Thoughts about love...

Thank you to my lovely friend, Sara Reimer, for introducing me to a fabulous online devotional at: http://www.adisciplesnotebook.com/

I have been reading this site each morning as I sit down with my coffee to spend some time with Jesus and I have been so blessed. Right now, God is speaking to me about loving authentically and being an encourager instead of a critic. This devotion was a perfect one for me to meditate on this morning. The site also has lovely background music and birds chirping so you feel like you're on a blanket in a park somewhere listening to someone to play the harp while the birds tweet in the trees. Love.


Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:8 (ESV)
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God is love. This statement helps define who God is. The new commandment our Lord Jesus gave us is to love one another like He loves us (John 13:34). He said that this would be our witness to the world that we are His (John 13:35). We are to love the just and the unjust like He does (Matthew 5:43-48). The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22). His love flowing out of us like rivers [abundance] of living water should define who we are (John 7:38). Practically what does this kind of love look like?
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“I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you.
I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you.
I do not envy your possessions or your gifts because I love you
and want you to have the best.
I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours.
I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.
I am not rude because I love you and care about your feelings.
I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs.
I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.
I do not keep a record of your wrongs because I love you,
and ‘love covers a multitude of sins.’ “

Jerry Bridges
Action Statements based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
The Discipline of Grace, p. 39