Dear Friends,
Love makes all the difference in our lives. When we feel loved and love for others we are at our most happy self.
The problem is that our ideas of what love is and how to hang onto it are often wrong.
Our efforts to be more loving turn into simply trying to be nice to people we don’t love. We act our way through life trying to get along with people. Living in fear of losing the small crumbs of love we have.
Seldom if ever do most people live what the bible says is the life in the Holy Spirit. A life of love, joy and peace……… this wonderful fruit comes in a group like grapes hanging within grasp. When you truly have one you have them all.
Sunday I will conclude the series ‘The Pursuit of Happiness.’
The message will cover four essential qualities of love we must know and cultivate for true love to flow through our lives.
We can’t make it or fake it. True love, peace and happiness are works of the spirit. We can however cultivate and remove what stunts or kills love. don’t miss it.
These truths have deeply affected my life and I know they will help you.
Blessings,
Joe
STEPS TO PREPARE
PRAY FOR THE SERVICES AND FOR YOURSELF
AND ME AND THE OTHER TEACHERS.
PRAYERFULLY READ THE SCRIPTURES
AND CONSIDER THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND A PREACHING SERVICE AND A SMALL GROUP.
INVITE SOMEONE TO COME WITH YOU.
PREPARING FOR SUNDAY: SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
Please do these four things to get ready for Sunday.
Pray for yourself and all who will serve Sunday. Review the following material and try a small group.
BE SURE TO COME IT WON’T HELP IF YOU DON’T HEAR! HAHA
SCRIPTURE AND QUESTIONS
What is the relationship between being loved and loving others and true happiness?
John 15:11-12 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. 12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
According to the following scriptures, why is it so important that we express lives of true love? What is at stake?
1 John 3:14-15 We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.”
How can trying to love people turn into phony toleration or silent contempt?
Describe how it feels when you know someone doesn’t like you and is trying to be “nice”?
Describe an experience where you were an outsider or a stranger and you felt truly loved?
Why is loving all people impartially so important?
How can this be hard?
Acts 10:34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,
James 2:8-9 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
How much of what we call love is just doing stuff, so we can get what we want from others?
Why do we get so upset when people don’t reciprocate what we call “love”?
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.
What do our reactions reveal about the nature of what we call love?
Why does having a scorekeeper be nice to you not feel like love?
What does score keeping show about the nature of what we call love?
Matthew 6:3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Why do fearful people try to control the people closest to them?
Can you truly love and fear another human at the same time?
1 John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.
How free do the people you say you love feel?
On a scale of one being the least and ten being the most, how controlling are you?
How can we pray for you?
