LOVING ONE ANOTHER
INTRODUCTION
1 John 4v8 – God is love
John 3v16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life
Rom 5v5 - …the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us
John 13v34-35 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you…By this all men will know that you are My disciples…
1 John 4v11 – Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another
1 Cor 13v1-8(AMP) – If I speak in the tongues of men and even of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion, such as inspired by God’s love for and in us) I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose) and understand all the secret truths and mysteries, and possess all knowledge, and if I have sufficient faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me), I am nothing, a useless nobody.
Even if I dole out all I have to the poor in providing food, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.
Love endures long, and is patient and kind; love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy; it is not boastful, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited – arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude (unmannerly), and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in me) does not insist on its own rights, or its own way, for it is not self seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it – pays no attention to a suffered wrong.
It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person; its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening.
Love never fails – never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.
Mother Teresa
“Little things done with great love can change the world”
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them”
“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into the giving”
Everyone needs to feel loved. It’s the way God made us.
God wants us to grow in love and unity – with Him, with one another, and with His whole church as His Spirit leads us. I believe amazing things will come out of this.
God wants to demonstrate more of His power - but power without love is bad - and love without power is sad (Heidi Baker).
GOD’S LOVE FOR US
• God loves and accepts us, He is good, and always wants what is best for us, as a loving Father
• God continues to love and accept us, regardless of our successes or failures.
• God’s desire is to bless us, not because of our performance, but because of the performance of Jesus on our behalf.
• God’s love rescues us from rejection and insecurity, and performance orientated living.
• God loves, accepts, and values us just as we are.
• God’s correction is a proof of His love for us, and that He loves us too much to leave us as we are.
• Knowing that we are loved and accepted by God sets us free to be a loved, secure, joyful, enthusiastic, spontaneous, unpredictable, and risk-taking people
• The more we receive and understand God’s love for us, the more we will want to give this love to others
LOVING ONE ANOTHER
If God so loves us, then we ought to love one another (1 John 4v11).
God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5v5).
Love and faith are of the heart, and we can active this love within us by our faith (Gal 5v6) – by choosing to speak and act in love regardless of how we feel
• Be patient
• Be kind
• Don’t be jealous
• Don’t be proud and arrogant
• Don’t be rude and unmannerly
• Don’t insist on your own rights or your own way
• Don’t be touchy or fretful or resentful
• Pay no attention to a suffered wrong
• Do no rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness but rejoice when right and truth prevail
• Endure everything without weakening
• Believe the best about every person
• Honour one another (Rom 12v10)
• Live in harmony with one another (Rom 12v16)
• Stop passing judgement on one another (Rom 14v13)
• Accept one another (Rom 15v7)
• Instruct one another (Rom 15v14)
• Serve one another in love (Gal 5v13)
• Be kind and compassionate to one another (Eph 4v32)
• Submit to one another (Eph 5v21)
• Encourage one another (1 Thess 5v11)
• Spur on one another (Heb 10v24)
• Do not slander one another (James 4v11)
• Offer hospitality to one another (1 Pet 4v9)
• Fellowship with one another (1 John1v7)
• Don’t grumble against each other (James 5v9)
• Have fervent love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet 4v8)
• Carry each other’s burdens (Gal 6v2)
• Remember, love never fails! (1 Cor 13v8), and without love we have nothing (1 Cor 13)
It may be helpful to discover another person’s love languages. You can then express love to them in ways which are particularly meaningful to them.
You can also ask God for creative ways to express your love.
When you’re with another person, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit within your own heart, because He may be nudging you to say or do something.
