LOVE ONE ANOTHERLOVE ONE ANOTHER

33

John 15:9-17 (NLT) John 15:9-17 (NLT)

9 "I have loved you even as the 9 "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my Father has loved me. Remain in my love. love.

10 When you obey me, you remain in 10 When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. remain in his love.

John 15:9-17 (NLT)John 15:9-17 (NLT)

11 I have told you this so that you 11 I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! joy will overflow!

12 I command you to love each other 12 I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. in the same way that I love you.

John 15:9-17 (NLT)John 15:9-17 (NLT)

13 And here is how to measure it—13 And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their people lay down their lives for their friends. friends.

14 You are my friends if you obey 14 You are my friends if you obey me. me.

John 15:9-17 (NLT)John 15:9-17 (NLT)

15 I no longer call you servants, 15 I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the since I have told you everything the Father told me. Father told me.

John 15:9-17 (NLT)John 15:9-17 (NLT)

16 You didn't choose me. I chose 16 You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. you ask for, using my name.

17 I command you to love each 17 I command you to love each other. other.

1 John 4:7-11 (NLT) 1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love 7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. God and knows God.

8 But anyone who does not love does 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love. not know God—for God is love.

1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

9 God showed how much he loved us 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal world so that we might have eternal life through him. life through him.

1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)1 John 4:7-11 (NLT)

10 This is real love. It is not that we 10 This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love that much, we surely ought to love each other. each other.

John 15:12John 15:12

12 I command you to love each other 12 I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. in the same way that I love you.

How does God love us?How does God love us?

He loves us unconditionallyHe loves us unconditionally

He loves us forever.He loves us forever.

He loves us by forgiving us all He loves us by forgiving us all our wrongs (sins).our wrongs (sins).

He loves us beyond our He loves us beyond our understanding!understanding!

God commands us to imitate Him!God commands us to imitate Him!

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) 1 Follow God's example in everything 1 Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear you do, because you are his dear children. children. 2 Live a life filled with love for others, 2 Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. sacrifice to take away your sins.

How thenHow then does God expect us to does God expect us to love each other?love each other?

He expects us to love each other He expects us to love each other unconditionally.unconditionally.He expects us to love each other by He expects us to love each other by forgiving each other of all our wrongs forgiving each other of all our wrongs (sins).(sins).He expects us to love each other by He expects us to love each other by serving each other.serving each other.Love for others is the test of a Love for others is the test of a “Christian”.“Christian”.Love for others is “proof” that we Love for others is “proof” that we love God!love God!

Three WordsThree Words

GiveGive, ,

Connect,Connect,

Elevate Elevate

Today we are going to look at Today we are going to look at

GIVING!GIVING!

Here’s a thought!Here’s a thought!

Life is not about getting it’s about Life is not about getting it’s about giving!giving!

Webster says:Webster says:Giving is…Giving is…

to make a present of to make a present of to grant or bestow by formal action to grant or bestow by formal action to accord or yield to another to accord or yield to another to put into the possession of to put into the possession of another for his or her useanother for his or her useto commit to another as a trust or to commit to another as a trust or responsibility and usually for an responsibility and usually for an

expressed reasonexpressed reason

Matthew 16:24-27 (NLT) Matthew 16:24-27 (NLT)

24 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any 24 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. your cross, and follow me.

25 If you try to keep your life for yourself, 25 If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. for me, you will find true life.

Matthew 16:24-27 (NLT) Matthew 16:24-27 (NLT)

26 And how do you benefit if you 26 And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? worth more than your soul?

27 For I, the Son of Man, will come in 27 For I, the Son of Man, will come in the glory of my Father with his the glory of my Father with his angels and will judge all people angels and will judge all people according to their deeds. according to their deeds.

Here’s another thought!Here’s another thought!

““We make a living from what we We make a living from what we get, we make a life from what we get, we make a life from what we give.”give.”

Luke 6:38 (NLT) Luke 6:38 (NLT)

38 If you give, you will receive. Your 38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to to measure what is given back to you." you."

Matthew 7:12 (NLT) Matthew 7:12 (NLT)

12 "Do for others what you would like 12 "Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. law and the prophets.

Luke 6:31-33 (NLT) Luke 6:31-33 (NLT)

31 Do for others as you would like 31 Do for others as you would like them to do for you. them to do for you.

32 "Do you think you deserve credit 32 "Do you think you deserve credit merely for loving those who love merely for loving those who love you? Even the sinners do that! you? Even the sinners do that!

33 And if you do good only to those 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, is that so who do good to you, is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that wonderful? Even sinners do that much!much!

My Philosophy:My Philosophy:

““You can get everything in life if you You can get everything in life if you help enough other people get what help enough other people get what they want”. they want”.

Things we can give to others.Things we can give to others.1.1. Give them encouragement not Give them encouragement not criticism. criticism. 2.2. Give them a smile not a frown.Give them a smile not a frown.3.3. Give them unconditional love Give them unconditional love and acceptance.and acceptance.4.4. Give them your undivided Give them your undivided attention by really listening to them.attention by really listening to them.5.5. Give them a genuine feeling of Give them a genuine feeling of value and significance.value and significance.

Things we can give to others.Things we can give to others.

6.6. Give them honor by Give them honor by remembering their name and using it remembering their name and using it often.often.

7.7. Give them the gift of Give them the gift of forgiveness.forgiveness.

8.8. Give them hope for the future.Give them hope for the future.

Some Questions!Some Questions!

Have you picked up any “star fish” Have you picked up any “star fish” lately?lately?

Are you giving daily with out any Are you giving daily with out any thought of a return?thought of a return?

What difference you can make in What difference you can make in someone’s life today!someone’s life today!