Part 2: Words of Affirmation

THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES: TRANSLATING LOVE - PART 2

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV)

• Everything − love = nothing.

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

“The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.”

1 Timothy 1:5 (NLT)

1. HOW TO BECOME A LOVING PERSON:

• GROW IN REALIZING HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU.

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

Ephesians 3:17-18 (NIV)

• PUT THE NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF OTHERS FIRST.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Romans 13:8-9 (NIV)

“Love never fails…”

1 Corinthians 13:8a (NIV)

2. EXPRESSING LOVE THROUGH WORDS.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

• The right word at the right time in the right tone to the right person is like gold.

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”

Proverbs 25:11 (ESV)

“And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’”

Matthew 3:17 (NIV)

• The goal is not to aim at having loving feelings. The goal is to become the kind of person through which loving actions flow.

MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS TO:

• Spend some time this week thanking God for all the ways He loves you.

• Show love to someone by participating in Love Week.

• Learn more about Jesus Christ and follow Him.

• Do this week’s YouVersion® Bible App Reading Plan: “Agape: A Father’s Love” (3 days).