the difficulties. If they never get a prayer answered, so what? They ought to, but there must be something wrong with their life. But we know one thing is sure, they’re going to be in heaven.
What a miserable Christianity. That’s right. Many of us have been there. And boy, thank God we’re no longer there. Praise the Lord, boy. They live in sort of what I call a semi-spiritual darkness all the days of their life, hoping that somehow or other, when it’s all over with, that it’s really true they’ll be there. But to have that effervescence and that glow, that excitement about life, that life is really worth living – even if you’re dying, it’s worth living. To just be vivacious, dynamic. It’s not there.
So this is what I’ve learned and I know about God’s Word, and this particular life that we’re living in Christ Jesus. That unless that new birth is cared for, unless it’s nurtured, unless that new birth in you is fed by the renewing of the mind – which means simply feeding on the Word and practicing it – you will drift back into the normalcy of the society or the community or the environment in which you live.
All the knowledge that the human mind has, as you and I well know comes by way of the senses. The senses must be brought into subjection. The senses must be brought under control. And this is a freedom that you, by your will, determine. Until the senses are brought into subjection and into control under your mental direction, you are never going to manifest the life that is more than abundant.
The mind has to be fed the Word; this wonderful Word of God. You must speak in tongues. You must practice the Word. So that the mind comes in fellowship with your spirit, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. When your mind is renewed, then your mind is in fellowship with your spirit.
Romans 12. We talked about it last night, but tonight I want to handle it in a little different way, to add to your understanding, if I can, of the renewed mind and how to accomplish it.
Romans 12:1a:
I beseech you…
And the word ‘beseech’ means beg. Haha. I request, I plead, I just implore you. And when God says He begs us to or He implores us, we ought to sit up and pay attention. When He asks us, in all the greatness of His ability, to do something, the reason He begs us to do it is because He can’t do it for us. We, by the freedom of our will and our love for Him, have to determine within ourselves to do it. Therefore, the Word says, “I beseech you…”
And always remember, this is not Paul’s epistle to the Romans, it is God’s epistle to the Romans – the Church. Paul was simply the writer, God’s the author. Right? It’s God’s Word to the Church. God’s Word to the Church.
Romans 12:1:
I beseech you [the national pilot council]…brethren, by the mercies of God,…
And boy, you and I are saved by God’s mercy. Therefore, because God dug us out of our cesspools and sins, and the environment of this stupid, lousy world that had just encased us and enslaved us and made us negative, defeated and frustrated and everything else. God, by His mercy, dug us out of that thing. And He says,
Romans 12:1:
I beseech you…by…[this mercy]…,that ye present your bodies a living [what?] {sacrifice,}…
Now, the reason I know He says this here, because I know the record in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, God never wanted sacrifice, you know. A lot of things He didn’t want. He didn’t want kings, He didn’t want judges, He didn’t want anything like that. He wants to be their God. They were supposed to have a connection; and God would tell the men of God what to do, and the people were supposed to carry it out.
But the people said, well, we want to be like the other nations, you know. No renewed mind. That’s right. They were senses-controlled. We want to be like the other nations are, like the other religions are. So the first thing He said, we need a judge. They got a judge or king, whatever it was. They didn’t like that, so they want something else. Didn’t like that. They said, well, look, we’ve got to have a few sacrifices like the rest of the heathens have over here.
And God cannot go beyond the mind of man. When that mind of man is reaching low and says, well, Lord, I have to have sacrifice, God in order to save a few, will even give them sacrifices. I tell you, that’s love and mercy. Otherwise we’d all go the other trip.
And this is what I call the secondary or the third will of God; not the primary. There are many… there are a number of different wills of God in the Bible. But God in His mercy stooped down and He said, all right, if you’re going to have sacrifices, this is the way you’re going to do it. And then he laid the law on them on how to sacrifice the animals.
This verse here talks about presenting your body as a what? {living sacrifice} Living sacrifice. It is in contrast under the new administration to the old administration, where they offer dead sacrifices. You know, the sheep, the oxen. They offered these sacrifices upon the altar. Here, in contrast, God sets, in this administration of grace and mercy in which you and I live, He sets in the renewed mind for us that we deliberately make a choice to present our bodies, a living sacrifice, upon the altar of His service. And that living sacrifice has to be dedicated to the lordship of the Word in our lives.
You see, all of our minds basically have been fashioned by the world. And the word ‘fashioned’ in the Word is the Greek word schema, transliterated into the English in ‘schemes’. All of our minds have been conditioned by the schemes of the world – and they’ve been manifold. We’ve been surrounded with this ever since we’ve been born physically.
Now, since we’re born again, our minds have to be renewed. And the mind to be renewed must come under that subjection of the Word. And when it comes under the subjection of the Word, it will be under subjection of that new spirit in you, which is Christ in you. That’s the fellowship of your mind, with your spirit, with the Word.
There’s a threefold lordship of the renewed mind, and that’s all I know about it, and that’s what I’m going to share with you tonight. The first two lordships I’m going to bypass, because I believe the first two lordships have been taught extensively to you – at least sufficiently that I don’t want to, tonight, spend the time on them. But I’ll give them to you and I want to develop the third with you.
First, it has to be the lordship of Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9.
Romans 10:9-10a:
9 … if thou… [wilt what?] {confess} with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, [Jesus as Lord] and… believe in… [your] heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart [the innermost part of your being. For with the heart] man believeth unto righteousness…
You don’t believe righteousness for yourself, you believe what? Unto it. Else salvation would be by works and not by grace.
The natural man of body and soul believes unto. And then when you’re believing unto Jesus as Lord, then he comes and creates the new spirit which is in you, not of works but of grace, lest any man should boast.
That’s why the word ‘unto’ is used in Romans. You don’t believe righteousness to yourself. You don’t believe the new birth to yourself. You believe unto. Understand? Then he comes by his mercy and by his grace, and saves us. So it is not of works, but of grace lest any man should boast.[1]
Romans 10:10a:
For with the heart man [does what?] {believeth} unto [what?] {righteousness}…
See, he believes. That works. He believes. That’s works. He believes unto it, yet salvation is of what? {grace} If it was any other word than ‘unto’, we’d fall apart. He believes unto.
Romans 10:10b:
…with the mouth confession is made [what?] {unto} salvation.
That brings to us the lordship of Jesus Christ. He has to be Lord, Jesus Christ. That is spirit, class.
Now, the reality of this truth becomes mine when I see the lordship of the Word, which is the second great lordship. The Word, which has been magnified above all his name, must be given lordship or regnancy in our lives.
I just cannot afford to go by what Plato or Shakespeare said about the Word. I can’t afford to go by what reverend so-and-so, or theological professor so-and-so said. I have to go by what? The Word. If Plato said what the Word said, then Plato is right. If Plato disagrees with the Word, the Word is right, Plato is wrong. If the clergyman says what the Word says, he’s right. If he says what the Word doesn’t say, then he’s wrong. It has to be one thing and one thing only. Has nothing to do with V. P. Wierwille. This ministry does not rest upon V. P. Wierwille, it rests upon the integrity of the Word. And if I say what the Word says, wonderful. And if I don’t, you go the way of the Word – but tell me about it. That’s right.
Do you see it? It has to be lordship of the Word. For the Word is God speaking now. Sure, it is God has spoken, it is God speaking future, but it’s God speaking now. The Word is always an eternal now, now. It is always current. It’s always alive. It’s always sharp. It’s always vital. It always meets the need of every man or woman NOW. Not tomorrow, not next year, but now. Understand? If it would not meet their need now, it would not meet their need a year from now. But because the Word is living and real now, it meets the need in the future as well as the present.
So it’s the lordship of Jesus Christ. And what you know about Jesus Christ, you get from his what? {Word} And therefore when God… God is the author of that Word, and when God says jump, we never ask how high, we simply what? {jump}. That’s why when He said, I would ye all speak in tongues,[2] and people argue about it, they have to be wrong, God is right.
That’s what I mean by the lordship of the Word. Quit listening to your best enemies - your friends. Go to the Word! And in those epistles addressed to us with our names on it. People, we just have to get to the place that we magnify that Word in our life, so that it will have lordship.
We don’t worship the Word, we worship the Lord Jesus Christ. We worship God, our Father, by way of the Lord Jesus Christ is what I want to say. But His Word has the regnancy in our life. It is His Word that conditions our thinking, our action, our decisions, our moves. That’s lordship.
And the third lordship in the renewed mind has to be love. And tonight, we’re going to read
1 Corinthians 13. Every person always makes his or her own decision on whether they have arrived or haven’t arrived at the renewed mind of love. Outside of The Way Ministry, there is no one – unless they picked it up from us, and I haven’t seen it yet in a national publication, religious trip – that this agapeo in 1 Corinthians is the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation. I have not picked it up any other place outside of our teaching ministry, but it is.
Because you and I know anything that you and I do has to be works. Anything that God does has to be of grace and His mercy. Salvation, the new birth, is of grace but the walk is works. And they not understanding that when you’re born again of God’s spirit it does not affect your mind, has caused all the erroneous and confusing teaching on the walk. The teaching worldwide is that if you’re born again, it’ll change your mind. It cannot, because of the logic in which the way God made the body.
But you see, the reason the church got involved in that is because they advocated the trinity, which is from the devil. And once you get three gods, man, you’re cut down. The devil’s already got you. So now we’re teaching the same thing the spiritualists have taught – when you die, you’re not dead. You go to heaven. You’re alive. Flitting around up there, smoking 50 cent cigars and all the rest of that stuff. If you like cigars, it’s all up there. You see, man, it’s just a real cop out. A real cop out.
Not understanding body, soul, and spirit; formed, made, and created. They’ve got this thing all screwed up. And they teach all over the world that if you get born again, you quit chewing tobacco. Depends on what section of country you’re living in, or what denomination… That’s right. Or you quit smoking, or you quit dancing, or quit wearing earrings, or you quit wearing makeup, or you quit wearing. {laughter} All depends on what group you’re with.
And the teaching is, you see, the spirit affects your mind. The spirit does not affect your mind, because that’s in possession. That’s in possession. That’s in the spiritualist field where the spirit possesses your what? {mind} Sure. But the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ never possesses us.
That’s why they’ve never understood 1 Corinthians 13. It is agapeo, is the Greek word. And this usage of this word has to always be understood in the light of the renewed mind in manifestation. This love of God which is in here by birth. Christ in you, the hope of glory. This love of God, put on up here, practiced out there.
1 Corinthians 13:1a:
Though I speak with the tongues of [what?] men and of angels, and have not charity,…
I have not charity. It’s not talking about God, it’s talking about me. Right? “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,…” Speak in tongues like a house of fire. Stay up all night to speak in tongues.
1 Corinthians 13:1b:
…[But if I do not] have not charity,…
Which is agapeo, the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, it profits what? {me nothing} Right. I’m simply…
1 Corinthians 13:1c:
…as sounding brass,… [which means I’m sounding off. And I’m]’ a tinkling cymbal.
Just making noise, that’s all. It’s a pretty noise. You know, people that like brass enjoy it, cymbals, they’ll enjoy it, musicians. Still just noise. That’s right. And many sincere Christians go through life doing nothing but making little noises, because they do not have the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.
They speak in tongues at least once a year, whenever God forces them, {laughter} or He lays it on them in a meeting. That’s right. God says they do not have the love of God. Now, I want you to remember, this is Corinthians – it’s God speaking, not V.P. Wierwille or Henry Boloko, or anybody. It’s God speaking to you tonight. It’s an eternal now. We’re simply sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:2a:
And though I have… prophecy,…
The manifestation of it. Begins with the speaking in tongues in verse 1, prophecy first on verse 2.
1 Corinthians 13:2b:
…and understand all mysteries,… [Getting into the knowledge trip, the word of knowledge.] and though I have… [the manifestation of faith – the manifestation of believing. Because without that manifestation you could never move a mountain if God told you to move it] and have not [the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation], I am [what?] {nothing.}
Isn’t that a real curveball? Man, oh man, just imagine. Having a great understanding of the mysteries. Wonderful. Word of knowledge in operation. The wonderful manifestation of believing in operation. Would that be great? He says you’re nothing. You’re nothing. You’re nothing! I’m nothing unless I have the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.
You see why I don’t get so upset about the works of man and all those great things they do? Because in God’s sight it says it’s what? Nothing. Unless they have the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.
1 Corinthians 13:3a:
And though I… [give all my money away, that’s right] my goods to feed the poor,…
’Not too many Way people… We have to start them out even sometimes less than the law. And finally, you get them up to at least where the Jews were, even when they cheated the Lord, 10 percent. And when you get them into abundant sharing at 15, they think God ought to move over and give them a place in heaven to run the show. Here it says, if you give it all away.
And if you gave your body, just sacrifice it upon the altar of service for him, to burn it out for him, but if you lack the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation…
1 Corinthians 13:3b:
…it profiteth me [what?] {nothing.}
Isn’t that something? Man, oh man. This love of God in the renewed mind must be fantastic. Next to the lordship of Jesus Christ and his word, it stands par excellence. That’s all I know about it. Nothing else.
When you and I practice this and really live it, everything we ever need in life comes to us without begging for it, screeching for it, howling for it, stealing or any other way. It’d just be there. Because we’re practicing the principles of God, and God has set the principles and He backs them up.
It profits me what? Verse 4.
1 Corinthians 13:4a:
[The love of God in the renewed mind] suffereth long,…
That’s right. Why do you think I let them throw paint on my beautiful sign out there? A couple of weeks ago they threw dung on it. Why do you think since ‘62 I allow them to break those stupid bulbs over there? Why don’t I go to their church over there? We know who do it. The guy who do it. Why don’t I go to their church and break their stained glass window? Right down there in that great city of New Knoxville. {laughter} That’s right. Why don’t I go down there and take their bulletin board, and break their bulbs? And you’ve got to be stupid if you don’t know that answer. That’s right.
I sometimes feel like it! {laughter} That’s right. But then I’ve got to live with myself, and that’s a problem sometimes. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. That’s right. And I got to live tomorrow if the Lord tarries. And all that stupid sign out there is a stupid sign. That’s right. I think next week I’m going to take it down. If you can’t find The Way headquarters, practice revelation. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Ah, shoot. Maybe I’ll just let it sit there and let them poop on it, or do something else. I don’t care. That’s right. Ha-ha.
But you see the old devil just getting me all excited and all disturbed about something that doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in a hailstorm. You know something? They can take all the signs in the stupid world and everything else away, but we still have Christ in us, the hope of glory. {Amen} That’s right. Boy, yeah. And the Word. And the Word.
Oh, boy. What they got? Stupid sign they got to haul away, {laughter} that’s all. Right. Reminds me of old Randy going down to Florida. You know. That’s right. Randy Anderson and his gang going down to Florida. They read that sign, “Free picnic tables.” So they stopped to pick one up. {laughter} And when they got there, found it was made out of cement and the only had a station wagon to put it. They had little trouble. Well, shoot. Isn’t that something?
The love of God in the renewed mind suffereth what? {long} Oh, yeah. Sometimes I wish the Lord left that out of there. Ha-ha-ha-ha shoot.
1 Corinthians 13:4b:
…and [the love of God in the renewed mind] is [what?] {kind}; [Ah yeah, the love of God in the renewed mind] envieth not;…
You drive a bicycle with 10 speed, I only got 3 speed. “Boy, I wish I had your bicycle.” No, no, no, no. The love of God in the renewed mind what? {envieth not} Yeah. I want a 10 speed, what happens? Believe for it. Thank God, if I need it I’ll get it. I don’t have to envy, because I have the love of God in the renewed mind. But I’m happy with my 3 speed, you’re happy with your 10. Well, praise God, we’re both happy because we both have the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.
Isn’t that beautiful? This is what I call the lordship of love. This is it, 13. This is the meat between 12 and 14. This is the meat in your life, and mine also. This is what makes us different.
1 Corinthians 13:4c:
…[the love of God in the renewed mind] vaunteth not itself [is not rash], is not puffed up,
’I teach this in the Foundational Class when I say, if you can jump over the building you’re not bragging, Remember? But if you say you can jump over this building standing on the west side, and you jump over to the east side and you can’t do it, you’re bragging, and you’re puffed up.
But the love of God in the renewed mind, never puffed up. But boy, if you can do a job, you say so. That’s not being puffed up, that’s just telling the truth. That’s the love of God in the renewed mind.
The love of God, verse 5, in the renewed mind,
1 Corinthians 13:5a:
Doth not behave itself unseemly,…
In other words, you don’t go around here at International and take all your clothes off and run around outside. Wouldn’t bother me any, except it’d be unseemly and the Word of God says don’t do it in what? Renewed mind. Understand? It’s a sort of a cool walk – would be with that off too in winter, but that… {laughter} It doesn’t behave itself how? {unseemly}
All right. All right. If I want a bottle of beer in my house, that’s none of your lousy business. But you’re not going to see me parading all over The Way International, and bringing it over here in the Bible Center and up here in the platform when I teach and say, “Now, look folks. I have the freedom to drink a bottle of beer.” It would be what? {unseemly} That’s right. So let’s keep stuff in order. If we have the love of God in the renewed mind, it doth not behave itself what? {unseemly}
1 Corinthians 13:5b:
…[does not seek] not her own,...
Does not seek her own. Seeketh not her own. That means you’re not selfish, just saying, “Well, what can V.P. get out of this? What can I get out of it?” Seeketh not her own.
1 Corinthians 13:5c:
…is not easily provoked, [And Lord, if he’d have just the last one out, I’d feel a lot better] thinketh [thinketh, thinketh!] no [what?] {evil};
’’Boy, oh boy, this renewed mind must be fantastic. The love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation thinketh no what? {evil}
You see, so many times we draw conclusions which are evil. If they’re not evil, they’re just not perfectly right. And if they’re not perfectly right, when you finally want to get right down to it, it has to be evil. Because we don’t know all the facts concerning the case, and then we make a judgment.
Let’s say somebody came in this meeting late tonight. The Way Ministry always starts on what? {time} That’s right. But let’s say Doug Emerson came in late tonight, 15 minutes, and I’m running a class on Power For Abundant Living. I say, “Doug, what in the H you in here late for? Get in that seat. Where have you been? What have you been doing?” Love of God in the renewed mind reaches in daddy’s cookie jar, why is he late? Oh, he’s late because he forgot to get his shoes out on time and his clothes laid out. That’s no reason for being late. But love of God in the renewed mind also has another way of moving. Oh yeah. Somebody just cut their finger very severely, bleeding like crazy, and he has been over there ministering to them, taking care of them. What would the love of God in the renewed mind do? Thank God that he’s late in here but took care of God’s people out there. Right? Boy, you’re not kidding, see?
Unless you know all the facts concerning a case, it’s many times very easy to be critical of someone else and say, look, you should have done so and so. But you find out, when you get down to the depth of it, they were endeavoring to do so and so with the best of their ability, that’s what I did not know.
So the love of God in the renewed mind gets to the place it just does not what? Think evil. Your son or daughter is out at night. Huh-huh-huh. The fashions of the world, the schemes of the world, teach us well, “Could get in an accident. They were supposed to be home at 11:30, it’s 11:32. {laughter} I wonder if they’re in an accident and if they’re being hurt. I wonder if they’re in trouble.”
Thinketh no what? {evil}
Boy, if we can ever jell this thing, we got it. And if we don’t jell it, we haven’t got it. This is the walk of the renewed mind. Thinketh no evil. Thinketh no evil. You know, and when I put that all together with the Word, we don’t judge one another. Remember? Because it’s God who saved us, He’s the only one that’s allowed to do the judging, and He said he’s not going to do it. Therefore, what right do I have to judge you, you to judge me? Is it in Romans?[3] Ha-ha!
Now, if you’re going to judge anybody, you’ve got to do some thinking. This thinking no evil makes it impossible for us to judge anybody. I cannot judge you because I do not think any what? {evil} So I can’t judge you. The love of God in the renewed mind thinketh no evil. Thinketh no evil.
I’ve always had a problem with that one. Verse 6. Heh, join the gang.
1 Corinthians 13:6a:
Rejoiceth not in [what?] {iniquity},…
Amen. Some people just get a big kick out of everybody getting into trouble. But the love of God in the renewed mind does not rejoice if anybody gets involved in iniquity.
1 Corinthians 13:6b:
…but [the love of God in the renewed mind] rejoiceth…[gets its joy and rejoicing out of what?] truth;
And the truth is God’s Word. That’s where our joy and rejoicing is, the Word.
1 Corinthians 13:7:
[The love of God in the renewed mind] Beareth all things, [Beareth all things, speaking here about the truth of the Word. The truth of the Word.] believeth all things, [Doesn’t believe everything everybody else says, believeth all things that are the truth of what? {the Word} That’s what it talks about. The love of God in the renewed mind] hopeth all things, [that are the truth of what? {The Word.} And the love of God in the renewed mind] endureth all things [that the Word of God indicates to us].
How do you like that? That’s right.
The love of God doesn’t require of us to bear everything everybody else talks about, because it would contradict God’s Word. For he beareth our sins, our iniquities, our sicknesses. Right? So I don’t have to bear it. He bore it. What’s it relating to? Unless you get the truth of verse 6 lined up with verse 7, you’ll always be in confusion.
See, the love of God in the renewed mind rejoices not in iniquity, but in contrast in the truth. Therefore, because of the truth, it beareth all things that are truth, believeth all things that are truth, hopeth all things that are truth and it endureth all things that are truth.
1 Corinthians 13:8a:
[And this love of God built upon the truth of His Word of verse 6] never faileth:…
It never falleth. It never skips out on you. The love of God, the love of God never faileth. The love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, built upon the truth of His Word, never, never faileth.
1 Corinthians 13:8b-10:
8 …but whether… prophecies, they shall fail; [Remember the Word of God liveth and abideth how? {forever[4]} See how this all fits? But prophecies that I give, they’re going to terminate.]… tongues, [that I speak in, they’re going to what?] {cease};…knowledge,… [the word of knowledge in operation or even renewed mind knowledge, it’s going to fail] vanish away.
9 For [with all of these wonderful manifestations, all the greatness of the truth of God’s Word] we [still] know in part, and we [only] prophesy [what?] {in part}. [Amen.]
10 But when that which is perfect is come, [and that’s the return of Christ, the gathering together] then [then – time. Then] that which is in part [the prophecies, the tongues, the knowledge. All of that] shall be done away.
Because then I will be a man. As the Word says, like he is, the man Christ Jesus. Then we’re going to be like he is.[5] I’ll be a man.
Now I am a child. I’m a child of God. Just kids with toys, you know. Do a little devotion with motion and a little expressive arts, and just kids. A little speaking in tongues like tonight, a little prophecy, a little bit of the Word, not much. Because we’re just kids, we don’t know very much.
1 Corinthians 13:11:
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but [boy, oh boy, oh boy] when I became a man, [Ha-ha] I put...[my Tinkertoys away.]
I don’t have to speak in tongues, interpreting, prophesy and study the Word of God to show myself approved. For then I will be a man fashioned in his image like he is. And I will know, even as he knows. That must be a fantastic thing. That’s what it says.
1 Corinthians 13:12a:
For now we see through a glass, darkly;…
In a mirror, an eastern mirror. You never can see yourself in the stupid thing. You know, you only see darkly in an eastern mirror.
1 Corinthians 13:12b:
…but then [it’s wide open] face to [what?] {face}: now [with all this love of God in the renewed mind and the truth in front of me, all of this stuff. Now] I [only] know in part;…
If I only know in part, what do I want to go around bragging for how smart I am? Well, if I did, I wouldn’t have the love of God in the renewed mind. You understand? Now we only know what? {in part} But praise God for the part we know.
1 Corinthians 13:12c:
…but then [but then, but then] shall I know [I shall know. Then shall I know. There are no ifs, no ands, no buts about it] even as also I am [what?] {known}.
And the Word says He knows everything about me. Even my innermost thoughts. He even knew me before I ever got thought about by my daddy and mommy. He know me from before the foun—now I’m going to know even as I am known.
Isn’t that something when he comes?
1 Corinthians 13:13:
And now abideth faith, hope, [the love of God in the renewed mind]… but the greatest of these [in operation in the church, the body of believers, for the benefit of the body as well as the individual, is the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.]
That’s why it has to be the lordship of love in your life. That’s that great 13th chapter.
Well, the mind just cannot be renewed to God’s Word alone. In other words, you can’t tell me that you have the renewed mind because you’ve studied the Word. Because I know people, all they want to do is sit around and study the Word. The renewed mind is not solely in the studying of the Word, it is in practice that you get renewed mind. The renewed mind is in the studying of the Word and the practice of it. That’s renewed mind.
Look, it’s very simple. Some of you people been athletes. Did you get to be an athlete by reading the rule book? Yes and no. But you got to be an athlete by reading the rule book and practicing it. Then as you practiced it, you got more knowledgeable of the rule book and of the game. Right? The Word of God’s like that. The renewed mind, if I’m going to have a renewed mind, I have to put on the Word of God up here. Right? But I got to also do what? Practice it. And as I practice it, I get more versatile up here. That’s the renewed mind.
You know, you can read this Bible and rightly divide it till you’re blue in the face, and understand every mystery and all knowledge and all the rest. Still won’t do you any good until practice it. You’re sounding brass, tinkling cymbal, profits you nothing. We read it a while ago.
In Ephesians Chapter 2, thought I’d show you this. You know it. Ephesians Chapter 2, verse 10.
Ephesians 2:10a:
For we are [what?] his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,…
We’re God’s workmanship, and you were created in Christ Jesus for good works. The good works is the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation living it, practicing it.
You know, I… Romans 14, I think it is. Let me look it up. Listen to this.
Romans 14:5b:
…Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Fully persuaded. Fully persuaded is to be convinced that you’re convinced, that you’re convinced, that you’re convinced. To be fully persuaded is not to have one iota of doubt about it. It is to know that you know that you know that you know that you know. You will never put it in practice this way until you’re first convinced up here that it is God’s Word. And being God’s Word, it has to be His what? {will}
In Joshua it’s a dandy also, and I want to close with this one tonight. Joshua. Chapter 1, verse 8.
Joshua 1:8a:
This book of the law [God said] shall not depart out of thy [what?] {mouth;} [They must have talked the Word] but thou shalt meditate [meditate] therein [in the book of the law, in the Word] day and night, that thou mayest observe to do…
See? Not only meditate, but what? Do. That’s the practice. You know, meditate’s a religion trip. You know, I’m so religious, I meditate, I go to church, I sit, worship, I fold my hands, I bring my offering, I burn my candle, count my beads. Boloney. The Word. The Word and the doing of it. The doing of it.
Joshua 1:8b:
…according to all that is written…
Not all that I want to think or you want to think, or somebody else wants us to think, but all that is what? {written}
This is what God said to Joshua under the old covenant. I am confident he has done nothing less than that for sons today.
That thy way may be what? {prosperous}
Joshua 1:8c:
…for then [then, then – if you do that, meditate and do] thou shalt make thy way [the way] prosperous,…
And ladies and gentlemen, The Way will never be prosperous today unless we have the lordship of Jesus Christ, the lordship of his word, and the lordship of love in manifestation. We’re simply another bunch of religionists, as a tinkling brass or a sounding cymbal.
Joshua 1:8d:
…then thou shalt have good success.
Or, “Do wisely.” And wisdom is knowledge applied. The knowledge comes from God and His Word, the doing of it, and He says if you do that you’re smart. You’re wise. Right? He said that to Joshua.
You know, God has prepared you to walk in His will, according to His Word. His ability is your ability. All of God’s strength, His strength, is at your disposal. His mind can be your mind, in perfect harmony with your spirit.
And the word ‘harmony’ is the same basic word as the word ‘symphony’. When people are symphonizing, they’re harmonizing. Because to symphonize is to be in harmony with. A great symphony, one doesn’t play one note and the other one the contradictory note. They’re all comparable. They’re all in alignment and harmony.
Now, you and I are to be symphonies for God. We’re to have one mind because we are of one spirit. As great songbirds; His people singing His Word as in a great harmony and a great symphony of a heavenly production on earth in Christ.
And, class, the heart-life, the inner depth heart-life of your conduct and of mine must be the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation. Though we have the lordship of Jesus Christ, we have the lordship of his Word, and we have the lordship of love in concretion.
Father, thank you for your kindness, your graciousness, your goodness to us. Thank you for the little bit of understanding you’ve given us of your Word and the life in that Word. But, Father, we sure love you even for that little bit. We feel many times like the Syrophoenician woman, I believe, Father, in the Word to whom Jesus Christ talked one day and she said, but Lord, we’d be thankful even for a crumb off of the children’s table. We too, tonight, are so divinely thankful and grateful just for the wonderful privilege of having some of the bread of life from your Word in our lives. We’re thankful, Father, for the beauty of holiness that you’ve brought within our souls by the divine presence of your wonderful Son, our Lord and Savior. And I thank you for our people tonight, everywhere, and very especially those who are in need, for their deliverance and the blessing upon their life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
[1] Ephesians 2:8-9: 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[2] 1 Corinthians 14:5: I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
[3] Romans 2:1: Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Romans 14:13: Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
[4] 1 Peter 1:23: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
[5] 1 John 3:2: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.