CHOOSING LOVE

CHOOSING LOVE

Mark [ESV] 12:30-31 [Jesus explained] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

  Stormie Omartian wrote CHOOSE LOVE, 3 Simple Choices That Will Alter the Course of Your life. I recommend the book.

  Once upon a time I had the idea that love is primarily feelings. After initially trusting Jesus as Redeemer I soon learned that my childhood ideas were contrary to the Truth. (I already saw love as commitment but considered the choices narrowly my domain.) Reading Scripture including compiled sections on the topic plus authors’ Bible-based books on the subject altered my mind and heart. And continues to do so.

  Omartian’s writings cover 3 main areas that must be embraced and exercised in order. From the Table of Contents:

Choose to Receive God’s Love for You.

1.       See yourself as God sees you.

2.       Understand Who God really is.

3.       Receive all God has for you.

4.       Read God’s love letter to you. [The Bible]

5.       Accept God’s grace and mercy.

6.       Recognize the ways God loves you.

7.       Know what God’s love will do in your life.

Choose to Express Your Love for God.

8.       Love Who He is wholeheartedly.

9.       Live His Way uncompromisingly.

10.   Learn to worship Him lavishly.

11.   Look for ways to trust Him completely.

12.   Lean on His Wisdom enthusiastically.

13.   Leave the world of His enemy entirely.

14.   Long for His will and presence continuously.

Choose to Love Others in a Way That Pleases God.

15.   Is consistently loving others really possible?

16.   What if I can’t be patient and kind?

17.   In what ways do I reveal a lack of love?

18.   How will others know I am God’s? [Recognition.]

19.   Isn’t it selfish to learn to love myself?

20.   What if I’m unable to bear, believe, hope, and endure all things?

21.   How can I show love in every situation?

    Again I encourage acquiring, reading, reviewing and considering the Bible references therein, and thereby strive for godliness pleasing to our Lord and King.

EBB4   Tuesday, June 19, 2018