““BEING A MORE BEING A MORE LOVING PERSON”LOVING PERSON”

1 John 4:7, 8, 21 Dear friends, 1 John 4:7, 8, 21 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know does not love does not know God, because God is love... God, because God is love... And he has given us this And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.must also love his brother.

2 Misconceptions about love2 Misconceptions about love

1. LOVE IS A FEELING 1. LOVE IS A FEELING

2. LOVE IS UNCONTROLLABLE2. LOVE IS UNCONTROLLABLE

2 Bible Truths about love 2 Bible Truths about love

1. LOVE IS A CHOICE1. LOVE IS A CHOICE

Colossians 3:14 May you Colossians 3:14 May you always put on love which binds always put on love which binds them altogether.them altogether.

2 Bible Truths about love 2 Bible Truths about love 1. LOVE IS A CHOICE1. LOVE IS A CHOICE

Colossians 3:14 May you Colossians 3:14 May you always put on love which binds always put on love which binds them altogether.them altogether.

2. LOVE IS A CONDUCT2. LOVE IS A CONDUCT1 John 3:18 Let us not love with 1 John 3:18 Let us not love with words or tongue but with words or tongue but with actions and truthsactions and truths

5 TRUTHS TO TAKE ON BOARD5 TRUTHS TO TAKE ON BOARD

1. Experience God's love yourself. 1. Experience God's love yourself. Ephesians 3:17,18 Living Bible I Ephesians 3:17,18 Living Bible I pray that Christ will be more and pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts. more at home in your hearts. Living within you as you trust Him. Living within you as you trust Him. May your roots go deep into the May your roots go deep into the soil of God's marvellous love and soil of God's marvellous love and may you be able to feel and may you be able to feel and understand how long, wide, deep understand how long, wide, deep and high His love really is. And and high His love really is. And experience this love for yourself.experience this love for yourself.

2. You forgive those who have hurt 2. You forgive those who have hurt youyou

Colossians 3:13 Forgive whatever Colossians 3:13 Forgive whatever grievances you may have against grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. forgave you.

John 15:12 (NIV) John 15:12 (NIV) My command is My command is this: Love each other as I have this: Love each other as I have loved you.loved you.

3. You think loving thoughts3. You think loving thoughts

Philippians 2:4, 5 (NIV) “Philippians 2:4, 5 (NIV) “Each of Each of you should look not only to you should look not only to your own interests, but also to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as attitude should be the same as that of Christ…”that of Christ…”

Truth - Those who deserve your Truth - Those who deserve your love the least this next week love the least this next week are those who need it the most!are those who need it the most!

4. You must act in a loving way4. You must act in a loving way Truth - It is easier to act my way Truth - It is easier to act my way

into a feeling than it is to feel into a feeling than it is to feel my way into an action!my way into an action!Luke 6:27,28 Jesus said, love Luke 6:27,28 Jesus said, love your enemies, do good to those your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those curse you and pray for those who mistreat you.who mistreat you.

WHAT TO DO WHEN PEOPLE WHAT TO DO WHEN PEOPLE HURT ME?HURT ME?

1. LOVE THEM1. LOVE THEM

2. DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO 2. DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOUHATE YOU

Truth – You can give without Truth – You can give without loving but you cannot love loving but you cannot love without giving.without giving.

3. BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE 3. BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOUYOU

4. YOU PRAY FOR THOSE WHO 4. YOU PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOUMISTREAT YOU

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV) 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV) Love is Love is patient, love is kind. It does not patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never always perseveres. Love never fails.fails.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (LIVING) If you 1 Corinthians 13:7 (LIVING) If you love someone you will always love someone you will always believe in him and always expect believe in him and always expect the best from him. the best from him. Revelation 2:4,5 Yet I hold this Revelation 2:4,5 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.stand from its place.

1. REMEMBER THE GOOD 1. REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES…TIMES…

2. REPENT - CHANGE YOUR 2. REPENT - CHANGE YOUR MIND, YOUR THINKING…MIND, YOUR THINKING…

3. DO THE THINGS YOU DID 3. DO THE THINGS YOU DID AT FIRST…AT FIRST…

Truth - The grass is not greener Truth - The grass is not greener on that side of the fence, the on that side of the fence, the grass is not greener on this grass is not greener on this side of the fence, the grass is side of the fence, the grass is greener where you water it.greener where you water it.

Truth - Love works if you work it!Truth - Love works if you work it!

Prayerful RESPONSEPrayerful RESPONSE