MATTERS OF THE HEART / Love And Live

This is the 5th of 5 devotions with the theme

"Love Is Not Jealous"

MATTERS OF THE HEART
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Proverbs 14:30; 

2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Corinthians 13:4)

When I am in need of something, whether financial or otherwise, I do not look outside of my own heart for the reasons my needs are not met. I look inside for a blockage. God says I am supposed to increase in every area of my life. So if there is a decrease of any sort or a stagnation beyond my control, the first thing I do is search my own heart and find out what God says. When there is decrease in an area of my life and not increase, there may be a blockage of blessing. I cannot blame the blockage on the world, on an enemy or another person. I must examine my heart and humbly repent asking God to expose the darkness and remove the blockage. If I were to leave the blockage, it could turn into bondage and have detrimental effects on any area of my life, including my health.

A calm and undisturbed mind and heart 

are the life and health of the body,

but envy, jealousy, and wrath 

are like rottenness of the bones.

My problem sometimes is I don't want to recognize that an unmet need can be traced back to a heart blockage. If I need healing, there is more to do than just confess the Word. I can quote scripture all day but my confession does not override disobedience. If I am lacking the finances to meet obligations, my answer is not just to confess scripture over my budget. My confession of the Word does not override disobedience. I must look to my heart for disobedience, distrust, wrong thinking, selfishness, wrong loyalties, arrogance, disorder, jealousy, temper, hatred and any other sin that may be hiding in my heart creating a blockage to my blessing. If I ignore the sin causing the blockage, bondage occurs and serious side effects result. This explains why people pray and speak the Word and are not healed. This is the very reason for unsolved problems, and mysteries and unanswered prayer among Christians today. Faith confessions and positive words do not override disobedience.

For example, a blockage to my blessing can be something as simple as jealousy. Jealousy is suspicion and resentment and includes distrust. Have you ever heard someone say that they do not trust anybody? Distrust is akin to jealousy and jealousy is a blockage in a heart to blessings. I may pass jealousy off as a mere emotion – here today and gone tomorrow – but unless exposed for what it is, repented of and removed from my heart, it will remain a blockage stopping blessings and could become a bondage for great sufferings.

Father, once again I invite you to shine your light into every room of my heart. I give you permission to expose the darkness and bring me to repentance. I fully expect all of my heart blockages to be broken and all bondages removed. I choose to live by faith according to your standards and not mine.

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LOVE AND LIVE

(Adapted from Proverbs 14:30; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 

1 Corinthians 13:4)

Verse 1

A calm and undisturbed mind,

A calm and undisturbed heart

Are the life and health of the body,

But envy and jealousy and wrath

Are like rottenness of the bones 

So love and live

Chorus

Love and live in harmony with one another

Love and live prefer your brother 

Rather than yourself

Love and live in fellowship with one another

Love and live in fellowship with your Lord

Bridge

Oh What fellowship

O what joy divine

When you chose humility and not pride

©LoveWalkMusic

Words And Music 

by Kent Clifford Cooley

LOVE DOES NOT COMPETE / God Is Love

This is the 3rd of 4 devotions 

with the theme 1 Corinthians 13:4
"Love Is Not Jealous”

LOVE DOES NOT COMPETE

by

Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from John 3:23-36; 1 Corinthians 13:4)

People were still coming to John to be baptized even though the Messiah was also baptizing people across the Jordan. A controversy arose between some of John’s disciples. They came to John and reported, “This Man you have been talking about is baptizing too! And everybody is flocking to Him!”

Perhaps the words, “Everybody is flocking to Him!” were emphasized by the enemy and presented as jealousy and envy and a wrong spirit of competition. It is important to respond in love when jealousy is presented to us. John recognized the enemy’s tactics and responded, bringing a correct perspective to the people.

“A man can receive nothing and he can claim nothing except what has been granted to him from heaven. I can only do what has been given to me from God. And I affirm others of the gift that God has given to them. A man must be content with the gift that has been given to him from heaven. There is no other source. The Messiah must increase and I must decrease. The Messiah must grow more prominent and I must grow less so.”

Father, I thank you for the gifts and talents you have given to me. Thank you for my DNA and my personality. Thank you for the good things that have been passed down to me from my ancestors before me. Thank you for your wonderful gifts of truth and working with me to receive them. I receive and embrace the love you extend to me. I don’t want to be someone else. I don’t want to do what someone else is doing. I don’t want someone else’s calling. I dismantle the work of jealousy in my life. I cover my thoughts with Your Word and jealousy cannot abide in my thoughts. I walk in the gift and the calling that You have placed on my life and I am content and secure in You.

© LoveWalkPublishing

Devotion Authored by RebeccaAnnCooley

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GOD IS LOVE
Devotion: Love Does Not Compete
(Adapted from John 3:23-36; 1 Corinthians 13:4)
Verse:
Love envies not,

Love is not jealous (repeat)
I prefer my brother rather than myself (repeat)
Chorus 1:
God is love,

He who dwells and continues in love
Dwells and continues in God

And God dwells and continues in him

Chorus 2:
God is love,

I dwell and continue in love

And I dwell and continue in God
And God dwells and continues in me,

God is love

© LoveWalkMusic

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

THE LOVE WALK OF JOSEPH / Blessing In Disguise

This is the 2nd of 4 devotions 

with the theme 1 Corinthians 13:4
"Love Is Not Jealous”

THE LOVE WALK OF JOSEPH
by
Rebecca Cooley

(Adapted from Genesis 45:4-8; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 13:4)

The account of Joseph is probably the best description of jealousy in Scripture. It’s all there in the story. The seeds of jealousy were sown. The evil stronghold took root and the wickedness brought horrific results. In Joseph’s own words, “What the enemy meant for evil, God turned it around for good.” God’s intervention was only because of the love walk of Joseph. Joseph did not react negatively to jealousy and God used it for his glory,

“Come near to me! I am Joseph, your brother! I am the brother you sold into Egypt!” Joseph’s words revealed himself to his brothers. Joseph had always walked in love. He had gained the respect and honor of Pharaoh. Even in prison, he gained favor. He was promoted everywhere he went. The most challenging hurdle of his life was probably when his brothers came, needing his help. Could he walk in love with his own brothers who desired to destroy him?

“Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. God sent me before you to preserve for you posterity and to continue a remnant on the earth. Your lives and many other lives have escaped a great famine.” Joseph could also have said, “Everything in my life has worked for my good because I have put my God first and walked in His ways. I have walked in love even through trials and wrong accusations. Love has been the secret ingredient that has caused pain and injustice to work for my good. Every event of my life has become a blessing in disguise because God is in control of my life.”

Lord, I want You to be a partner in my labor. I believe that all things work together and are fitting into a plan for me like Joseph. I am called according to your design and purpose. I embrace that plan with faith and pledge to continue on my destiny road walking it out in love.

Child, I will do for you as I did for Joseph. You do fit into My plan. I do have a purpose for your life. You must walk in love to complete the fullness of My plan. Join with me and embrace My love and I will make it easy and light for You. I will turn every obstacle into a blessing. Trust me through every trial. I will make it work for your good and for Mine.

© LoveWalkPublishing

Devotion authored by RebeccaAnnCooley

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A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
Devotion: Joseph
(Adapted from Genesis 45:4-8; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 13:4)
Verse 1:
I wonder how Joseph felt

When he told about his dream
By his brothers he was hated;

It’s not working out it seems
Joseph just stayed faithful

And kept doing what was right
When promoted to the throne,

Joseph said, brothers in hind sight
Chorus:
A blessing in disguise,

The trials along the way
A blessing in disguise,

What you’re going through today
All things work together for the good

And that is why
Looking through the Father’s eyes,

A blessing in disguise
Verse 2:
Seems there’s never been a trial

Like the one you’re going through
You’re wondering where to go,

You’re wondering what to do
Don’t you doubt in the darkness

What He showed you in the light
Ride out your storm ‘til you say in hind sight

© LoveWalkMusic

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley

COUNTERACTING JEALOUSY / Love Through Me

This is the 1^st of 4 devotions 
with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:4

"Love Is Not Jealous”

COUNTERACTING JEALOUSY
by
Kent Clifford Cooley

(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:4)

The day after graduation from high school, I left home to travel with an evangelist. I look back at this season of my life as training and probably learned more life lessons than if I had spent the next four years in a university. I remember one particular test concerning the ugly green monster of envy and jealousy.

The evangelist I traveled with went to India for a month and this gave me the opportunity to hold my own revivals. Another young man traveling with us was about five years younger than me and was also holding meetings during this time. We agreed to invite each other to our meetings as our schedules permitted.

It was my revival and this young preacher came to help me because he didn’t have a meeting scheduled. It was apparent after the first couple of nights that the people liked him more than me. As I contemplated what to do, my thoughts were that this young man was loud and energetic but he was shallow. My content is much deeper and meaningful. 

Thinking these thoughts, this is what rose up in me, “This is my revival! I will just let him help me in the altar service tomorrow night.” Almost immediately, my heart examined this conclusion and said, “That is jealousy!” I made a decision right then that I was going to promote him. I would prefer him and lead worship for him and give him the pulpit to preach as God led him. And I did exactly that.

Jealousy tried to take root in me that night many years ago. Because I rejected jealousy and chose to walk in love, I overcame it and to this day, I have never had a problem with jealousy. It has been my constant practice since that revival in to prefer others. I do feel jealousy from time to time but I react the same way. I prefer and promote the person I feel jealousy toward. It is my experience that those counteractions against jealousy actually stir up the love of God in me toward them. The counteractions of love push out the jealousy.

Father, thank you for life lessons. Thank you for teaching me to prefer and promote others when the feelings of envy and jealousy try to take root in me.

 © LoveWalkPublishing

Devotion authored by KentCliffordCooley

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LOVE THROUGH ME

Devotion: Counter Acting Jealousy

(Adapted from John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13:4)

Verse:

Love is not jealous

Love is not envious

Love is not self seeking

Love seeks not it’s own (Repeat)

Chorus:

Every thought, every deed,

Every moment love through me

Every word that I speak,

Every moment love through me

Bridge:

Father, You loved this world so much,

You gave Your only son

I receive Your love

And I love each one You love

© LoveWalkMusic

WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley