--PRE-SERVICE PRAYER--

Focus: Love: The Great Adventure

Foundation Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NKJV

Prayer Points:
1. Live in Love with God.
2. Grow in Loving Ourselves.
3. Practice Loving People, in word and action!
4. Expansion of Linked UP Church.
5. Two Anointed, Fruitful-Dynamic Sunday Morning Services!

Introduction:

We all are familiar with rules and regulations, right? Rules are a part of life, and many of them are set to protect us. We have rules on our jobs, school, church, sports, when we drive, everywhere.

Our government alone passes an average of 200-600 laws every two years, that’s a lot! Just imagine if you had to follow over 600 rules to have a relationship with someone how would you feel? Thank God

He is not like man!! God has commanded two foundational responsibilities for us! That is to “Love God, Love People”.

Matthew 22:33-40 Living Bible (TLB)

33 The crowds were profoundly impressed by his answers— 34-35 but not the Pharisees! When they heard that he had routed the Sadducees with his reply, they thought up a fresh question of their own to ask him. One of them, a lawyer, spoke up: 36 “Sir, which is the most important command in the laws of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ 38-39 This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.’ 40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets’ stem from these two laws and are fulfilled if you obey them. Keep only these and you will find that you are obeying all the others.

Point 1: Love God with all your Heart!

Our heart is the center of our physical and spiritual life. It encompasses our passions, desires, affections.

Point 2: Love God with all your Soul!

Soul: The breath of life, which God breathed into man to make him a living being it's our individuality; the essence of who we are. Our souls hold our passions, hunger, perceptions, and consciousness.

Point 3: Love God with your Mind!

Our intellect (our thinking) and it’s the place where knowledge is stored. Our memories are stored in our mind. Anxiety and fear come from our mind. Our mind is the faculty of understanding, what enables us to imagine and think. To esteem, reverence, and adore Him.

Point 4: Love your neighbor like you love yourself:

Who is our neighbor?

Neighbor- any other man irrespective of nation or religion with whom we live or whom we chance to meet. unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others

Check this out: I may love someone because they are kind to me. If they stop being kind, I no longer love them, because my love was simply a positive feeling based on my current circumstances.

Love is more than that; it is a decision of the will to act in light of a deep, abiding concern and affection for the object of our love.

How do we show our love for God?

1. We are to love Him Exclusively.

Remember obedience expresses our love for God. We obey God because we are already loved, not in order to be loved.

3. We Are to Love God with a Persevering Love

One of the greatest examples of love is commitment. Our love for God must endure.

Conclusion:

Love is a choice. When you choose to love others, you are in obedience to God and obedience opens the door to blessing. It connects you to an empowerment that will handle every issue you deal with because God is Love (1 John 4:8) and His power flows through that love.

· It is clear enough what it means to love the Lord with all we are, though it is impossible to do perfectly.

· We are not to love God with only part of ourselves, but are to measure every thought, emotion, feeling, word, and action in light of our desire to please and honor Him.

· We are to pursue our love for Him in every aspect of daily life, with all that we are. (heart, soul, mind, strength, and neighborly love).

· To Love Him is to know Him. Do you know Him?
· Loving God motivates our every decision and empowers our very lives.

FOLLOW GOD’S COMMANDMENTS AND LOVE HIM WELL!