Sermon Notes - "God Is Love"

What a beautiful way to start our day...

After the choir sang the above anthem this morning our Pastor shared with us the following message:

Scripture Lesson:

I John 4:7-14

7.  "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; 

and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9.  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, 

that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, 

that we might live through Him.

10.  In this is love, not that we loved God, 

but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11.  Beloved, If God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

12.  No one has seen God at any time.

If we love on another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

13.  By this we know that we abide in Him,

and He in us,

because He has given us of His Spirit.

14.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world."

Here are the highlights of this message given to us today. The Pastor started out by saying that there are some things we need to hear from God,

and #1 is "Chill Out!"

• Relax! Stop trying so hard to make things work out the way you want it to work.
• We are not in control!
• God is in control!
• God is good!
• See and understand God's plan is 1,000 times better than our plans.
• God's plan has been written since day one!
• God's plan is much better!
• God is not looking for qualified, "rock star" people
• God is looking for those who are willing and available.
• God calls us to do something amazing for Him.
• Surrender your plans...God will lift you up...God's plan is better!!
• Nothing is wasted when it comes to God's plan. 
• He doesn't want anything from us...HE JUST WANTS US!!...
• He wants us...to worship, show love to one another...to Him...
• He loved us before we were created.
• He wants us to love Him.
• When we humble ourselves and listen to what He's telling us to do, He will guide and lead us to do what is best.
• God calls us to pray for others...we need to humble ourselves and listen for that voice of God...

One of God's beautiful places

"Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge."

Psalm 46:10-11

Tonight's sky

As usual, I left the service this morning feeling like the message was preached especially for me...with all of our great "plans" we are making, we have to remember that God's plan is always the best plan...and sometimes His plan may be different than what we thought or dreamed...but it is always the best plan!

And so, with that in mind, I look forward to whatever way the Lord will lead us in the coming days and weeks. We are placing our future completely in His loving, capable hands...and know that He is God...and He will do what is right and best for us.

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given.  I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously.  Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said.  Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear...  That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts.  So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Sermon Notes, FUMC Interlachen, FL., Pastor AC Myers, October 7, 2018