August 26, 2007

The Love Principle

Steve Lane

A. Introduction - Galatians 5: 6

Applies to all of our relationships: marriage, God, body and the world.
The love principle is foundational, and goes much further than...

B. The Love Principle

1 John 4: 16 - 17
God is love. Love comes from God

Consider that God loved you before you had done anything.

Matthew 7: 17
Eating from the good tree, and getting good fruit.
Love is not first an emotion, but an act of the will.
True emotion, in God's plan, follows true, committed love.
Therefore, when we choose to love, we feel our heart in line with our commitment of love.
A relationship can die, and then come back to life again.

C.
Fall in Love with God

How do you love a God you've never seen?

1 John 4: 7 - 11, 19
God first loved us.

1 John 3: 1
You must receive God's love, or you cannot have true love for anyone.

Ephesians 1: 3 - 5
Jeremiah 31: 3
He chose us -- He loves us with the same love He commands us to have. He delights in us -- in you!
Enjoy it!

Matthew 22: 37
Jesus said to love the Lord your God with a first-place love.

Revelation 2: 4 - 5
They have first-place love - the have stopped putting Him first.

Matthew 6: 21
Where your treasure is, there your heart is. (Investing)

RC Cola love principle: Remember - Choose - Commit

D.
Fall in Love with Your Husband or Wife

"Where your treasure is..." Value; see as treasure; invest in; commit to.
"I make the commitment to you, O God, to choose to love him/her in You."
Ephesians 5: 22 - 23

RC Cola

E. Fall in Love with the Body

John 13: 34
There is also a priority kind of love for the body.

1 John 3 Calls us to love one another, and lay down our lives for our brothers.

RC Cola

F. Fall in Love with the Lost

Our love is to be maximum, impossible love -- like the love of Christ.

RC Cola

G. Conclusion

How will they know? RC Cola.