Love Audit

2 Tim 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

I talk to so many people who have a warped sense of what it means to love someone. For some, love is simply a romantic feeling...for others it is a deep understanding of a person's needs or wants. Still others see love as a withholding of aggression or disagreement...for example..."I love him so much I just put up with him..." While each of these instances might be an example of a type of love...Jesus defined love best. When asked what the two most important commandments are, the Savior told us that we need to love God first and then love everyone else like we love ourselves.

Love is an action...a verb.

One of the things that holds many of us back from totally selling out to God's will for our lives is our misunderstanding of love. I know that might sound like it is meant for somebody else...but I invite you this morning to go on a little spiritual audit. Start with answering these questions in your journal:

1) Do I see myself as a loving person?
2) Is the love I show for others for their benefit or mine?
3) How much do I love God?
4) What priority does God have in my life?
5) What did I do yesterday to demonstrate my love for Christ?
6) When was the last time I showed love to someone that didn't deserve it?
7) Do I know the difference between the feeling of love and love itself?
8) How much does God love me?
9) How do I know that God loves me?
10) Do I have anyone in my life that I love unconditionally?

I know these are tough questions...but if we are going to move from the land of "hold out" to the land of "sold out" we need to understand what love is. God IS love...He wants us to love Him and others with a selflessness...a sense of sacrifice... a realization that the love that we receive from Him is also meant for us to share with those that He places in our path.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Thursday - "Getting Approval"

Matthew 3:17 "And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

I remember playing my first soccer game. I wasn't a great player, but I managed to make the starting team. I was so proud to put on my socks, shin guards, and jersey at all of 7 years old. I took the field and played my little heart out...and what do you think I did when the game was over? I immediately turned and looked up into the bleachers to see if I could spot my parents. I really wanted them to be smiling and proud of me. The score didn't matter...it was those affirming words from my proud parents that meant so much.

That trend continued...school plays...graduation...my choice of a bride...I sought their approval and encouragement. So many of us are the exact same way. We want to make our parents happy with us. We want validation and approval. My question is...whose approval do we really need?

God gave that to His Son that day after His baptism. God told the world that He was pleased with His Son in no uncertain terms. Jesus knew that His Father loved Him...but just hearing those words must have been incredibly special. When our approval comes from God...we feel the same way.

Many of you may feel like God could never say those words about you. Maybe you've screwed up or failed in some way. Maybe you haven't prayed like you think you should...or damaged a relationship that you think is irreparable. Perhaps you've been seeking the approval of a parent for decades and it's never come. Many of us spend years doing nothing emotionally, spiritually, or sometimes physically while we wait for our decisions to be approved by someone in our lives. We put our lives into neutral and sit stagnant. We've got to decide today...whose approval are we after? Should we spend our time seeking the thumbs-up from a parent...or live with the understanding that we seek the approval of God for our lives.

It's my point that we need to please God. Live our lives trying to make Him smile... spend our time learning what He wants for our lives and then doing it. The sooner we realize that the applause that we seek doesn't need to come from the bleachers but from Heaven...the better our lives will be.

See you for prayer Friday,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Love Out Loud"

Matthew 3:17 "And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

In the second section of this week's passage, God says "This is my Son, whom I love." These few words say so much about God and His relationship with not only Christ, but with us.

I love the way God is expressive with His love. God specifically told all who were there that day, that He loves His Son. Out loud. It wasn't hinted at or whispered. God declared His holy love for Jesus.

It's interesting how most of us assume that those that we are around know how we feel about them...whether it's a son, daughter, spouse, or family member. That isn't always the case. I once heard a joke about a guy whose wife kept complaining that he never told her that he loved her anymore. He said "I told you I love you at our wedding...if that ever changes, I'll let you know." That's not the way to do it.

I have done many, many funerals. Each time I hear at least one person tell me that they wish they had "just one more day" with the deceased. They just want to tell that person how much they mean to them. Fact is, we aren't guaranteed tomorrow...and neither are those that are most beloved to us. Declare your love, out loud, to those that are most precious. Tell those that are closest to you how you feel...in front of others.

God boldly proclaimed His love for His Son to the world...let's follow His perfect example.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian