1. LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. There are no commands more important than these." Mark 12:30-31 (NCV)
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:34,35 (NLT)
2. LET GOD DEFINE WHAT LOVE IS
"Love comes from God . . . for God is love." 1 John 4:7-8 (NLT)
Love is patient,
Love is kind,
Love does not envy,
Love does not boast,
Love is not proud,
Love does not dishonor others,Love is not self-seeking,
Love is not easily angered,
Love keeps no record of wrongs,
Love does not delight in evil,
Love rejoices with the truth,
Love always protects,
Love always trusts,
Love always hopes
Love always perseveres.
Love never fails. 1 Cor. 13:4-8 (NIV)
"We know and rely on the love God has for us." 1 John 4:16a (NIV)
3. LET LOVE DEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES
"Let love be your highest goal!" 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NLT)
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Action Plan: Do you offer your work day over to God? Try saying a quick prayer in the morning on your way to work, offering your day to God and inviting him to speak into what you are doing.
THREE THINGS TO PRACTICE
1. GET FILLED UP BEFORE YOU POUR OUT
"And may you have the power to understand, as all God 's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is." Eph. 3:18 (NLT)
"We love because God first loved us." 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
Action Plan: Sign up for Deeper Devotions on Saturday, June 2. This workshop with Pastor Buddy Owens will teach you how to have a more meaningful quiet time.Click hereto register.
2. FOCUS ON FACES OVER SCREENS & VOICES OVER TEXTS
"Don 't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." Romans 12:9,10 (NLT)
Action Plan: Make a point this week to 1) call a friend or family member instead of texting or emailing them; 2) make mealtime a non-electronic time. Repeat until it becomes your 'new normal '.
3. PRACTICE PRESENCE OVER PRODUCTIVITY
"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
"This is our prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more and that you will have knowledge and understanding with love." Philippians 1:9 (NCV)
Action Plan: Look back on last week 's calendar and this week 's calendar. Make a list of activities that are 'to do ' versus time spent with others (spouse, kids, friends, ministry). If your 'to do ' list is longer, change your priorities so that you are truly living a life of love.
Doable Discipleship: This week 's episode of Doable Discipleship continues a series called "Not Your Sunday School Jesus." New episodes release every Tuesday. To watch or listen,click here.
Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week 's Talk It Over,click here.
