CHRISTIAN LIVING - LESSON 4
Designed For Love
You will need your Bible and a pen & notebook to complete these lessons. You should be able to copy and paste these outlines to your word processor and print them without difficulty if you so desire. We recommend you record in your note book deep thoughts or questions that may arise as you study, and certainly record all things God reveals to your heart. Look over these notes frequently and use them even as you pray. God will cause you to grow in wisdom and understanding. Keep your note book with you throughout the day as much as possible to record all God reveals to you and to review the things you have learned. Look up all bible verses in this study. Highlight or mark them in your bible. It is Gods Word speaking directly to you.
We also recommend you make a habit of memorizing a scripture each week. This not only helps get the Word deep in your heart, but is also an excellent mental exercise.
Designed For Love
Every part of our being, spirit, soul and body, operates better with love. We were created in God’s image and are designed for love.
We function better when we give it and receive it.
GOD IS LOVE
1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Living God’s way, walking in love, is like a computer operating with the programs designed for it. You can load some other operating system in, but if it wasn’t designed for it, it may cause greater problems and never run correctly.
Today we will be encouraged to do our utmost to operate the way God designed us to. How much better is it to function fully in line with the One who designed us? Our operating system is love. Lets learn to keep fully focused on our love walk. Once we have that part of our life on the right track, all things become possible. Our prayers are not hindered, we walk in Gods will, and so find ourselves fully in the service of our Lord.
Somehow the love message has become somewhat marginalized in the church today. We seldom here a strong message about the power and potential of brotherly love. The Word maximizes it’s importance. Love is not a simple emotion. Love is the ultimate level a man of God can aspire to.
1Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
LOVE IS A HIGHER STANDARD
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails…
You might ask; How in the world are we ever to attain this?!
Only through the Holy Spirit are we made able to achieve God’s standard.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Let’s look to the Word to better understand this statement.
1. Love is the ignition (to meaningful acts of faith)
Love will keep your faith headed on the correct path!
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
IN CHRIST IS; LOVE AND FAITH, AND THEY MUST WORK TOGETHER
Following rules isn’t how things operate in God’s kingdom. They operate by faith, and even then they only please God when they are motivated by love.
(Matthew 7:21-23 Many will say in that day, we prophesied in your name and cast out demon’s and I will declare; I never knew you…)
*Question: How can we know if our motive is love?
Answer: Matthew 7:12 Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for
this is the law and the prophets.
2. Love Creates Unity
A) Be Considerate
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and
good works.
- If you see a fault in your brother/sister, don’t talk to anyone about it;
don’t rush to point it out to them. Instead tell them how much you
appreciate them and their sacrifice and service to God, and then pray for
them, as often as they are on your mind.
This is how the whole world will know the church is real, not a dead, dry
religion.
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
As I have loved you, that you love one another. 35 By this all will know
that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,”
B) Care Enough to Share
2Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph
in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in
every place.
Each of us must do our part as witnesses of Christ to improve the spiritual
climate in our nation! (Spread the good news)
3. Love creates passion
To enter into revival the church has to walk in love. Love is the catalyst of every great move of God throughout history. When we work together in unity, all our differences melt away and we find ourselves running with God, doing the work of His kingdom.
Many try to walk in the God kind of love toward their fellow believers. Yet there are some in the midst of the body of Christ that have trouble being consistent in that kind of love. Love is what must be, if we are to have unity and move into revival. Love is the true reflection of our heart. It is selfless, forgiving and kind. Love leads us to have compassion for others, to help those in need even when they have wronged us in the past. True love forgives completely because it is not selfish or self centered. This kind of love can only come from God, who offers it freely as a gift, just as sure as he offers us peace, faith and all the gifts of the Spirit.
What is missing then? What is the ingredient that will help a heart hungry for a move of God find themselves ready for it? What will cause this love on the inside to be visible on the outside consistently, thereby qualifying us to enter revival as a church?
In a word; passion. Passion is the difference in every endeavor in life. It separates those who excel from those who are ordinary. The Word of God says it many ways and we will look at some of them, but remember, the importance we place on these things in our heart and in our thinking will equal the effect they have in our lives, for the Word says: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” and “With the same measure you use, it shall be measured back to you”.
How can each of us feed our own passion for the things of God?
Here are a few things to do that will help us:
A. Know Him Better. See 2Timothy 1:12 Here Paul is encouraging Timothy to be
steadfast through his own example of fearlessness in the face of death. The basis of
Paul’s courage is His relationship with Christ.
B. Walk In The Spirit. Galatians 5:16
C. Accept His Grace. Romans 5:12-19
D. Believe God’s Word Completely.
Live every moment of your life as though every Word in the bible is true, because it is!
E. Sow Into Your Spirit Man Daily. Galatians 6:7-8
Although this passage is in context of sowing financially it is clear from scripture that
this principle applies to all areas of our life.
* Passion will drive you to walk in Gods best. Walking in Gods perfect will for your life requires more of you than a simple prayer or quick devotion each morning. It takes a heart sold out to Him, that seeks Him daily and endeavors to always walk worthy of His love. This passion for the things of God will drive us forward into a life filled with adventure in the work of Gods kingdom, and that is a life worth living!
Stay Hot!
We looked at some steps to raise our spiritual temperature and move passionately in Kingdom of God activity. We’ve considered how passion for the things of God drives us forward into a life focused on God’s kingdom work. It was stated that it takes a heart sold out to Him, one which seeks Him daily and endeavors to walk worthy of His love.
How can we keep our zeal for the kingdom of God from becoming cooled by life’s circumstances? Did the early church ever face times when they weren’t on fire for God?
Today we’ll look close at some scriptures to show exactly what the Word has to say to this very question.
Passion is propulsion.
It is the fuel that will drive you to go deeper, run longer and continue through difficulty. We need it! If we aren’t “hot” for God, than what are we? Luke warm? Cold? Let’s look at the early church and see if they considered this important to their walk with God.
In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul urges Timothy to stir up the gifts of God. - From this passage we can see the initiative for keeping the fires of the soul stirred is upon each individual themselves. It is our own responsibility.
In Romans 12:11 we are told to be “fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”.
Fervent: (Greek = zeo) ; Living fervor, fiery hot, full of burning zeal. It is the opposite of dignified, cold and unemotional. In a Christian context it signifies a high spiritual temperature, inflamed by Holy Spirit.
Apollos was an example of that kind of man. ( Acts 18:24-28)
Passion or zeal should be evident in our Christian lives in all key areas.
A). Our passion should drive us to serve. Romans 12:11
B). Our passion should give us boldness. 2Tim 1:6-7
C). Our passion should influence our prayer. James 5:16
D). Our passion should spill over into brotherly love. 1Peter 1:22
E). Our passion gives us purpose. Titus 2:14
Conclusion: Without passion we aren’t going anywhere. It moves us forward and we must attend to those things which will feed that spiritual passion. Let’s keep our fire burning consistently red hot for God. Let’s make the 2Tim1:6 decision!
4. Love is the whole reason.
Love must be the driving force behind all we do!
1Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongue of men and of angels, but
have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and
all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body
to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a man who gave talents to some servants and later returned to see how they put those talents to use. The parable in Matthew chapter 25 is really about all of us.
What will love ask of you?
Conclusion:
It isn’t that we have to burn ourselves out trying to be everything for everyone. We are here to serve God.
As we walk with Him he gives us opportunity to be His hands toward someone, and when we walk in love, that’s all He requires.
We each need to seek Him for an understanding of our own personal gifting’s and then put them to use for the good of His kingdom.
When we miss the mark, we have an open door to forgiveness through Jesus shed blood.
- Run to Him when you blow it, not from Him!
This is how we have ALL prayers answered, according to scripture.
ALL PRAYERS ANSWERED!
1John 3:18,21,22
School Of Faith with Dan & Suzann Christian Living Lesson 4