Initiative (4)

1 John 4:19

IM starting with the man in the mirror

I’m asking him

to change his ways

If you want to make a world a better place take a look at your self and make a change.

One section of the song Michael went on to say

I,ve been a victim of a selfish ind of love

Man in the mirror is a song performed by Michael Jackson and written by Siedah Garrett & Glen Ballard

I liked this song growing up, the melody is beautiful and the words were positive. Michael was challenging each of us to look at ourselves and be committed to change. Take responsibility for the change. He wanted to see a different knd of love. He said I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love.

Look at the world today would we say it is a better place?

Michael made a great song and it did motivate the masses temporarily. Man in the mirror Stayed at #1: 2 Weeks - sold 30,000 million copies and currently has 150 million views on You tube. This tells us that mutiple people ahs seen this and are atill hearing it today. However we have not seen significant change.

The songs was a feel good song that made alot of money but here is where they missed opportunity if seeing change was the goal.

Micheal said we need to change ourselves to see this different kind of love he was singing about . So the girl was sexually abused at a young age and iss still stuck in the trauma sholudchange herself. The man who grew hearing his Dad tell him he is no good should be able to just change himself. The woman who grew up in poverty and feeling less than should be able to change herself. The children who watched their parents shhot themselves up with drugs

We weren’t told how to change where to go to for directions, how the change will manifest. He just told us to change to get this different knid of love.

In the Book of 1 John 4 : 19

John matter of factly informs, reminds and challenges that we love because He first Loved us. John is speakin confidence letting us know that the change(our ability togive a different kind of love) is not only possible but has taken place already. In other words we are loving.

We are loving because He fist loved us. John didn’t say

we might love, God is going to teach us how to love. John is reminding us that it’s done, we doing the thing!

John writes this statement showing there is a link between our ability to love and the fact that we were first loved - he used a conjunction to craete this link. There are many conjunctions but the writer chose the conjunction -because . The word Because shows cause and effect. Here John wants us to be aware of the fact that the Agape love that we operate in is a result of What our Fathr did first

Effect - our repsonse

We - Humility - he states everybody all a we. There is no prejudice no seperation. he did n’t say the most intelligent. or more degress or street smart. He didn’t make a distinction because or race or ehtnicity. There is no special treatent because of economic status or how much money in the bank. He said we. He didn’t say I or you or yinna them. John said we. Everyone has been given the gift and ability.

Unity - we see a one ness because of this. Since there is no seperation it make it easier to operate in a Spirit of oneness. All a we is one. one love from one source. Even bob Marley understood the assignment one love one heart let’s get together and feel alright.

Community - Since we are all in this together aren’t we suppose to look out for each other and help each other on this journey?

like the God head everyone has the ability

Cause -

We love - We are patinet, kind, long suffering giving the character of God.

The reason we love is bescause he first love us. When love we are paying back a debt to our Father. The people we love don’t owe us anything. If they do it’sconditional love whch is really manipulation in which our Father gets no glory. That is why we should not love with conditions. The conditions have already been met. When we decide not to love a person we are really holding back on a gift that someone else has given us. We are saying look my Heavenly fathwho loves unconditionally, look past all my faults and failures and loves me and has given me the ability to love you but Im not gonna be able to do that because you are not meeting my criteria.

Example - initiative, He did it first! As we look through scripture we see countless accounts of God’s love extended to mankind. The greatest example of His love is the work done through Yahweh on the cross. Which means we are celled to take intiative to be patient, kind, long suffering,

Experience - provided us with an experience. Since we experieced it we now what it is and understands what it is we are giving. its like a transferrence we are the well from others can draw. He replicated his love in us so that his love is everywhere just like he is everywhere.

Equipped us gave us the ability to love - operate in his power - transformative it will bring results. Michael told the people what to do but they are not equipped. the scripture says God has given us everything that pertains to life and Godliness. Everything we need to love is on the inside of us.

Results. Just as we love because he loved those around us will love because we loved

Conclusion - Writer wrote from the position that we have already received the command and we live in light of it.

you first love us -We are made in his image - mirror the reason our Father first tells of his character is because we are suppose to live like a reflection of him when he s his character all thouugh his word automatically we should see a mirror being held up we are without excuse because we have an example. in his love he gave us bue print to follow

It appear that His love has not changed the World but it has. The difference here is the love Michael Jackson is describng is a love

to see change here on earth. That is good! However those of us in Christ Know that this earth is going to be destroyed it going to get as bad as it did before the flood during the time of Noah. will behis charge for love is not only for this life. The transformation tht His love brings tascends this worlds and ushers us into eternity. Michela wanted us to change the world but we need the world is not going to change. When we love wit God’s love we are used to Change people from being here in this world to spending eternity with our Master. We love because he first love us. Thats the reason we love but we n