Archive for the ‘ Love ’ Category

VerseD: Ephesians 4:2

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love
Ephesians 4:2, ESV

As our Lord bore our sinfulness with all patience, humility, and gentleness because of His love, we should show the same to others, holding on to the hope and promise that He will return to reward our faithfulness with rest and life.

11 Years

As I type this, I am lying next to the lovely woman in this picture.

If you see her, be forewarned: she is dangerous.

She is tenacious and hard working. She is passionate about her goals and defending those she loves.

And she loves God with all her heart.

That is the dangerous part.

She will help you get to know God or grow deeper in your relationship with Him. She will not let unjustice go by without saying something, and that includes any injustice you may have against God.

And trust me, as a fallen person who needed my Savior to rescue me from the pit and still struggles from time to time with following Jesus completely, I know her ability to do all the things I have described here.

Thankfully, 11 years ago today (at the minute this is scheduled to post online), she agreed to help me personally everyday, no matter how hard it got, how stubborn I can be, or how much I make her laugh. (It seems that last one is a lot, even if I do not mean to …)

So, if you see her …

Remind her she is loved by her Lord and Savior. And her husband of 11 years, as of today.

Oh, and we finally got to meet our nephew, yesterday. He is great!

VerseD: 1 Corinthians 13:13

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV

As our faith deepens, our hope rises.
Love both deepens faith and raises hope while growing itself through them.
Turn to God. Trust Him. Find hope. Love Him.

VerseD: 1 Peter 4:8

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8, ESV

It is easy to forgive when you view everyone as a dearly loved brother or sister made in the image of God and possibly washed in the blood of Christ.

VerseD: Psalm 119:2

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart
Psalm 119:2, ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

VerseD: John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13, ESV

God set the example. Jesus called us friends if we follow Him, and that means sacrifice and pointing people to the truth of our need for salvation.

VerseD: 1 John 3:18

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18, ESV

We should share the gospel and correcteach other, but people are more willing to listen when we show God’s love through our actions.

Video Lesson: Simple, Not Easy: Part 2: How do we love each other?

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:7-12

Simple, Not Easy (Part 2)

Big picture: Love God, love people, share the Gospel.
But how do we love others . . . in the Church?

1 John 4:7-12

What does the Bible say?

  1. Love each other by (John 13:34-35):
    1. Loving like J                              
    2. Jesus loved by S                                   Himself, so ought we do the same (John 15:13).
  1. Love each other by NOT being:
    1. S , but rather h                                     (Philippians 2:3)
    1. H (Romans 12:9-13), but rather
      s                           (1 Peter 1:22-23)
  2. Love each other by:
    1. H each other (Colossians 6:10)
    1. T , r                                , r                                , e                             , and staying p                              (2 Timothy 4:2)

Let us show un-hypocritical love by helping each other through this life by pointing each other back to God’s Word and Christ’s example, being patient and kind with each other as we stumble along, remembering we need each other’s help!

Video Lesson: Simple, Not Easy: Part 1: How do we love God?

Simple, Not Easy (Part 1)

Big picture: Love God, love people, share the Gospel.
But how love God?

What does the Bible say?

  1. Love God by (Deuteronomy 6:4-9):
    1. Studying S                                             (Psalm 119:15-16)
    1. Discussing S                                         
  2. Love God by loving the C                         (John 13:34)
    1. R                                God’s faithfulness.
    1. M                               together to talk about His faithfulness.
    1. E                                            each other in truth and good works.
  3. Love God by:
    1. H                              those in need (Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:16-17)
    1. W                                         to people (Matthew 5:13-16, 28:18-20

We show we love God by sharing the gospel and teaching people to obey, as we should be doing. Not being ashamed of the Gospel, but boldly proclaiming truth.

Video Lesson: Infinite to Infinitesimal Gospel

We should know the big picture.

It is extremely helpful to know the littlest parts: how things work and what needs to be understood.

How would you define infinity? What is it?

What is the opposite of infinity? Do you know?
(Hint: It is not negative infinity!)
[In other words, what is the limit of what we should know?]

What does the Bible say?

  1. Matthew 22:36-40
    1. L                               God.
    2. L                               people.
      1. The first 3.5 C are based on the first.
      2. The second 6.5 C are based on the second.
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2
    1. The best way to love God is admit J is God who loved us enough to become a h and die for our sins.
    2. The best way to love people is tell them that God became a human to die for our sins!

There is obviously more detail on how we love God and others, but that is for another lesson!

So, love God and others by reading your Bible to know Him better and to share the full Gospel with everyone!