Acts of the Spirit // Love

This week Pastor Nicole started our NEW SERIES. We’ll be diving into the FRUITS of the Spirit in the book of Acts. Pastor Nicole started us of with the core FRUIT; LOVE!

Love. It’s more important that a good feeling or even a kind gesture. It is the foundation of all the fruits of the Spirit. Everything we do as followers of Christ should be rooted in love. Love is not just one fruit of the spirit but it IS THE fruit of the Spirit. And everything else (joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control) is a by product of our love.

Our Love for God

Jesus tells us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love people the same way. Our love for God is key in living out a Christlike life. In Acts 18, we see Paul’s love for God lived out in practical ways. Tentmaker by day, preacher by night. Paul did whatever was necessary to ensure the gospel of Jesus could be preached. No matter how hard the task was! His love for God drove him to whatever it took to keep his mission on track.

Partnership

Paul’s love for God wasn’t the only thing fueling his ministry. It was the support and team work that surrounded him. The people in Paul’s life shared in his burden; working side-by-side to make sure Paul could continue to preach the gospel. Love for one another is part of what strengthened Paul and his ministry. Their love was more than feelings! It was about working together, serving one another, and carrying each other’s burdens.

God’s love for us

It’s not just the love our community has for us that keeps us moving forward, but it is the love God has for us. In the midst of Paul’s struggles, God took time to love him and encourage him. The Lord told Paul to stay the course, don’t give up, because God was with him. Our love for God, our love for our community, and our love for outreach are all deeply rooted in God’s Love for US!

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect… We love because he fist loved us.

1 John 4:16-19

Don’t miss any of this series, as we continue to explore how to live out Christlike love in practical ways. Through his characteristics of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.