IT ALL STARTS WITH GOD

Colossians 1:16

“Unless you asume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless” - Bertrand Russel, atheist

It’s not about you.

The purpose of your life is far greater than you own personal fulfilment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. Its far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for His purpose.

Contrary to what you many popular books, movies, and seminars tell you, you won’t discover your life’s meaning by looking within yourself. You’ve probably tried that already. You didn’t create yourself so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for! if I handed you an invention you had never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose and the invention itself wouldn’t be able to tell you neither. Only the creator or the owner’s manual could reveal its purpose.

Many people try to use God for their own self-actualization, but it is reversal of nature and is doomed to failure. You were made for God, not vice versa and life is about letting God use you for his purposes, not you’re using Him for your own purpose.

*Romans 8:6

LOVING THE SAME WAY

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

1Cornthians13:4

The Bible offers a different kind of love. This love says I am committed to act lovingly towards this person regardless of how i feel. You’ll be able to recognize biblical love. It is patient, unselfish, and loyal. It doesn’t keep score, it assumes the best motives. It gives w/o seeing in return, it always seeks to honor God, and it endures through thick, thin and in-between.

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:12

Jesus commanded those who wanted to be His disciples to follow his standard for loving people rather than the world’s standard. Jesus directs us to love others in exactly the same way He loves us. When Jesus saw us hopelessly enslaved sin, He didn’t say “I don’t feel like dying on a cross for them, i think i’ ll wait until the feeling comes” He didn’t say ” I have tried to love them but they always reject me. I give up!” He acted lovingly towards us despite our rejecting him. His love did not depend on what we did to deserve it, or even on whether we accepted it.Jesus freely and unconditionally gave us His love.. This is how God wants us to love others. Not with strings attached as the world loves.Not just love as long as they are lovable. Not just love as long as they appreciate it.

CHALLENGE:

We’re challenge to love as Jesus loved. When Jesus talked about love He didn’t say “I want you to love the best that you can” He said “I want you to love as I have loved you” Jesus didn’t give us “do the best that you can” challenge; this is a “do more than you possibly could” challenge.

If you’re thinking the words are wonderful but there’s no way im going to be able as Jesus love. That’s a good thing! God has you where he wants you. Recognizing that you don’t have the power to act with this kind of love is the 1st step. 

Jesus gave us this this seemingly impossible challenge not to discourage us but to lead us to find the power to love others in Him!

Examine your present relationships. Have you been treating people with this kind of love that comes from God?