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loved by God


Psalm 86:15  NLT
But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

There is nothing that compares to being loved by God, yet one of the things that sticks out to me is when I realized that God loves me.  That is a fact that no one can change.  God loves you.

One of the greatest things we can do is allow someone we have influence over to experience God’s love through how we interact with them.  Think for a few minutes about the facts of God’s love.  Here is a quote that may help:

“Love, no matter how you come at it, is a huge risk.  It makes it easier for me to remember that God will never reject me because I am not good enough and that any community that has His heart will embrace me as I am.  Jesus invites us into a community where imperfect people can find acceptance, love, forgiveness, and a new beginning.” ― Erwin McManus

Loving is a risk.  It is a risk on both ends.  The one who shares love takes a risk to show God’s love to someone else.  The person who takes or receives that love also takes a risk in opening up to accept it.

Living in community is a great place to experience God’s love.  This is not the kind of place where only Jesus followers lives.  An authentic Christian community is one that interacts with people around us and seeks out opportunities to love, forgive and accept others.  Often that love gives the opportunity for a new beginning.

1 John 4:7  NLT
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

Because this is Valentine’s week (the special day is Friday which is a reminder to go out and do something great for your sweet heart) I want to challenge you to examine the way you love and see how it matches up to how God loves you. 

Have I really experienced God’s love?  Am I helping others experience God’s love?  The words from McManus’ quote are great checkpoints for the love we understand or should share:

Am I accepting others?

Am I offering and often sharing forgiveness?

Am I helping to offer other new starts?

That is what God did for us.  I challenge each of us to chose people close to us and some people we don’t even know and demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways.  May God use us this Valentine’s Day to help others see just how much we are, they are loved by God.

Deuteronomy 30:6  NLT
“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!

Romans 13:8  NLT
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another…


NOTE: Pray for those who are hungry, cold and even homeless.  There may be a winter shelter opening.  If you are interested, please email me at mharrison@thecommunityfellowship.org for details.
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