Love

Ephesians 4:11-13,15-16 - So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ…Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Colossians 2:19 - They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

1 Corinthians 12:7 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

Ephesians 1:4-6 - For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Application:

· Am I growing and building others up in love?
· Am I growing as God causes me to grow?
· Am I using my spiritual gifts for selfish advantage?
· Do I speak the truth in love?
· Am I holy and blameless in God's sight?
· Am I prepared for works of service?
· Am I striving for the maturity of the perfectly balanced character of Christ?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV