A Motto

Love God.
Love Each Other. 
Love Our World.


This is my church's motto, and I'm pretty much adopting it as my own just because it's awesome.

Why is this our motto? Glad you asked.

These are the greatest commandments.

Love God.
Matthew 22: 37-38
'And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind. This is the great and first commandment."'

Love Each Other. Love Our World.
(pretty much the same thing)
John 13:34-35
'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.'

But what does this mean? How do I follow this motto?

Once again, I'm glad you asked.

There was a time in my life that I thought about these things too. How do I love God? What does it mean to love each other? Love my world? Why should I do that?

My small group(yes, you should get in/start one. They rock!) went through this a few weeks ago and we came up with some awesome ideas!

Love God.


How do I love God? How I show God I love Him?
By the way I live. By how listen/read His Word. How I praise Him shows Him my love.

Love Each Other.


How do I show fellow believers that I love and care about them?
Praying for them. I listen to them when they need someone to talk to. Giving them someone they can count on. Being their friend in their lowest times. By helping them spiritually, physically, financially.

~

First, before I list the ways I love my world, I'll answer the question 'Why?'.
When you show love to others that seem like they don't deserve it, they wonder why. And why? Cause that's what my King showed me, love that I didn't deserve. When they ask why I do the things I do, I tell them it's cause my King wanted me to show others the love He gave me. In John 13:34-35, remember what it said? 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.'
That is why I love my world. I want to show them my King so that they too can know Him!

Anyway...

Love Our World.

How do I love my world?

By helping them spiritually, physically, and financially. Praying for them.

Pretty much the same things as loving each other.

My challenge?

Love God.

Love Each Other.

Love Our World.

~tJf~

How Deep

His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

He died for this lonesome sinner,
He died up on that tree.
He died for this lonesome sinner,
Yes He did this all for me!


His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

He rose for this lonesome sinner,
He rolled that stone out of His way.
He rose for this lonesome sinner,
Jesus Christ, He did this for me!


His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

He redeemed this lonesome sinner.
Washed me white as snow.
He redeemed this lonesome sinner,
He redeemed me to His Father,
Oh how deep....how deep is His love for me!!


His glory in the sunsets,
His love deeper than the sea.
How great is His grace!
How awesome is my God.
Oh! How deep is His love for me.

I see His glory in the sunsets,
I feel His love deeper than the sea.
I see His greatness in His creation,
Yes, I feel His deep love for me.

Jesus, Your love for us is deep.
Oh how deep is the love You give.
Oh how deep Your love is for sinners,
Sinners...like me!

One Savior, One Love

One Love.

One Man.

Countless sins.

Countless wounds.

Blood spilled.

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

Me, a sinner, dragging through the muck of sin. My burdens, weighing down on my back. Feeling alone. I'm falling into a hole. Darkness fills my being, threatening to choke me. I can't see.

One Love.

One Man.

Countless sins.

Countless wounds.

Blood spilled.

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

I fall on my face. I can't go on. My sins, burdens, pushing me down. I'm a dirty, selfish sinner, with no hope of ever getting through on my own.

One Love.

One Man.

Countless sins.

Countless wounds.

Blood spilled.

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

A hand touches my shoulder. My burden begins to lift. I look up into eyes, eyes that look straight into my heart. 

Who are you?

One Love.

Who?

One Man.

I hurt.

Countless sins.

How can I get help?

Countless wounds.

What will take these burdens away?

Blood spilled.

You?

Love poured out.

Sinners, made clean.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Love.

Believe in Me. I'll take these burdens, I'll make you white as snow. Through My work on the Cross, I'll show you My love.

-The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came down to the earth. He left His seat on the right hand of God. He came and was born in a manger. He lived among us, felt what we feel, shared in our pain, wept with us.

He came and lived a perfect life. He did this for us, sinners. God loved us enough to send His Son so that we could one day live with Him and worship Him.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

The world. He loved the world enough to die and raise again. He broke the chains of death. He defeated the darkness with His light.

Now we who were once lost, are made free through the blood of Jesus.

Believe in Him and He will make you a new man.

No matter how far you think you are, you're never to far for His love, His redemption, for the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

One Savior.

One Perfect Sacrifice.

One Sinner made new.

One Love.

My King

You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

Sometimes it's hard.
Sometimes I can't see.
Sometimes I don't understand
But I know You're there!
I know You care
Jesus, You are my King!

You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

My burden is heavy,
I feel I can't go on.
Why does this trial burden me so?

You lend me a hand,
In the shape of the Cross,
You carry me,
You take my burden away from me.
Yes Jesus, You are my King!


You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

I bow at Your feet,
I praise Your name!
I worship You, oh my King.
You washed me clean,
You've done everything.
Yeah, You did it for me.
You gave Your life,
Jesus, You gave Your life for me.
Jesus, yes You are my King!


You are my King,
You are my King.
You are everything to me.
My Savior, My God,
Jesus, You are my King!

My King,
You are everything.
My King,
You are all I want.
My King,
You are my Savior....
Jesus, You are my King!

~t.J.f~

I Worship You

My God, My God,
You make me want to sing!
My heart sings Your praises,
My soul worships You!

I raise my hands to honor You,
I sing out my praise!
My God!
My God!
I worship You!

You deserve all the honor,
You deserve all our praise!
We raise You up,
We bow before You,
My God, I worship You!

I raise my hands to honor You,
I sing out my praise!
My God!
My God!
I worship You!

Hands raised!
Voices praise,
The name, of our God!

Our hands raised!
Our souls cry out,
We sing out our praise!
Oh, Our hands raised!
Our souls cry out,
We sing out our praise!

(Oh oh! Oh oh. Oh oh, oh oh. Oh oh! Oh oh. Oh oh, oh oh.)

I raise my hands to honor You,
I sing out my praise!
My God!
My God!
I worship You!

My God,
My God!
I worship,
Yes, I worship You!

~Teen Jesus Follower~

Just Cause

Oh why? Why would Jesus, the Perfect Lamb,
Why would He come and die,
To die for me, a selfish, dirty sheep?

Just cause,
Cause He loves us,
Yeah, He loves us so!

Jesus, the Mighty Redeemer, loved us.
That's me and you.
He loved us so much He died,
But then He smacked that ole death in the face.
Jesus, Son of God, rose again,
Rolled that stone away.

Why? Oh why did Jesus, Loving Friend,
Why would He do all this for me?

Just cause,
Cause He loves us,
Yeah, He loves us so!

Jesus, the Holy One, came to set us free.
On that tree, He died,
Died for you, died for me.
Jesus, Jesus, You set us free!

No longer are we burdened by the unsatisfying,
Worthless things, heavy laden by our sins.
Cause Your death,
Your blood,
Your love,
Oh! they have set us free.

Why, yeah why did He do this,
The Son of the Most High!
Why did He come and die?

Just cause, oh cause He loves us,
Yeah, Jesus, He loves us so much.
He was willing, willing to die.
Willing to be crucified.
Battered and broken,
He died and rose again!

Just cause, suffering and dying,
Just cause, setting me free,
Just cause, Jesus, my Savior,
Just cause He loves me, yeah, He loves me....

Rejection

With salvation, though it is free, there is a cost. This is something I learned at camp this summer.
People will tell you, being in the family of God will give you a grand life! You'll be prosperous and free! No pain!

Wrong.

Don't get me wrong, being in the family of God, being in the Kingdom IS awesome! It gives you the true joy only Jesus can bring.
Life can be great, but it might not always be easy.

"WAIT!" I'm sure you're saying. "I don't live in those countries where Christians are killed and persecuted. How is my life not always going to be the bee's knees?"

True, we are not tortured, jailed, killed for loving Jesus and being His follower, but we can still be persecuted. It's just in different ways.

Rejection

This is one that most people will face. It's one that I have personal experience with.

Rejection

To be in the Kingdom of God, to follow Jesus, there will be rejection. Not everyone wants the message, not everyone will understand.
In public schools, some people will scoff at the idea of staying pure til marriage, not getting high, or even being kind to the people that hate you. They don't understand, so they reject you. This is the kind of persecution most teenagers face. Friends turning their backs on them because of what and Who they believe.

But sometimes, its not just the unbelievers that shun you...it can be fellow Christians as well.

I think this is the kind of rejection that hurts the most. People you feel should be rejoicing with you, helping you along. People you think will be okay with your decision, the one you feel like God is telling you to make. You think they will be like 'whoa! Totally awesome! Go for it!' The reaction that hurts is 'what? You're joking...' or 'I will never speak to you again, why would you do that?'

Rejection.

It hurts, I know. It always does, but that is part of the cost.

Rejected

Following Jesus, you will be rejected, scoffed at, persecuted.

Well, this has been really uplifting hasn't it? But don't worry I have one more thing to tell you.

True, rejection hurts. At times, you want to give up trying to do anything. It just hurts so badly, but hear me say this:

When you are rejected, remember this, it is NOT you they are rejecting.

Nope.

Who they are rejecting? Let me tell you, Him. Uh huh, it's WHO's will you're following. That is the Person they are rejecting. They are turning their noses up at Jesus, not you. True, it feels like it's you, but technically they would probably still like you if you didn't know Jesus, if you didn't let Him change your life, or if you didn't 'put on your new self'. Jesus makes people uncomfortable because most don't want to change, they don't want anything to change about them or you. Change scares people, so they will harden their hearts and reject Him and His followers.

The only thing that will wake them up, well, really it's not the only thing, it's the only ONE that'll wake them up to the darkness they are sinking in is Jesus. He can change lives. His love is the only thing that can bring someone from the dark into the light. His love will shine through their doubts, their fears, their unwillingness. It just might take awhile.

Doesn't mean you should give up. You should respect their decision, but never give up. Just live a life for Christ and they will see. Show His love. Show His mercy. Show His works. Be His light shining in a world of darkness(Phil. 2:15).



Also, on a side note, I have found this out and the camp pastor mentioned this too.
When you are rejected, it forms a closeness to God you wouldn't have otherwise. He won't give you trials He doesn't think you can't handle. He sometimes 'prunes'(John 15) the branches to make them stronger.

~Teen Jesus Follower~