“The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for and deserted by everybody.” (Mother Theresa)

C. S. Lewis said that to love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to be sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness, but in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken, but it will become unbrakeable, impenetrable, irredeemable. And he said the only place outside of heaven where you can be safe from all the dangers of love is hell.

What God Says About Love
1.) Love is a matter of choice.
“And over all virtues, put on love, which binds them all together.” (Colossians 3:14)

If love were just a feeling or an accident, then God couldn’t command it. He wouldn’t command us to do something that was just a feeling, but He can command an action in our lives.

2.) Love is a matter of conduct.
“Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and truth.”(1 John 3:18)

My Time With God

Preparation Time

“For now there are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these, is love.”(1 Corinthians 13:13)

Love is a matter of choice and of conduct. Take a few moments and answer these questions:

In what areas do I find it easy to love?

In what areas do I find it difficult to love?

Waiting Time
Jesus DIDN’T just say, “Love one another.” He said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

The enduring example to help us understand God’s love toward us is the cross of Christ. On the cross, God the Son defined “agape” love by dying a shameful and humiliating death for a humanity that loved Him – no, that hated Him. The Roman soldiers couldn’t wait to confiscate his clothes. The Jews were so envious of His personal presence and force of character that they had wanted to kill Him for quite some time. Pilate just wanted to wash his hands of the whole affair. And the crowd ranted and raved for Him to be crucified. And you and I would have been in there somewhere. But Christ gave His life out of the purest unconditional love right at His darkest moment of human hate. This is not human love, which in its highest form might make one die for a friend during a time of war. This is the love of God, in Christ, that quietly dies in love in the face of screams of hate, and it loves us to the end in spite of that hate.

During your waiting time, let God…

Love you
“God, I feel your love today, especially in the area of…”

Search you
“God, because of your unconditional love to me, you have permission to reveal any wrong motive in my life…”

Show you
“God, is there anything about receiving or giving love that I need to know as I enter into this day?”

Confession Time
Read John 21:15-17 and place your name in the blanks:

“When Jesus and His disciples had finished eating, He asked, ‘_________, do you love me more than the others do?’ __________ answered, ‘Yes, Lord, You know I do!’ ‘Then feed my lambs,’ Jesus said. Jesus asked a second time, ‘________, do you love me?’ ________ answered, ‘Yes, Lord, You know I love You!’ ‘Then take care of my sheep,’ Jesus told him. Jesus asked a third time, ‘________, do you love me?’ ________ was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, ‘Lord, You know everything. You know I love You.’ Jesus replied, ‘Feed my sheep.’ “

Begin to confess to God the areas where your love falls short in relationship to Him:

Bible Time
We can never pray out of God’s will when we pray God’s Word.

…Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 slowly a couple of times.
…Close your eyes & allow a main truth to surface in your heart.
…Pray the Scripture and allow God to minister to you.

Meditation Time
After praying the Scriptures, write down the thoughts that God has impressed upon your mind.

Intercession Time – Praying for Others
Spend time praying for those whom you find hard to love.

Name Request

Petition Time – Praying for Yourself
How to Petition God Properly

…Talk to Him about the “little things”
…Be honest with God
…Pray “Thy will be done”

Prayer Requests

Application Time
The smallest obedient act is better than the greatest intention.

Q. What is the main thing that God has impressed on me today?

Q. What am I going to do about it?

Steps to take in my obedience to God:

Faith Time
Faith is our positive response to what God has said. Spend a few moments praying, through your eyes of faith. Tell God the positive things you see happening because of His goodness!

Praise & Thanksgiving Time

Praise God by recognizing WHO HE IS.
Thank God by recognizing WHAT HE HAS DONE.

This Week’s Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:2

This Week’s Time Alone With God

Monday – This Lesson

Tuesday – Read the following paragraphs & begin to implement this principle in your life:

Have you discovered the amazing truth that your actions tremendously impact your feelings? By the way you act you can change the way you feel. If you haven’t discovered that, it’s one of the most exciting discoveries of life. Many times, people come in for counseling about relationships and this comment is often made: “I don’t love him/her anymore,” or “I don’t love my parents/kids, etc. anymore. What’s wrong with me?” The advice I always give in those situations is “Begin to act like you love them.” Their response is always, “Act like I love him/her? How can I act like I love him/her when I don’t feel like I love him/her?” So many times we get the cart before the horse. The way you act can change the way you feel. When you begin to act in kindness toward somebody, compassionate, tender hearted, forgiving – it can change the way you feel about them.

Here is God’s advice about how to do that: 1 Corinthians 13 – “Love always protects.” Even though I feel like abandoning you, I will protect our love. That’s the action. Love always trusts. Even though I feel like hating you, I will learn to trust you. Love always honors. Even though I feel like there’s no future, I’ll look forward to a future with you. Love always perseveres, even though every bone in my body says I want to run & hide, I’m going to stick through this with you. Love can act it’s way into a brand new way of feeling.

Wednesday – Find one area in your life that you need to take action in order to change your feelings. Then do it!

Thursday – Go to Bible time. Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. What is the weakest area in your life? Pray about it.

Friday – Henry Drummond said, “You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you really lived, are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.”
This weekend, practice the spirit of love in all occasions.