As you have been loved, so Love!

Good morning church,

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”  1 John 3:1

GIVING THANKS:

    *    Praise God & congratulations to Sam Walkup who was baptized on Wednesday!  Jim and Tracie drove their RV out to San Antonio and Jim had the privilege of baptizing Sam!  This photo says it all.  We rejoice with Sam and the whole family!

    *    This congregation prayed hard for Rebecca Garcia a few years ago.  Rebecca went through extensive chemo therapy and was a very sick little girl.   We received this nice update from her Grandmother…Doris O'Connell.

“Rebecca had an MRI yesterday and it was Clear! Her labs were also good! It is such a blessing to share good news to al the prayer warriors who helped us through the hard times. Thank you!”

 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

 

    *    Our prayers are for the people in Turkey and Syria who were affected by the earthquake.  There is mounting despair there with over 22,000 thousand deaths and many more victims unaccounted for.  Prayers for the rescue workers and everyone trying to help in some way in the midst of this disaster.

    *    We are saddened to learn that Chelsey Eddy's friend who was battling brain cancer passed away on Monday. Her name is Kristin Barnes and she was only 33 years old.  Her husband's name is Tanner Barnes and she leaves behind two young boys. Our prayers are with this family.  

  

This life is like a vapor.  Rejoice in the good moments and count blessings always!  

 

COMING UP:  

   

    *     Wednesday evening Bible studies at 7:00 p.m. as Ron leads us in a study over the next few months on the Holy Spirit.   Watch for the zoom link.

*       The last Saturday of every month we will be showing BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT series by John Cooper.  Join us on Saturday February 25th at 6:30 p.m. for a fun evening of Fellowship afterwards as well. Bring an appetizer or desert to share.

  *      Saturday, March 11th at 10:00 a.m.at the building – Tori Saracino will be leading our ladies bible study.   Join us for a lesson on “On Christ the solid Rock I stand”.

Last week we included some scriptures and thoughts on how much God Loves us.  We cannot fathom the height, nor depth of God's great love for each of us.  The more we read God's word, the more we learn about perfect and unconditional LOVE. From creation to the crucifixion and beyond, God's love is shown to each of us.

We have responsibility and we are commanded to love and reflect God's love in our lives.  

There is a lot in the scriptures about what we are commanded to do, and to be.

God not only LOVES us beyond measure, but commands US to love HIM.

The greatest command is found in Matthew 22:35-40  Jesus was asked by a Pharisee who was trying to test him by asking:  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law.”   Jesus answered the question clearly and directly..”You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all of your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it “Love the Lord your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  

The more we know God, the more we Love Him…and the more we Love Him, the more it becomes a delight to serve Him and do His will.  This relationship takes life to a higher plane.  It makes all that we do and say, and who we are…worth it, for the eternal glory that awaits.

The more we Love God, the better we can love our neighbors and all mankind.

As we mature spiritually and dive into God's word, it becomes more and more apparent, that love is the most important thing in this old world.  His character is Love.  His spirit is Love.  His essence is Love. His gift to us, is Love. Being one with the Father, Jesus's life and ministry were marked with Love and Mercy, no matter whom He came in contact with.  

Jesus showed love in ways that changed the world forever.

The apostle Paul was very direct in his writing to the Corinthian church.  Love wins in the end over pride, arrogance and self-righteousness.   Paul goes on to pin- point it further in a beautiful chapter of 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.“

Paul further defines love in verses 4-13:

“Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. “

“But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13

As followers of Jesus Christ, our lives should be marked with the same love He showed us.  It's about having the right heart condition.  A humble and loving heart.  A forgiving heart.

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. ” Romans 12:9

This world is a powder-keg on every front.  There is anger, violence, criticism, abuse, murder, the list goes on.  Amidst this darkness, there is shining hope in Jesus Christ. He is the light and the love that wins in the end.  For we already know how the story will play out.  1 Corinthians 15:25-26 “For Christ must reign until he humbles all His enemies beneath His feet.  And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 

He taught us to Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. 

Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.“

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.“

Ephesians 4:2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in Love.”  

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

 

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children, and live a life of love.“

Colossians 3:12-14 “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.“

Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?“

As we live as children of light, let us remember to Love.   Love pierces the darkness.  Love sets us apart from the world. 

God also defines for us what NOT to love. 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world, or things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes, and pride of life, is not from the Father, but from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.“

Our love for each other within the church is clearly defined in Ephesians.  The Apostle Paul also defines the love we should have for our spouses and children.  

Let us remember, we all fall short of God's glory.  Having a humble heart keeps everything in perspective.

Ephesians 4:25-31 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor for we are all members of one body.  Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen… ”  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, bracing and slander along with every kind of malice.” 

As you have been loved, so love!

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the LORD, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ” Ephesians 5:19-20

KEEP SINGING….

THE GREATEST COMMAND

Love the Lord,

Thy God with all thy heart,

With all thy soul,

All thy strength,

All thy mind.

Love the Lord,

thy God with all thy heart,

For God is  Love,

God is Love,

God is love.

Love, bears all things

Believes all things,

Love bears all things, 

Believes all things.

Love one another,

for Love is of God.

He who loves is born of God

and Knows God.

He, who does not love,

Does not know God,

For God is Love,

God is Love,

God is love

Love the Lord,

Thy God with all thy heart,

With all thy soul,

All thy strength,

All thy mind.

THEY WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE

We are One in the Spirit

We are One in the Lord,

We are One in the Spirit,

We are One in the Lord.

And we pray that all unity,

may one day be restored,

And they'll know that we are Christians by our Love.

We will walk with each other,

We will walk hand-in-hand,

We will walk with each other,

We will walk hand-in-hand,

And together we will spread the news that God is in our land.

And they'll know that we are Christians by our Love.

And they'll know that we are Christians by our Love.

In closing, we share a few scriptures from 1 John…

1 John 3:16 – 20 “This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence, whenever our hearts condemn us.  For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”…”And this is his command:  to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ and to love one another as he commanded us.  Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us:  We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

1 John 4:12 

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.“

May the world know that we are Christians by our LOVE.   

As we have been loved, so love…

Keep shining for His Glory!

Bruce & Paula