Belong 201: A Ministry of Reconciliation

MONDAY

“Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 24:12) This is such a powerful verse. The love of most will grow cold and they will be overcome but those whose love does not grow cold will be saved!! Are you determined to keep your love burning and growing? We know that God is love and so today we will read Romans 12 and learn more about what we are to become if we desire to remain in Him!! As we read v. 9-21 we need to become what we read. Write each of the qualities of love you see in these verses on paper - this will be our vision list! Before each quality write down “ Love is...”and then write the quality in present tense. For example from v. 9 you can write: “Love is sincere. Love hates what is evil. Love clings to what is good.” After you write this examine these verses and ask yourself questions such as: What is the first quality of love? Am I loving if I am not zealous in my service to the Lord? Am I loving if I am not joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer? Go through the list you wrote and put your name in place of the word love. What areas are you the weakest in? Pray for God to show His power through your weaknesses and to cause you to grow in love. Your growth will be reflected and manifested in your relationships!! Don’t allow your love to grow cold - be among those who grow in love and are saved!!

TUESDAY

Read 1Corinthians 13: 4-8. Compare the list you made yesterday to this passage. As you read these verses put Jesus’ name in place of the word love. He fulfills each quality perfectly because He is love!! Now do the same with your own name. Repeat this exercise frequently as a spiritual workout!! Allow yourself to be transformed by the power of God and become more like him as you practice and become love.

WEDNESDAY

The Lord clearly teaches us what love is and that it is the fulfillment of all that God has commanded us (see Romans 13). He also teaches us how we can become stumbling blocks to one another when we don’t love. Today we will read Romans 14. Read carefully and ask yourself if you have been or are a stumbling block to those you have been called to love. If we act in a way which is destructive to a brother or sister are we acting in love (see v. 15)? Is it possible to destroy a brother or sister (for whom Christ died) through our own discouraging, unloving behavior according to this verse? What is the Kingdom of God all about in v. 17-18? In v. 19-21 what is required for great loving relationships (unity)? Read the vision list you wrote on Monday and pray for yourself that you may grow to fulfill love!!

THURSDAY

If you have offended someone and closed their spirit towards you (see Proverbs 18:19) how will you open it again? How can you open someone’s spirit once you have closed it? The Lord did not do anything wrong to any of us but we all had closed our spirits to Him at one time. He opened our spirits to Him again and rescued us with love (see Titus 3:4-5). Remember the qualities of love (i.e. patience, kindness and gentleness), these are the keys! Go once again to Ephesians 4-5. Chapter 4 and verse 31 lists the qualities which close the spirit, hurt, offend and destroy. What does v. 32 teach? What is the motivation for us? From chap. 5 v. 1-2 what is our calling? We are to live lives of love as Jesus did!! Read 1 John 2:6 and 2 John 6. Dwell on these and pray to God to shape you and mold you to become more and more like Jesus so you can walk as He did!!

FRIDAY

Read Philippians 2:1-18. The calling of the Lord’s church is to love and to be unified in spirit and purpose (v. 2). Jesus, the author of our faith is our example and He shows that to love is to sacrifice. But our tendency when we sacrifice or experience pain is to complain and argue. We have already learned how powerful our words are (whether it be to build others up or tear them down). How can we be different? How will our relationships be different from worldly ones? Verses 12-18 show us how we can become so different that we will shine like stars in the universe!! We will be more and more like Jesus if we become what we are reading here. What are the keys that you see in these passages. Practice these and teach them to others!!

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