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.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you

why is it Good Friday?

Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation. We come to Friday. The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good? Jesus was treated as a criminal. He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him. His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure. That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the Passion of the Christ . Yet it is a good day. It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart. What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me: He is Redemption and Redeemer He too our Pain and Punishment He is our Righteousness and Reality He is the Savior and Life All of those happened from the cross. It was meant for the worst lawbreakers. It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law. It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus. Look

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba. Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve. Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba. There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met. No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more. These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana. On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours. We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours. We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good. We visited two partner churches. In the morning we were with one church that

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