Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Love Intentionally

I'm doing a teaching series called "Fanning the Flame"-we're addressing the question of How do you Stay in Love and Keep Growing in You Love for each other. Can you do that, is it possible to stay in love with the same person for the rest of your life and not just settle and live together or separate to find someone else?

The answer to that question lies in your understanding of love. Most of us think love is something that happens to us-we fall in love. God, however, has given us a living example of love and it is not something that happens to us but something the we chose to do.

The only way to "stay in Love and Grow in Love" is to LOVE INTENTIONALLY... to chose to love in spite of what the emotions are... to choose to serve the other and put their wants, needs and desires ahead of ours.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4)

"...in humility consider others better than yourselves." Please notice that he does not say they are better than you-only that we are to consider them better. This is the choice we get to make every day.

So, what will you do today to consider those closest to you better than you?

Monday, September 12, 2011

Is It possible???

Yesterday I began a new series (Fanning the Flame)on relationships-specifically marriage. In a world where most marriages and relationship fall apart, people today want to know is it possible for two people to stay together forever and be happy while doing it.Most people have never seen it happen. Most people have watched as one or both spouses have walked away from each other.

Yet, in spite of all of this, I believe that most people think that it IS possible for two people to stay together and grow in love together and even be happy in the process. They just aren't sure that it can happen to them.

Jesus said:

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4–5)

I believe God has placed that desire and longing within us. And, I believe that it is possible for two people to stay together forever and be happy. Tell me what you think...

Later this week, we'll discuss the key to staying in love-because there really is one.