Waiting on God means serving God. Serving God means serving people.
"Waiting" is an action. Let us not be found sitting around waiting for God to do something, let us come together and serve Him together. By serving Him, let's serve one another.
What does Love look like? What does God look like? God looks like Love. God 'is' Love. They are both one and the same.
Simplified: GOD = LOVE = GOD.
No if, and's, or buts.
Characteristics of the Love of God:
1 Corinthians 13:4 (The Message) >>
3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
1 Corinthians 14:1 >> Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.
It may seem like an impossible task to live up to the above, but it's not about making sure that you follow it to a tee. It is there as an example of what we should strive for, what we should be asking God to help us with.
It is a perfect example of what God looks like, of how he is with us. It is unconditional.
So when we are with our families & our children start driving us up the walls, or when you have a disagreement with your spouse, or you get reprimanded at work for something that you did not do, or even when your brother or sister in Christ starts getting funky with you for no apparent reason... Just think about the scripture above - the Love Scripture... and practice walking it out. Walk it out in Faith.
7-10My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.
If asked to paint or draw a picture of your 'LOVE' life, what would that look like? What does it look like when YOU walk in Love? Do you forgive or do you hold grudges? We all know now that Forgiveness is the same thing as Love.
We all Love God - at least that's what we all claim. We all want to know Him more and grow in Him more, but we cannot if we don't practice Love.
Let us continue to Love one another the way that God Loves. Purpose 'today' that you are going to walk in Love with everyone - and that includes people that you may not like or get along with. Choose to Love, and in that you Honor God, you give him Glory.
Love them because God loves them. Love them because they once were you. Love them because they need it. Love them because you Love God.
This past Saturday and Sunday at Vision Weekend, Davin Yokomori gave a remarkable illustration about being connected to God & to the church.
"Connection brings Protection" is what he said.
He said something about stubbing his toe, and how it affects the entire body and not just the toe. When you stub your toe, your hand immediately reaches down to comfort that hurt toe. The whole body felt this happen. Tears may have welled up... Certain words may have come flying out of your mouth on accident.
Bottom Line: Your whole body feels it.
When this happens, your body goes into protection mode.
the point? Well, the point is, is that while you are connected - whether it be to God or to Gods kingdom & family, when you are hurt, the rest of the body comes to help protect you.
But as Davin closed this thought off - He pointed out that if you're NOT connected, then how will anyone know that you need HELP. How will anyone know anything about you, how to help you.
In other words: When you stub your toe, I won't feel it. Cause your feet belongs to your body.
How are you getting connected? How are you staying connected?
What are you doing to help others get connected?
Be sure to get the DVD's if you weren't able to make it this past weekend!
What is the most important or 'Vital' part of your body?? Most people automatically say "The heart!".
But in the Words of Fika Esau: "If your heart is good and your liver is bad, you still going Make (die)"
Every part is Vital to the Body functioning to it's God given design. If you have a sprained ankle, then you can't run. if you have a black eye, then you can't see correctly... I'm sure that we all get the point. We are a team. Life is best done with others and not alone.
The bible tells us that we all (together) form the Body of Christ. Every part doing it's Share, working together... Doing LIFE together as a team, as ONE.
One Person cannot build Gods house alone. It takes all of us.
the next time you are sitting in church, take a look around you - look at all of the body parts working together to make service work, to Build Gods Magnificent House! His Magnificent church!
Ask yourself: "What am I doing? What can I do to help?"
Tell yourself: "It's time to do Life together!" and then link arms with the person next to you, smile and Dig right into what God has in store for you and your household! [1 Corinthians 12v12] > The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
[1 Corinthians 12v27] > Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
TURNAROUND: Luke 1:36b-37 Msg "... Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God." Maybe you were not suppose to succeed! Maybe failure & disappointment has been in your famil...y bloodline! Or they say in this economy you will never recover. . .I have Good news for you. . God can turn any history around. Its never too late, too far gone for a God TURNAROUND
It seems as if there should be a long drawn out answer with equation after equation piling one after another. But in actuality it is really quite simple: The impossible becomes POSSIBLE when God is in the picture.
We need to take a step back and settle that - "Ok, it may be out of reach for me... But WITH GOD, it's in my grasp!"
Think about all of those impossibilities in your life right now... Whatever it may be, big or small... Trust in God - He will always make a way where there is no way.
[Matthew 19v26] AMP >>> But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.
If we want to move mountains and have them cast into the sea... Then we must do it by Faith. What about Faith? Faith works by Love, the God kind of Love. Love that is pure.
Love that Forgives.
Love is Forgiveness.
We cannot move mountains if we don't Love the way that God Loves.
So search your hearts & Forgive those who have done you wrong, forgive those who have broken your heart, who have backstabbed you, who have lied to you... Forgive them all.
Release them to God and then watch your mountains move!
[Mark 11:22-26] >>> (22)And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly]. (23)Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. (24)For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. (25)And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. (26)But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.
