Encouragement

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It's Love or Nothing (I Corinthians 13 and I John 4: 7-11)

1. Love is commitment...something you do. (I John 3: 14-18)

2. Love is a 5 letter word...CROSS. (John 15:13) Love has no limit to it's endurance; no end to it's trust; and no fading of it's hope....it can outlast ANYthing!

3. God loves us unconditionally and we should. He (and we) will not like the sin, but we will love the sinner. There is never a time God loves you more or less than He always has.

4. Love is fruit of the spirit from which all other 8 fruits come. (Galatians 5: 22-23)

5. Love is the only motive for service and ministry. (I Cor. 13:1-3 and II Cor. 5:14) Man had a weather vane with 'God is Love' on it. A neighbor asked, "Does that mean that God's love is as changeable as the weather?" "No', the man replied, 'it means that which ever way the wind blows, God is Love!"

6. Two great commandments are: "Love God with all you heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12: 28-31)

7. If we love like Jesus, and we should, we will love with emotion and feelings. When Jesus wept, the unbelievers knew that He loved. (John 11:35, 36) Real men DO cry!

8. Emotion, feeling and sensitivity will lead to a conviction about sin and a burden for the lost.
(Romans 9:1-3 and 10: 1-4)

9. We will also love those in our church and fellow Christians in other churches. (Galatians 6:10)

10. Love never fails. (I Cor. 13:8) But couple Love with Faith and Hope. Faith is how you know where you're going....Hope keeps you going.....and Love is how you get there.

11. We love God by loving others. (Matt:25:35-40) Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) When Jesus is Lord of Life, you forfeit forever the right to choose 'whom' you will love.

12. A man in Redwood City, California committed suicide and left a note, "You have to have love to live". Jesus gives life.....(John 10:10) and love (Romans 8:37-39).

13. Real love is God-given....is Christ-like....and is self-giving and willing to sacrifice.
(II Cor. 5:21) Real love holds nothing back...gives itself to subject loved. Also, remember that Agape-type love uses things and loves people....while Eros-type love, uses people and loves things!

14. Real love (Agape) reaches out for unworthy persons, realizing that that person was created in the image of God, died for by Jesus, has tremendous potential, and is headed for Heaven or hell. Also, real love will forgive and allow God's grace to help you forget harsh words and unkind actions. Real love will 'practice what it preaches'.

15. If God's love is inside, it will find expression. Don't suppress love....overflow and be a channel. Impression without expression brings depression! Many men do not show love. Let God do a miracle in you...He saved you and that's the greatest miracle of all. So now, let Him help you grow!

16. Agape Love is primarily a love that motivates the Will which leads to decision, commitment and action!
This kind of love asks no reward...just to be allowed to go on loving more and more.

CONCLUSION:
I know of no better word to close with, than this poem by John Oxenham.

Love ever gives...forgives....outlives....and ever stands with open hands.
For while Love gives, it lives....and while Love lives, it gives.
Yes, this is Love's perogative....to give and give and give.

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