love is a choice.

"My command is this:

Love each other as I have loved you.  

Greater love has no love than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 

You are my friends if you do what I command.  

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.  

Instead, I call you friends, 

for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 

You did not choose me,

but I chose you

and appointed you to go bear fruit -- fruit that will last. 

Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  

This is my command: 

Love each other." 

- John 15:12-17

FACTS:

we are called to love just as he loved us.

what his love looks like:

he laid down his life for us.

what he calls us:

his friends


friend (frend) - n
a person known well to another and regarded with liking, affection, and loyalty; 
an intimate

friendship (frend-ship) - n

1. the state of being a friend; association as friends

2. a friendly relation or intimacy

what it all means:

love like him.

love our friends like he loves us.

lay down our lives for our friends

he is our friend.
what do you do with your friends?
do you spend time with them?
do you talk to them?
do you ask them for advice? 
do you laugh with them?
perfect! 
Jesus is exactly what you've been looking for!


we are to spend time with him like the friend he is.
with liking, affection, and loyalty.


this gives devotion a new meaning to me.
my morning devotions are literally that. 
i am devoting my time to uncover more about my friend.
i want to devote myself wholly to him,
 giving him the attention he deserves.
just like any friend i have on earth.
daily
hourly
thinking of him F I R S T before acting.
are my actions going to be detrimental to our friendship?

we are to lay down our lives for him.
because he did it for us,
and because
that's what's friends do when they love you!


putting it all together:

put aside selfish desire and want.

and serve him out of love.

serve him by sitting by someone you don’t want to.

someone that you know doesn’t know him.

serve him by reaching out to someone in need.

serve him by shining,

even when a lost person tries to put your light out.

they want that light.

and eventually their darkness will crack.

love is a choice. 

he chose us. 

and we must choose to love others. 

love must be learned again and again; there is NO end to it!

just like His love for us. 

unending and everlasting.

be blessed & keep shining!