Part 1 launches tomorrow 8.1.16!
Read more about the Love Series here.
Love Series | Launching 8.1.16
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(Matthew 22:37-39 KJV)
Introducing… the Love Series on LizMargaret!
We have a desire to connect with others. And it’s perfectly normal. God created us to have this desire–and to have fruitful relationships with those around us.
In every type of relationship you can imagine, Christ is an example of how we ought to love. It’s quite amazing. Think about it:
In marriage:
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25)
We are called into the family of God, as His children:
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)
In friendships:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. (John 15:13-14)
In every example, Christ is the center. Everything points back to gospel. God Himself has modeled love for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Just as Christ laid down His life for us, we are called to do the same for Him. We are called to die to ourselves in our service to Him and to others as He commands.
Yet as we navigate different relationships (friendship, romance, family, etc), we often face pain, disappointment, confusion, betrayal, and heartbreak. Due to our imperfect nature, these feelings may be inevitable, but God’s Word provides endless wisdom on how we should conduct ourselves in relationships and what we should avoid.
When we remain rooted in Christ, we allow His will for our current and future relationships to manifest, as we are led by the Spirit to have discernment in who we allow into our lives and what it looks like to love them.
The Love Series will look at four women in the Bible who show that following God is the only way to live life and treat others as He intended.
Love Series | Overview:
Part 1: Ruth
Part 2: The Samaritan Woman at the Well
Part 3: Anna
Part 4: Elizabeth
These are real women, with very different stories. They exemplify faith as well as human faults. They are forgiven women, friends, disciples, and leaders. Each of them teach us that when the gospel is evident in the way we live, we are set apart from the world, bringing glory to God in our lives and relationships.
Look out for new posts in this four-part series every Monday, starting August 1, 2016!
Worship Wednesdays #11 | Great I Am
The profile // about the artist
New Life Worship
- Christian worship band (singers, musicians, songwriters)
- From Colorado Springs, Colorado (New Life Church)
The pull // why i like it
Another one of my favorite worship songs, “Great I Am” is so focused on who God is. Caught up in our daily lives and busyness, it’s easy to fall into the trap of forgetting the mightiness of God, but worship puts the focus back on Him. “Great I Am,” full of praises, is the mindset we need to carry every day.
The message // what it means
God is worthy of our worship and praise. There is nothing too hard for Him, nothing impossible, He is the most holy–He is our awesome God. His name itself is powerful. As followers of Christ, we have access to a powerful, eternal God.
“There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the
Presence of the Great I Am”
The call // best to listen when
Any day. Like I previously mentioned, this song reminds me of the mindset that we should always have towards our God. Singing praises to Him and claiming His promises bring much glory and honor to Him.
Worship Wednesdays #10 | Voice of Truth
The profile // about the artist
Casting Crowns
- Contemporary Christian rock band
- From Daytona Beach, Florida
Check out previous Casting Crowns #WorshipWednesdays posts:
The pull // why i like it
This song reminds me that following God is absolutely countercultural–in the best possible way. When you decide to accept Christ and trust in Him, you learn not to fear what the world fears. Instead you can be eternally-minded, in peace because of His promises, at rest because He gives you rest, and stable because of His love.
The message // what it means
Ever feel like life gets a bit “noisy”? It often seems hard to know which direction to take because there are so many opinions in our daily lives and online. However, when we have a solid relationship with Christ, we have access to the “voice of truth.” While the world will try to tell you who you are, where you should go, and what you should fear, God’s voice is the one that speaks the truth about your identity and that there is no reason to fear. It’s up to us to reject the voices that take life away from us and listen to the One who speaks life into us.
“Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth”
The call // best to listen if
You’re struggling with fear and confusion. Both are easy ways that the enemy can deceive us and steer us away from the course God has set out for us. But when we worship God and study His Word–when we listen to His voice–we will have victory over the enemy’s lies.
Worship Wednesdays #9 | All I Can Say
The profile // about the artist
David Crowder Band
- Christian rock and worship band
- From Waco, Texas
The pull // why i like it
“All I Can Say” is a powerful portrait of the moments when we are left speechless and weak in difficult times. This song’s gentle sound reminds me of the quietness in intimacy with the Lord and how beauty and strength are born in these moments. Even when things are not changing as we would like them to, we can hold onto Him.
The message // what it means
Sometimes it’s in the stillness of life’s chaos and confusion that we are reminded that God is with us. In these times, it’s important to fight back and understand that God has never left us and that He not only carries our burdens with us but desires to take them away. It’s often at our lowest points that we understand what true surrender to the Lord looks like.
“I didn’t notice You were standing here
I didn’t know that
That was You holding me
I didn’t notice You were crying too
I didn’t know that
That was You washing my feet”
The call // best to listen when
Definitely anytime. Specifically in times of weakness, when we feel consumed by what’s going on around us, this song is an encouragement that God is right there and hears us.
LizMargaret 