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The Life of Virtue, Part 5

Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Love to God

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The Life of Virtue, Part 5 – Love to God

Objectives:

  1. To see the importance of God’s love
  2. To study how God’s love changes your daily life
  3. To understand how God’s love changes your spiritual life

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The Importance

  • It is the barometer of your spiritual growth
  • It is the driving force for a successful service
  • It is your way to Heaven

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The 10 Commandments

  • God gave Moses The 10 Commandments

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  • Exodus 20
  • Deuteronomy 5

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The Greatest Command

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

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“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’” (Matthew 22:37)

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The Meaning

  • The love of God occupies all your senses
  • There is no room for sins or lusts
  • The heart easily resists temptations
  • The heart seeks after spiritual actives rather than earthly pleasures like sports, movies, parks, etc.

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Andrew, The First Disciple

“Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” (John 1:35-38)

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Andrew, The First Disciple Cont.

  • We have no other wish but to be with you
  • John the Baptist directed his disciples to follow Jesus

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Jesus’ Message to Every Servant

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:1-5)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 5 – Love to God

Objectives:

  1. To see the importance of God’s love
  2. To study how God’s love changes your daily life
  3. To understand how God’s love changes your spiritual life

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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How God’s Love Changes Your Daily Life

  • Be occupied with Him
  • Thinking about Him
  • Talking to Him and about Him
  • Engaging Him in your daily activities
  • Sharing with Him your struggles and troubles - tests, trouble with teacher, friends, employer, etc.

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How God’s Love Changes Your Daily Life Cont.

  • In the morning, thank Him for granting you new day
  • When leaving the house, pray that He protects you and the house
  • On the way to school and work, praise Him or recite part of The Prime Prayers
  • Before you start homework, send up a short prayer
  • Before you go to sleep, thank Him

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Recite A Short Prayer During The Day

  • “My Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me, the sinner”

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  • “I love you my Lord, my strength” (Psalm 18:1)

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  • “Remember me O Lord when I come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42)

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Always Remember Jesus’ Request

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The Life of Virtue, Part 5 – Love to God

Objectives:

  1. To see the importance of God’s love
  2. To study how God’s love changes your daily life
  3. To understand how God’s love changes your spiritual life

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life

  • Prayer
    • If you love God, you would love talk to Him
    • Frequent and long prayers
    • Prayer with The Agbeya
    • Reciting short prayers
    • Doing matanias
    • Focus on praising God and not personal request
    • Praying for others

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Bible Readings
    • If you love God, you would love to listen to Him
    • Reading The Bible daily
    • Reading many Psalms
    • Memorizing verses
    • Knowing the important chapters
    • Spending time in spiritual mediations
    • Learning virtues
    • Finding a role model

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    • If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15-18

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:15-18)

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Church
    • If you love God, you would love to be at His house
    • Attending The Liturgy early
    • Listening to the reading as a personal message from Him
    • Participating in praising during Liturgy
    • Taking Communion regularly
    • Thanking God after Communion

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“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10)

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Saints
    • If you love God, you would love His saints
    • Because they are His disciples
    • They are Jesus’ family
    • You should enjoy reading The Synxarium and have an intercessor

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“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19)

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Saints

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Ministry
    • If you love God, you would love to serve His sons and daughters in expanding His kingdom

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“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs” (John 21:15)

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Types of Service

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-9)

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Ministry Cont.
    • Serving the poor and needy, Jesus’ brothers

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David said: “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1)

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    • Considering serving different needs like emotional, physical, financial, etc.

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Peace with Others

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“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21)

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

  • Peace with Others - Examples

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“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35)

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  • St. Paul and Silas

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How God’s Love Changes Your Spiritual Life Cont.

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How to Grow in Your Love to God

  • Remember God’s good deeds with you

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“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:1-5)

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How to Grow in Your Love to God Cont.

  • Remember God’s mercy with you

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“However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19)

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  • Remember how many times you went through a hard time and begged God for help and how He saved you or your family

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How to Grow in Your Love to God Cont.

  • Ministry

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  • Serving God entices your heart to love God
  • The more service = the more love
  • Love leads to more service

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How to Grow in Your Love to God Cont.

  • Prayer

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  • Serving God entices your heart to love God
  • The more service = the more love
  • Love leads to more service

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How to Grow in Your Love to God Cont.

  • Prayer Cont.

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  • Pray to God to pour His love on your heart
  • Ask God to make you love Him more than anything in your life
  • Ask Him to help you get closer to Him and resist sins

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How to Grow in Your Love to God Cont.

  • Repentance

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  • Think about what makes Him happy and do it

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“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7)

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The Life of Virtue, Part 5 – Love to God

Objectives:

  1. To see the importance of God’s love
  2. To study how God’s love changes your daily life
  3. To understand how God’s love changes your spiritual life

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Review Questions

  • X

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Memorization Verses

  1. “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;” (2 Corinthians 5:14)

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  • “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

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