Have you received the Holy Spirit? What is your evidence? Some say speaking in tongues. This is one manifestation of the Spirit but there are others. We focus on this because of the mystery and drama of it.

Paul says love is above the gifts or manifestations of the Spirit. It is greater than faith and hope. Faith and hope are pretty big. Love is greater. Why?

Faith will be replaced by sight. We will see that which we now believe by faith. Hope will be realized in a new reality in the future. But, Love. Love is eternal. It is more than eternal. It is timeless. Love was before time. Love exists now beyond the reach of time.

So Love is beyond time. Do you exhibit divine love? Timeless love inside of time on earth. Now this is evidence of what is beyond time itself. This is the evidence of the Spirit of God.

You know, it’s rather easy to speak in tongues. To speak in a language you never learned. You can do it in your car. You can do it walking down the street. But loving another person with divine love is quite a different thing. It involves action. It involves your body and soul, all of you. Even if it is a prayer for another offered to God on their behalf.

It may involve a conflict. It may involve a hard choice. It may be the rejection of a selfish act for a kind one. It may be to deny yourself and give to another. It may involve doing something for another that they don’t even know about. Or it maybe they do and are not grateful for it. What about that?

That is divine love. Kindness to the ungrateful. Jesus said God gives rain on the crops of people who don’t regard him at all. God is kind to the ungrateful no matter what you have heard. Like he wants to punish sinners. He does not. He wants to forgive his enemies. He wants to reconcile them to himself. He does not want even one to perish.?

Jesus quoted a common saying, love your friends, hate your enemies. That makes sense. But I say, love your enemies. How can that be? Really? Love your enemies? Like how? Pray for them. Hmm. Do not resist them. If they demand your coat, give them your hat.

Now this is the amazing advice of Jesus who gave his time and energy to people who went away and never thanked him. Cured of leprosy? On their way to a good life. No goodbye.

He did what he said. I didn’t come to condemn anyone. Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. Father, forgive them…

This is the evidence of receiving the Spirit of God: you act like him. Impossible? No, expected by Jesus. This receiving the Holy Spirit must be really big. A change within. Your hard hearts become real human hearts the prophet said. The human heart that loves God and does his will is what God intended when he made us in his image. The heart that is one with others in Christ is the intent of God from the beginning.

Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness. I and the Father are One. Yes. like that.

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