1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love......This was the theme for our sermon at church today, and then our pastor went on to explain just what love is. He also schooled us on worldly views of love, using movie themes and how we base love on feelings. It wasn't new to me, but still completely convicting....I had to ask myself..
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
1. Do I love in a way that I give what is dear to me?
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
2. Do I love enough to lay down my life?
Matthew 5:43-46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
3. Do I love my enemies? It's so easy to love those who think I'm fabulous, but those who aren't crazy about me or just flat out don't like me.....it's not so easy to love those people.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
And I love the way the message words it!
3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
4. So if I have to ask myself ...
Am I patient?
Am I kind?
Do I envy?
Do I boast?
Am I proud?
Do I dishonor others?
Am I self-seeking?
Am I easily angered?
Do I keep a record of wrongs?
Well my answer to most of those questions isn't pretty, because in my flesh I love so wrong or I just don't really love....but His answer to me is that He is love and He is living in me so I have the power to love...really love, I just have to walk in his love, pray and seek and confess that I don't really love but I really want to! It can be hard to be convicted but it sure does bring sweet peace to be changed.
