Download - Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life: Section 16

What Matters Most

Section 16 (pages 123-129)

Monday 27 September 2010

Life is all about love

Agree or disagree?What do you think Rick Warren

means by this?


God is love - the most important lesson he wants you to learn on earth is how to love - in loving we are most like him.“The whole law can be summed up in thsi one command: ‘Love others as you love yourself ’”


Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task - it is opposite o our sinful nature - hence we get a lifetime to learn itGod wants us to love his family in a special way


Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:10


God wants his family to be known for their love more than for anything else;"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:34-35


Love cannot be learned in isolation

You have to be around irritating, imperfect, frustrating people.


Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.

1 Cor 14:1Warren makes the point out of this that relationships have to be your priority above all else in life. Why?

The Best Use of Life is Love


1 Cor. 13:3,“No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”Often we act as if relationships are to be squeezed into our timetable

Life without love is really worthless


10 commandments - 4 deal with relating to God - 6 with relating to people


And Christ Himself said when asked what was the greatest of all the Commandments, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart…This is the first and greatest commandment.


A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other Commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two Commandments.”

Matt. 22:37-40


The busier we get the more we neglect and even ignore relationships. Busyness is a great enemy of relationships - the point of life is learning to love.


And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Cor 13:13“It’s not what you do but how much love you put into it that matters”

Mother Teresa

Love will Last Forever


Dying people do not want their diplomas, awards, medals etc. - they want to be surrounded by people.Relationships are what life is all about.


One of the ways God measures spiritual maturity is by the quality of your relationships.In heaven God will look at how you treated people, Matt 25:40:"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

We will be Evaluated on our Love


Gal. 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.Warren suggests praying the following prayer, kneeling at the side of your bed each morning.


“God whether I get anything else done today,I want to make sure I spend time loving you and loving other people - because that’s what life is all about. I don’t want to waste this day”

Why should God give you another day if you are just going

to waste it?


The importance of things can be measured by the time we are willing to

invest in them.

What do you think is important?What do your actions say is

important?

The Best Expression of Love is Time


Time is your most valuable gift.You can make more money - you can never make more time.Giving people time is giving them a portion of your life that you will never get back - that is why it is the most valuable gift you can give.Don’t say relationships are important - prove it by investing time in them.


Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

1 John 3:18

The best way to spell love is T-I-M-EThe essence of love is not gifts or provision but how much we give of ourselves - men (often) do not realise this


Some men think providing food, clothing etc. is all a family should want from them.Your family want you! Your eyes, your ears, your attention, focus, presence - your time.Love concentrates so intently on a person that it forgets itself in that moment


Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.Ephesians 5:2 (NLT)You cannot give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.John 3:16


Love means giving up- yielding my preferences, comfort, goals, security,

money, energy, time for the benefit of someone else


Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.Gal 6:10...making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.Eph 5:16Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to actProverbs 3:27

The Best Time to Love in NOW


Why is now the best time to love?Because you don’t know how long you will have the opportunity

The Best Time to Love in NOW


Point to Ponder:Life is all about love


Verse to remember:The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."Gal 5:14


Question to Consider:Honestly, are relationships my first priority? How can I ensure they are?


Download - Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life: Section 16

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