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love connections

God made us with a need to connect with other people.  We corrupt relationships and connections by loving stuff more than loving people.  We miss the best by loving anything other than God.  How do we connect with people?  How do we keep ourselves from connecting with people?  What happens when you and I don't have or don't show love?  We are empty.  Relationships are empty.

 

1 Corinthians 13:1-4a (NASB) ---  If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind …

 

God intends for us to connect with Him and to connect with people.  God made us for relationships.  Connect with GOD --- love the Lord with …   (Matt 22:37-39) and Connect with PEOPLE --- love your neighbor.  We can do this in several ways.  Here are a few:

 

Connecting through what we say … v.1

 

Sometimes our words are empty even when we say something.  Our words need to be full of God and His love.

 

Proverbs 18:21 (nasb) --- Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

Ephesians 4:15 (nasb) --- but speaking the truth in love

 

What are we saying?  Are we just making noise or are we making a difference?

 

Connecting through what we believe … v. 2

 

When our faith is in action, we are acting on and sharing what God has given us.

 

James 2:19 (nasb) --- You believe that God is one You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

 

James 2:26 (nasb) --- For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

 

What do we believe?  Is the way we live saying we have empty lives or we are making a difference?

 

Connecting through what we give … v.3a

 

We must be making what we give count (our time, talent and treasure).  Some people just give enough to make themselves feel good or maybe "its all about me"!

 

Proverbs 22:9 (nasb) --- He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor.

 

What are we giving?  Are we giving of just barely what we have or living a life of giving?

 

Connecting through how we live … v.3b

 

We are to be a living sacrifice – the way God intended – God centered living.

 

Romans 12:1 (nasb) --- Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

 

Galatians 5:13 (nasb) --- For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

 

Do our lives count for nothing or count for something?  Do we want our relationships to last?   Then we must Connect with God and Connect with others the way God intended!  Those are the best love connections.

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