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don't pretend, really love people

We finished up our series on 40 Days of Love this Sunday and I shared just a few things that have deeply embedded in my heart since I have been working to memorize Romans 12.  Let me share some of that with you today (first here is a big portion of that Scripture).

 

Romans 12:3-10 (NLT)  --- 3 Because of the privilege and authoritys God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.  6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.  9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

 

It is not easy to get real, but when we do, God begins to do some incredible things.  It is not until we lose our lives in Jesus that we get back the biggest blessings and hear the most powerful vision we will ever have.

 

Getting real means I have to evaluate myself and be honest.  Some people think WAY too high of themselves while other people think WAY too low of themselves.  These verses say we have to measure ourselves based on what God says.  Not easy.  But that is right.

 

If we use the gifts God has given us, we are getting real.  Why it that?  It is because God made us to work together as a team.  When one of us doesn't do what God gifts us and calls us to do, the entire body suffers.  What is why we are to encourage one another.  So, find out what your gifts are and use them.  I am seen hundreds of people get free when they begin to do what God gives them the ability and heart to do.

 

The last piece of getting real has to do with giving ourselves away.  One of these verses says we are to really love people.  Stop pretending to love people.  Hold tight … church people are real good at this.  We fake it.  We say we love but don't.

 

When we love people, we will go out of our way to do for others.  We will sacrifice what we want for what others want.  Does that make sense?

 

The last verse.  It is powerful.  Take delight in honoring others.  When we put others first, when we really love others, God gets the glory and people are freed to be who God made them to be.

 

Lets help people get free in Jesus!

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