WHAT ABOUT LOVE?

  WHAT ABOUT LOVE?

***Part ONE
A Volunteer will read 1Corinthians 13:1-3. Plainly, without love, we gain NOTHING.
Core Scripture for this Lesson:
I Corinthians 13:4-7; 4. 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.
DISCUSSION
How do we obtain this love?
***Part TWO
As we live our American Christian lives, we can easily get caught up in wrong attitudes, selfish purposes, and non-Biblical mindsets. Thus, I will pose questions to myself…and I ask you to do likewise.
Do I use my wealth well? Do I misuse my wealth?
I am self-reliant? Am I so independent that I don’t recognize God as my provider?
Do I feel superior to others? Do I feel inferior to others?
Am I trapped by guilt? Does guilt keep me from efficiently serving God?
Is my identity…my career? my family? my education (and/or intellect)? my friends? my position in the church? my position in the community? my position in society? other?
Do I love well?
DISCUSSION
Do any of the questions stick out to you? Which one(s)? Elaborate.
What does scripture say?
Philippians 4:19      Matthew 6:19-20 and 24-34      I John 1:9
***WRAPUP
Dr Kelvin Elko is an inspirational speaker who focuses on team building. In the world of sports, he has 21 championships at the college and pro level. He has succinct, meaningful inspirational messages.
In one of his messages, Dr. Elko tell us to say out loud, “There are some things I can control and some things I can’t control.” I found myself saying this as I recently attempted to get a DVD player working at PAYH. It was out of my control. We finally got a needed cord from our Visual-Aids Expert and all was good. But, this little line helped. Dr. Elko continues to speak of an interview that took place decades ago. Marlo Thomas interviewed Paul McCartney. At that moment, the Beatles were falling apart and Paul’s life was in disarray. He mentioned that he would really like to talk to his mother. Paul’s mother was a nurse who had died ten years previous to that interview. As he went to sleep that night, he had the desire of talking to his mother on his mind. After he went to sleep, he had a dream. Paul McCartney clearly saw his mother at the foot of his bed. She told Paul, “Let it be.” He got up at 2:00 AM and wrote the song Let It Be. Also, he married one of the studio back-up singers that helped record the song. From that point forward, things turned around for Paul.
REFLECTION
Are there tasks, people, worries in our life that we need to LET IT BE.
Philippians 4:6-7; Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will receive God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.