Loving You
“Love God, love people, love yourself — and RECEIVE love from all three.”
Matthew 22:34-40 (NLT) But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
If we are unable to receive love, then how can we give love to others?
1 John 3:11 (NLT) So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who…does not love other believers does not belong to God. This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:14 (NIV) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
1 John 4:7-8 (NLT) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:20-21 (NKJV) If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
He was NOT inviting me to be a narcissist who has…
Exaggerated opinion
Sense of entitlement
Lack empathy
Must be admired
Deserve special treatment
Make achievements and talents seem bigger than they are
Expect everyone to say “yes” without question
Allowed to manipulate
Overly sensitive, defensive, impatient, & angry
Fall apart or withdraw when people are critical
Refuse to take responsibility for my sin
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT) You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will only love themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
Ephesians 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
How does God look at us?
Luke 15:25-31 (NLT) “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.”
1. Stop performing
1 John 4:18 (NKJV) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
2. Stop judging
Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
3. Stop comparing
Psalm 139:14 (NIV) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…
Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV) How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand…
4. Start loving where we are at
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (NET) For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain.
5. Start communing with God