Sunday, December 8th, 2013

Love and honour your neighbour.

The Gospel:
-Is good news.
-Is the greatest sacrifice.
-Saves us, saves everyone.
-Pure for us, pure for everyone.

The most amazing thing may be the fact that Jesus was perfect, He was without blemish. Jesus didn't deserve what He got but He did it for us.

Bible Verse:
The Greatest Commandment

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
-Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)

^-The Pharisees tried to test/trick Jesus.
-When Jesus responded to them, this was a common answer during that time, and didn't really surprise the Pharisees.

*Love your neighbour as you love yourself.
-Some people love themselves too much, while other loves themselves too little.
-How can YOU love SOMEONE ELSE, if YOU don't love YOURSELF? Furthermore, how can YOU love YOURSELF, and not LOVE your NEIGHBOURS?


DO NOT cheat yourself by thinking:
-"I'm so fat."
-"I'm not good at anything, I never will be,"
-"I'm not pretty enough."
-"I'm not good enough."


*Why do you love yourself?:
Why God says you should love yourself:
-"You're beautiful"
-"You're made in My image."

Why the world says you should love yourself?:
"You can love yourself if:
-You're skinny.
-You're pretty.
-You have all these guys/girls going after you.
-If you're better than everyone at everything."

Don't let the message of the world suffocate you. This can lead to so many horrible things like self-harm, depression, bulimia, and a million horrible things otherwise.


**God sees you as BEAUTIFUL:
^This is powerful and meaningful if one understands who God is.

God says: You're beautiful.

But to see ourselves as God sees us, to love ourselves genuinely with humbleness and confidence is not easy. That's why we need each other to support one another in this struggle. We need to:
-Create a community where we're uplifting one another.
-Honour each other.

Do not try to fulfill you're own needs by just saying words to each other, don't do it for your own ego. Genuinely love yourself and others.


Giving > Taking:
-Giving brings fulfillment. It gives a bond and connection between people and brings emotional fulfillment.
-When someone genuinely appreciates a gift you give to them, you feel fulfillment.


-Love and give to others.
-Loving yourself & loving others go hand in hand.


Bible Verse:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

^^Apply this verse in the context of loving yourself.
Be patient with yourself.
Be kind to yourself.
Do not envy others with what they have, focus on what YOU have and the blessings that have been given to you.
Do not boast about yourself or the love you have for yourself.
ETC.



*I don't know if anyone does Sunday devotionals anymore but I just want whoever that may be reading this to know: God loves you, God says and knows you're BEAUTIFUL. Regardless of what others may tell you, you're worthy, and loved. You're unconditionally loved by The Most High God, and that will NEVER change. Hope you have an amazing week!!

:')