Today Lilly and I started our new topic – lifeline 2018 – Fix Our Eyes! Over the next couple of weeks leading up to Lifeline, we will be diving into topics, songs and bible verses that revolve around our 2018 Lifeline theme!

Today we focused on the theme “What do you love”, along with the song “Strangely Dim” by Francesca Battistelli!

Lilly talked about how “Strangely Dim”  reminded her of the story of the disciple Peter walking on water and how he had to fix his eyes on Jesus. Click here to read that story.

What do you love?

Actively – take out a pen and a piece of paper and write down that top ten things that you love, in order. (This could be anything, from your family and friends to your cat or car)

We have all set goals that we want to do better with our relationship with God, but here is the deal – Look at your list of things you love – what is number one? Family or friends, school, or maybe even something you know is a sin. I hope that you put Jesus. Because, honestly, sometimes I don’t think to put that first. It’s our human nature – we tend to think about the things that we see and experience on a daily – tangible things that we can touch and feel. We all have those days or even longer periods of time like 3 months or a year – where we don’t have Jesus as our number one true love. But as Christ-followers, this should be THE BIGGEST thing in our life – loving the Lord. The bible says….

Mark 12:28-31- “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important? “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

I will be the first to admit that I need to get better at this. I know for me that sometimes I get so caught up in the fact that God loves me so much that I forget that I should be loving God just as much. (Kind of not possible – Gods love is perfect- ours can’t)

HOW do we get better?

I got a lot of inspiration for this from this awesome blog.

Love with All Your Heart

Prayer – Loving God with all your heart means reserving the best of your affection for him. Start by sharing joys with him. Run to him first with your big news at work. Sing to him at the top of your lungs on a great day. Fill him in on your private hopes. Tell him how much you appreciate him. Boost him up to others.

Love with All Your Soul

Loving God with all your soul means dedicating your life to him. Begin by asking him, “How do you want me to spend my time, energy, money, and talents? What can I do with my resources to honor you?”

Find out what God values and stay true to those things. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”4 When you invite God into all areas of your life, he will show you how to live in a way that pleases him.

In every area of your life, look for ways to show your commitment to him

Now here is where your other list comes into hand – are your top priory’s this year about God? For God? Aligned with his will for your life?

John 14:15- “If you love me, keep my commands.”

Love with All Your Mind

Loving God with all your mind means backing up your passion with knowledge.

Begin by asking questions. Don’t be afraid to challenge him and wrestle with his commands and your beliefs. When I’ve asked tough questions, I’ve found that God welcomes genuine curiosity and dialogue. In fact, he hopes for it.

Then seek his answers. – The Bible, prayer, parents, pastors, other leaders, teachers

Each day, wonder about God.

Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Love with All Your Strength

Loving God with all your strength means persevering for him each day. To what lengths will you go for the one you love? It means you must muster your resources to protect your relationship with God every single day. It means you’re willing to change and sacrifice things to have him. It means being honest, and sometimes it means doing the unpopular thing. It means listening to the truth and holding yourself accountable.

Each day, be willing to fight for your relationship with God

Nehemiah 8:10 –Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

 

Thanks for listening! – Hannah