The Alliteration of Love (1 Corinthians 13)

Love (1 Corinthians 13) for God, each other and others:

1. The preeminence of love (1 Cor 13:1-3).
2. The practice of love (1 Cor 13:4-7).
3. The perfection of love (1 Cor 13:8-10).
4. The progression of love (1 Cor 13:11-12).
5. The permanence of love (1 Cor 13:13).

Love must always be present, predominant and persistent. May our love for God, each other and others be:

Grace, Enthusiasm and Power (Romans 1:1-17)

"As it says in the Bible, 'the just shall live by faith'" (Rom 1:17b, The Kingdom New Testament, N. T. Wright). " "The righteous by faith will live" (NET Bible).  "The people God accepts because of their faith will live" (CEV).

Romans 1:16-17 is the gospel, the theme and the thesis statement of Romans in summary form and the essence of Christianity. It summarizes Paul's theology as a whole.

"The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up. Paul does not say that the gospel brings power, but that it is (present tense = continually) power, and God's (omnipotent) power at that." Leon Morris.

Forgetting the Good Things God Has Done For You (Psalm 103)

Bless the Lord by Matt Redman is the most popular worship song of 2013. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits" (Ps 103:2, HCSB). "... may I never forget the good things he does for me" (NLT).

The book of Psalms is one of the truly majestic pieces of biblical literature. It is a collection of 150 songs inspired by the Spirit of God. Some of these celebrate the history of the nation of Israel. Others pronounce severe judgments on those who set themselves as enemies of God. There are psalms that are messianic in thrust: they point to the coming Messiah. Some psalms, though, simply lift up a chorus of praise to the Creator. Psalms 103 may be the “Mt. Everest” of praise psalms. It exalts the soul to breath-taking heights.