Sunday Words of Encouragement March 31, 2019

Our Sunday School lesson was focused on 1 Corinthians 13 often described as ‘the love chapter’ All the spiritual gifts are only worthwhile if they are operating in love.
1 John 4:7 tells us to love one another...
The only debt we owe is the continuing debt to love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10.
Jesus gives a new command: “Love one another”... John 13:34-35.
Love is the indicator to the world that you are a Christ follower.

Pastor continued his series with Part 6 of The Bridge, based on Hebrews 5:12-14 and 6:1-7, titled “Growing Things”. It is easier to grow unwanted things than wanted things. Unwanted things will grow where you don't want them.
Wanted things only grow where they are planted and nurtured; encouraged to grow.
It takes skill and work, maintenance, to grow things you want where you want them.
If we want to grow something we have to plan and attend, maintain it.
Growing always happens but it may be in an unwanted way.
If we are only holding steady, we are most likely not growing.
Life is always full of change: we grow or diminish.
Doing what we've always done doesn't result in growth.
Who is responsible for your growth? You.
It is important to add resources to your life to help growth.
As we grow spiritually our capacity grows.

Point: Spiritual growth requires commitment to intentionally plane what is desirable and remove what is not.

If you take your hands off the wheel you will go off course.
We may try to manage our words and attitude. It isn’t really enough to hope that our good character and attitude will choke out the bad.
Time does not insure maturity. We have to feed ourselves.
If we want desirable things to grow...we have to plant desirable things.
If we don't plant healthy things in our lives, weeds and undesirable things will grow.
How do we know when undesirable things are growing in us?
There are warning signs. hidden thoughts and deeds.

Have we allowed undesirable things to grow within us? It will eventually come out. We will become critical, dissatisfied, self-centered.
We have to stop and take action to change.
We are able to have better things. Hebrews 6:9. To experience the ‘better’ we have to keep on….. Commitment to loving others is intentional and desirable. Hope grows into assurance. Hebrews 6:11-12.
If you are spiritually sharp and passionate, you will influence others.
Up your game.

I think this song fits today: Show Me How to Love

Verses for Today:
Hebrews 6:11-12 NLT
11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.


Lord, I pray that you will help me grow and increase my capacity to love others.