Purple Prose + Review

"What is Love?
A Bible Study
Week 12
"The End"
Verse for the week:
1 Corinthians 13:13 Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love-- and the greatest of these is love.
*********************** Well, friends, we made it!
Not only is this the last week of the 12 week 'Love' Bible Study, but it is also my 200th post on this blog! Kinda poetic somehow that it occured at the same time. :)
For the past 12 weeks, we have had one mission in this Bible Study, to determine "What is Love?"
We have looked at it from lots of angles. I'm sure there are hundreds more we could consider, but I won't. These past 12 weeks have been what I felt God wanted me to share with you :) The good, the bad, and the ugly.
We have one more verse to look at before we close the book (so to speak) on this study.
1 Corinthians 13:13-- "Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love-- and the greatest of these is love.
Your love will never die!
Want to make a difference in the world? Statues of famous people, monuments, they all crumble. People forget what they did. They have no idea who they ever were. But love, showing love, that lasts an eternity. One act of kindness from you can change a life... that can change another life, and so on.
It will live on generation after generation through the people you love now.
The people you help...
The people you encourage...
The people you love...
That will never go away.
Do you realize you are changing history? Right now, at this very minute, you are affecting the outcome of someone else's life. Some changes are big. Some are small. Some are good. Some are bad. But everything you do affects someone in some way.
Examples: *Buying a Gideon Bible could be the very one placed that helps someone on the brink of suicide decide they have something to live for.
*Giving food to the needy/food drive can cause someone to think, "Maybe there IS still goodness in the world."
*Chosing to talk to a friend about God can result in them being saved (even if it's not in your lifetime.)
You choices change lives.
That goes for the negative along with the postive, unfortunately.
Examples of that would be: *Gossiping can cause a sinner to think, "I'm no worse than she is. Why do I need God?"
*Hate for another person can keep us from telling them about Jesus which could seriously affect their future.
*A poor decision (drinking and driving) can affect so many lives.
We think we are all tiny, insignificant people in this vast sea of ever changing humanity. Once we are gone, we figure we will be forgottena bout.
But our legacy of love never dies.
If we only helped one person and that person helped someone else--- after a while everyone would be helped causing love to grow.
And your charity, faithfullness, and love for God planted the seed.
One hundred years from now, your name might not be remembered, but the effects of your love will stil be going strong-- like a never-ending, far reaching wave.
Notebook Question: What are some ways you are spreading love? What ways can you think of that you could do more?
12 weeks ago, we started out to answer the simple question "What is love?"
Well, here is the answer: Love is simply one thing. Love is the outbpouring of your heart for the wellbeing of another person.
Notebook Question: How do you define love?
People won't always treat us right and we will feel down. There is always some injustice in the world (or in our community).
We can't change the wrongs in the world-- but we can-- through love-- create positives to counteract them.
Faith/hope/love will endure forever.
You, with God's help, have the power to change lives.
How can we show love? Simple (1 Cor. 13:1-13) *Be patient *Be kind *Don't be jealous *Don't boast *Don't be rude *Don't be demanding *Don't be iriatable *Don't keep a record of being wronged *Don't rejoice in injustice. *Never give up *Never lose faith *Always be hopeful *Endure through everything.
A tall order to be sure.
Will we be perfect? Nope.
But thankfully we serve One who is-- One who lives in our heart and helps us love others like he did.
I'd love to close this Bible Study with one of the greatest acts of love ever committed.
John 3:16-- "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish-- but have everlasting life."
God Bless You, and thank you So much for taking the time to do this bible study. If it has helped you in any way or if you have any questions, I'd love to hear from you.
Kelly