Sept 14

1 John 4:7-11

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.

A league of their own is a film about the women's professional baseball league that existed during World War 11. At one point in the movie, the star catcher for the Rockford Peaches, Dottie Hinson (played by Geena Davis), tells the manager, Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), that she's quitting the team to go home. "It just got too hard," she says. "It's supposed to be hard," Dugan says. "If it weren't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." Jesus spoke similar words to his disciples when he said, If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:46-48). Dugan was talking about baseball, of course, and Jesus was talking about loving those who are hard to love. But the message is strikingly similar. Are you having trouble loving that kid who's made fun of you ever since you were both in third grade? It's supposed to be hard. If it weren't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. Having a hard time loving that teacher who gives you homework every night, even on weekends? It's supposed to be hard. If it weren't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. Finding it tough to love the coach who won't play you, the neighbor who yells at you, the former friend who stabbed you in the back? It's supposed to be hard. If it weren't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. Our tendency, of course, is to excuse or explain away our unloving attitudes and actions toward such people because it's so hard. But love isn't right only when it's easy; it's right when it's hard, too. In fact, loving such people-the ones who are hardest to love-is not only hard, it's impossible without God's help. And God knows that. That is why "he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love" (Romans 5:5). As we spend time with him and rely on him, he will help us do the right thing and love even those who are hard to love.

REFLECT: Whom do you find easy to love? Whom do you find hard to love? Think of something you can do this week to act in love toward these people, both those you find easy to love and those whom you have a hard time loving.

PRAY: "Thanks, God, for your Holy Spirit, who makes it possible for me to love others."

hmph i typed in a devotion but it got erased me upset......
okay well this whole message about LOVE has been really important for the past two(?) devotions so i will try not to make it sound too repetitive...
8: But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God is pretty much love in a nutshell. He commands us to love others, and to love Him. He loved us so much that his one and only son died on the cross for our sins.
well that's it for now...i forgot what i wrote on the devo that i wrote before it got ERASED!!!
weelll see you peeps tomorrow!

Ok so I didn't get much today, but one verse caught my attention.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
Basically it's saying to follow and live God's example. God made us to care for each other and to love everyone as much as we can.
Bleeehh sorry kinda short!
Bye!

hi

Jesus spoke similar words to his disciples when he said, If you love only those who love you, what good is that?

i can relate this to the sermon Pastor Dan preached about invisibles. except its about talking and knowing that there present instead of loving but can be related similaarily. So, if you talk to the people you only know, you will never meet new people. It is good to talk to your friends and all but you should still try to go out and talk to people that are not your friends. Relating back to the story, loving the people you love is natural but we should love others as well. Loving only the people you know will only limit you for God has loved us we should be like him and Love every

bye

Don't have a really specific thought on this one......I have the main idea though.
You can not fully know god if you don't understand what love is. Love has been Everywhere and all the time. It's how we were created. In the begining, god made Adam and shared his love to everyone else that came later. Part of god is basically love. Why else would Jesus die on the cross? His love never changes and will always be.
God has everlasting love!

Yaaay! K, goodnight....I'm tired.
Audrey

JUST GOT HOME FROM MY FRIEND'S 18TH BIRTHDAY PARTY. Filipinos have crazy, elaborate traditions. LOL
Walking around in heels - tedious. Eating for hours and hours - tedious. HOT CANDLE WAX DRIPPING ALL OVER MY HAND - TE DI OUS. OK. LOL ANYWHO

Surely we ought to love one another...
We ought to! But we don't love everyone..
In fact, it's very hard to LOVE anyone. No one has the time or effort to truly appreciate everyone for the person they are. But in all honest, who are we to decide that someone isn't worth our loving?
Like I keep saying in past devos, crank your understanding and sympathy, up a notch.
But trying to understand, I think the loving we're supposed to have is more about giving back to God by being kind hearted and generous, rather than literally taking the time to love every single person separately.

But then, that's just my interpretation!

In relevance to yesterday's devotion, when something is brought up so many times, it tells me that scripture is emphasising something.
Obviously love should not be taken lightly, instead, being prioritized in relationships with everyone.
For me, ITS SO HARD to love those that don't give any back to you.
I often think that they don't deserve anyone, sometimes not even Jesus.
And thinking that is probably a sin.
While so easy to love one another, the more difficult way always seems to be what God ALWAYS wants.
Although it took me some time to understand the true meaning of loving one another, I always struggle with it.

ill goo eeeen tomorrow... cant think

I remember another devo like this...
Love your neighbours as you would love yourself. Whether its a close friend, or an enemy.
i know i speak for others when i say that everyone finds it easier to love their close friends and family. But finds it difficult to love your enemies.
10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.

Just think of it as we're all childnre of God and God is the one who treats us equally... so we should follow in his footsteps and also do as well.
If you still find it hard to love your enemies... pray until God gives you the strength.