1. Mature Love

2. “The Holy Spirit’s first agenda is to establish the FIRST COMMANDMENT in first place in the Church” ~ IHOPKC ~

3. Immature Love Revelation 2:4 (NLT) But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first. Matthew 24:12 (NKJV) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

4. Mature Love We must have a passion for God more than the world’s passion for their idols! ~ Sean Smith ~

5. Mature Love Ephesians 3:19 (NKJV) And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

6. Mature Love My life is all about increasing in my revelation of God’s love and deepening my love relationship with God The Bridegroom loving His bride and the Bride then, in turn, increasing her love for her Bridegroom ( Song of Solomon )

7. Mature Love It begins and ends with your identify as the beloved: Song of Solomon 6:3 I am my beloved and He is mine – The disciple whom Jesus loves: Apostle John Jesus reveals the love of God to us

8. God is Love As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. ~ Jesus ( John 15:9 ) ~ With the same intensity that Father loves Jesus He loves you ~ Mike Bickle ~

9. God is Love The Father loves you because you Love me ~ Jesus ( John 16:27 ) ~

10. Mature Love 1 John 3:1 (NKJV) 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God …

11. Mature Love Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

12. First Commandment: Mark 12:30 (NKJV) And you shall love the L ORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

13. First Commandment: It’s impossible – – Receive love and be empowered by His Grace to Love Him back

14. Mature Love 1 John 2:5 (NKJV) But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. Perfected – teleio ō – complete, carry through completion, MATURE

15. 1. Maturing Love Serves Matthew 4:10... and Him only shalt thou serve. Our serving people is second, but serving Him is first We have truly missed the point of ministry when we serve people more than God

16. 1. Maturing Love Serves Jesus modeled (came to serve and not be served) Christians today are often all about being served instead about serving Him

17. 2. Maturing love sacrifices Ephesians 5:2 (KJV) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.

18. Maturing love sacrifices Luke 18:28-30 (TLB) 28 And Peter said, “We have left our homes and followed you.” 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and everyone who has done as you have, leaving home, wife, brothers, parents, or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over now, as well as receiving eternal life in the world to come.” “LOVE SACRIFICES”

19. 3. Mature Love: A Willingness to Suffer Jesus was willing to suffer for love’s sake Luke 17:25 (KJV) But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. Suffer – pasch ō –misunderstood, mocked, made fun of, rejection, abused,hated, demonic attacks

20. Willingness to Suffer Matthew 10:22 (NIV) You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

21. Willingness to Suffer Romans 8:18 (NAS) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

22. Willingness to Suffer Romans 8:17 (KJV) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

23. Willingness to Suffer Acts 5:41 (NKJV) So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. *Wrong view of suffering

24. Willingness to Suffer 2 Thessalonians 1:5 (NKJV) which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;

25. Willingness to Suffer 1 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV) - For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe

26. Willingness to Suffer 2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV) -Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution

27. Willingness to Suffer Hebrews 11:25 (NKJV)... choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.

28. Willingness to Suffer 1 Peter 4:16 (KJV) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. Revelation 2:10a (KJV) Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer

29. Willingness to Suffer 1 Peter 4:1 (NKJV) Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, (… arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: (KJV))

30. Willingness to Suffer 1 Peter 4:19 (KJV) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

31. Mature Love vs. Immature Love Mature Love 1.Serve 2.Sacrifice 3.Suffer Immature Love 1.Selfishness 2.Greed 3.Offended

32. Mature Lovers

33. Mature Love vs. Immature Love Mature Love 1.Serve 2.Sacrifice 3.Suffer Immature Love 1.Selfishness ( Lovers of Self ) 2.Greed ( Lovers of Money ) 3.Offended ( Lovers of Pleasure )