True Greatness

          Here is the 2nd part of the first entry that I promised. The Sunday morning's Sunday School and sermon. Sunday School was about "The Light of the World". The sermon about "True Greatness". What does that mean you might wonder? Here are some quotes and verses about it and then below explains some more about the sermon that was taught this morning. The first part was "Confessions" like it says below. Now I am going to talk about darkness into light and Love. We talked about darkness into light during Sunday School and that was my first time going at the Sunday church. The sermon during church was about Love. That's why the first three are numbered like they are.
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John 1:1-9

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

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"Abundance lawlessness=Twiddling love"
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1. Confessions

2. Darkness into Light

3. Love
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1. Selfless Love needs to be displayed. No rights for You.

2. Serving Love-Verse 25 in John Chapter 13
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"Do things without anyone else caring out of love. Don't need to explain yourself." 

"We build our lives on a reputation when we shouldn't."

"Humility is knowing who you are and whose you are."
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How to Love:

-Grace
-Faith
-Peace
-Love
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"Pride drives wedges but love builds bridges." 

"Allow Jesus to love you."
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            Jesus is the Light in the Darkness.  He is the Person who made Everything, can grant life, and can lead people to Himself. It is strange that the topic was "Light to Darkness" because I have been thinking a lot lately about how I have been in the darkness on certain topics and because of certain situations going on in my life. I feel like I have had my eyes closed for so long and my heart cold for so long that I am having to reopen them now. Maybe it is just because I am growing more as an adult/women of Christ? I don't know but I have noticed a difference. It is really hard to move from darkness to Light but I want to see it. I want to see what God has for me in the Light. God didn't just want to leave his people in the dark. He cared enough about us that He wanted us to live in the Light of Him. In the Love of Him.
           Jesus can give us Light and by giving us that Light He is giving us a life that is important to live. The verses, in the last entry, about Jesus washing His disciples' feet in John is about selfless love. It is all about becoming a servant first and then someone important if at all. Jesus' view though is you have to show Love through actions more then words. I am not great at that but that is where confessions come in at and then in a way you act on those confessions if you can. Something I got that really held on tight to me was that selfless love is to be on display for all to see. This is how people know we are in Love with Christ and Love with Christ's Love.
           I love verse 7 of John 13 because it says "You do not realize what I am doing right now" and that is Jesus saying that to Simon Peter because Simon Peter asked Him what He was doing. Sometimes, or should I say a lot of times, we don't understand why people do what they do and it is because they are doing it out of Love. Sometimes we don't even understand why we do what we do. We want to do the opposite at times but yet we move towards Love. It is Love that builds people up. It is Love that encourages people to do their best and be their best.
            We are so scared to truly Love because the world around us won't understand. They will think that we are just too weak or too soft. I know because I am a soft hearted person myself and that is something that is hard for me especially with my friends. I care deeply and dive right into the real stuff. I don't like smell talk. That's why I can't be friends with most guys because they might be thinking that I am hitting on them when really I just want to know them deeper as a friend if that makes sense. To be honest, I am scared to Love in the world today because people especially guys can and do take it the wrong way. We seem to want to build a reputation on something other then Love when really we should be building it on and with Love itself.
             The preacher gave us 4 steps on how to love so here they are for you:

-1. Grace-Knowing that you are accepted and forgiven by Christ. So much that you can give others Grace when they need it too.
-2. Faith-Knowing that God accepts you for who you truly are and that you accept that piece of knowledge.
-3. Peace-You have to be at peace with God as a Child of God and where you are at in your life so you can Love on other people. You know for sure you are where God wants you to be for that moment in time.
-4. Love-Doing things for the ones closest to you without caring what other people think. Not explaining yourself to anyone.

            For your sake, if you don't want to do it for God's, at least do it for yourself because it will suck the life out of you with all the worrying and thoughts that can take over your life. Trust me, I have been there and it is no fun at all. I am trying to get through those 4 steps but for some reason I am stuck on number 3. I can't seem to have Peace with who I am but I am searching for ways to get that way so I can Love like never before. I will say that the sermon today really made me do something right after church was over. I wrote tell you want other then this.
          I sat in the church parking lot and confessed some things to a friend of mine that I have needed to for a long time. That is why last night's sermon and this morning's sermon went together for me. I think God was leading me to do something that I have been needing to for such a long time but you know what. I kept it in for so long that it just made me more confused, angry, worried, sleepy, and I could go on with that list but the point is it wasn't good for my spiritual or physical health. It was really sucking the life out of me. Now granted, I may never know how this friend feels about what I did or if I changed a life but at least I listened to God and did it. It might be one of those things that I won't know about til I get to Heaven.
             Finally done with what I learned this weekend. I know God was sure working on me this weekend and this past week but it has been good and much needed for sure. Strange weekend to learn all of this. Things will work out for the best someday.