love others Archives - Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel

Kurt Steinbrueck June 1, 2021

Blog evil, love, love others

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Hah! They Deserved That!

Hah! They Deserved that!

“it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:6-7

Have you ever experienced schadenfreude?

Webster defines schadenfreude as

“enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.”

For example, somebody cuts you off in traffic and then speeds off. Then a half-mile down the road you see them pulled off the road with a flat tire. “Ha!” you say,

“They deserve it!”

Love doesn’t delight in evil.

Sure a flat tire isn’t what we would call evil, but what about our delighting in the other person’s harm?

How would love respond in that situation? Would it taunt them or pull over and help?

Sure, there’s more to delighting in evil than celebrating someone’s trouble. We can all name people who we would say delighted in evil, like Hitler, Stalin, or Jeffrey Dahmer. However, schadenfreude is a part of it and probably something we are more familiar with.

Where might you struggle with schadenfreude and how can you change that?

Dear Jesus,

I have sinned against You. I have hurt You and sought to rebel against You and Your commands. Yet, You did not delight in my destruction. You came and suffered and died for sin so that I could be forgiven and restored. Please forgive me and renew me. Then help me to see others as You see them, to love them even when they hurt me or I think they deserve harm. Help me to love.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck May 22, 2021

Blog love, love others

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Love Is a Verb

Love is a Verb

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

How would you describe love?

Have you ever considered our use of the word, “Love?” There are different kinds of love. When we say we love pizza we don’t mean the same thing as when we say we love our mom.

When God talks about love, what does He mean?

With all the different ways we use the word, you might think it’s a vague concept in the Bible, however, it’s not. Thankfully, God describes love in the Bible. Perhaps the most vivid description of love is in 1 Corinthians 13.

When I hear people talk about love, they often are describing an emotion. They’ll talk about the emotional attachment to their kids as love or their attraction to the person they are dating as love. I’ve always found it interesting that God doesn’t describe an emotion.

God describes love as a bunch of actions and characteristics, being humble, content, patient, kind, and forgiving. This makes His command to love our enemies make more sense. I may not like my enemy (the person who seeks to hurt me), but I can still do these actions God calls love.

I can be kind and patient even when I don’t feel the emotion we call love…even when I feel hurt or angry.

In fact, love can often mean pushing aside our emotions in order to do something good and right. You feel like punching someone on the nose, but instead, you help them. You feel like cursing someone, but instead, you bless them. Jesus talked about this.

“But I [Jesus] say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” – Luke 6:27-28

This weekend, how can you do more than say you love someone? How can you show them you love them, according to 1 Cor 13?

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving me. Thank You for being patient and kind with me. Thank You for not being irritable or resentful of me. Thank You for forgiving me and caring for me. Help me to do the same for others whether I feel like it or not.

Amen

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck May 15, 2021

Blog Fame, love, love others

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Be Known For Something

“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 have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

When people look back at your life, what do you want to be known for?

Most of us, at least at some point, want to be known for something. For some, you may want to be known as a great musician or artist. For others, it may be as a great teacher.

When I watch the Olympics (when they aren’t canceled due to a pandemic), I see a bunch of people who want to be known not only as great athletes but as the best in their sport. They will train hours and hours a day, 7 days a week to be the best.

These dreams are all well and good, but there is something else that Jesus wants us to be known for, our love.

God is Love.

Jesus came to demonstrate His love for us by laying down His life for us. As those who have taken on the name of Jesus in our baptism, we too, are marked by and formed by love.

Seeking Fame At Any Cost
Today, social media has spawned a new age of people trying to become famous. It used to be that you had to work hard and be good at something to become famous, but now people try to become famous before they do anything of note and many are willing to do all kinds of unseemly things to get that fame.

I can’t help but remember Mother Teresa. She dedicated her life to loving the least in Kolkata. She didn’t seek fame, but it came to her and that fame came for a great reason…because she loved people.

I’m not telling you to be world-famous.

In fact, I think seeking fame is almost always a bad idea.

Most of us won’t be known to the world and that’s just fine. We are, however, known to those around us. It is in this sphere that we can have the greatest impact. The love we give to those around us builds them up. It gives hope and encouragement. It protects and cares for them. It can change someone’s life…It can save someone’s life.

The God who is love lives within us.

He has made His home with us. And He calls us to love one another as He loves. It is this love that Jesus wants us to be known for. As we show Jesus’ love to others, we show others Jesus. Nothing and no one else has a bigger impact on people’s lives than Jesus.

Heavenly Father,

The appeal of fame is alluring. Keep me from seeking fame. Rather, help me to seek ways to show Your love to others. I pray that at the end of my life, I would be known for the love I had for You and the people You put around me.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck February 16, 2021

Blog honor, humility, love, love others

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Honor and Love

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10

What are the ways you show love to others?

We all like to receive a pat on the back from time to time. In fact, it’s such a great feeling that sometimes we’ll even go out of our way to try to get one, boasting about this or that.

There are some people, though, who seem to always be on the lookout for ways to honor others. They find things to celebrate about the people around them. They may do it privately, with just that other person, commending them for something, or they may do it publicly with a party or announcement.

If Just Feels Good
If you’ve ever been blessed to know someone like this, you know how amazing it is to have the person in your life. They are the kind of person where it just always feels good to be around them. You may not even realize why.

This Could Be You.

This could be all of us.

What if we all sought to encourage and honor each other above ourselves? Could you imagine how good it would feel to be in a family where you were honored and encouraged? Could you imagine how good it would feel to be a part of a church like that?

Confidence, Humility, and Compassion
Being a person who encourages and honors those around them requires humility, compassion, and confidence.

Confidence – Know you are loved and that God knows your accomplishments and the good things you’ve done.
Humility – Having confidence, you do not need others to honor you to validate those accomplishments. So, you can humble yourself and lift others up.
Compassion – Finally, you must know and care for those around you to see opportunities to honor them.

Go ahead, give it a try.

Be that person that encourages and honors others. Be the person everyone loves being around because they always feel loved and valued around you.

You can start today. It can change someone’s day and even their life. It might even change yours.

Dear Jesus,

You humbled Yourself for us. You love us as no one else can. Help me to love and honor those around me. Give me the confidence of one who knows You love them. Give me the humility to be able to lift others up. Give me the compassion to seek to know and care for the people around me that I might regularly and consistently honor and encourage them.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck May 23, 2020

Blog love others, love your neighbor, Serving, Serving Others

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Doing It For Their Good

“Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.” – Romans 15:2

Who can you show love to today?

Romans 15 encourages us to please our neighbor. In other words, we should be kind to them and love them.

Why?

We don’t do it for their praise or so they owe us one. We do it because it helps them and builds them up. We do it because God first loved us and so we can share God’s love with them. We do it because God loves them.

This is a pretty simple verse and I’d like to keep today’s devotional simple as well. God showed you love for your own good and He continues to build you up in Christ. This frees you to love others as Christ loved you.

Take a few minutes and think about who you can show love to today. Then do it. Write a note of encouragement. Help them out in some way. Whatever it is, do it just to show them love and encourage them.

Heavenly Father,

You have loved me more than I can even comprehend. Help me to love others.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck March 9, 2020

Blog Comfort, holy spirit, love others

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Comforted to be a Comfort

comforted to be a comfort

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Are you hurting?

God cares. He not only cares. He actively comforts us. In fact, one of the names for the Holy Spirit is “The Comforter!”

God knows what it’s like to suffer and He knows if you are suffering. He is not callous or unmoved. He doesn’t always remove the suffering, but He loves you and will comfort you in the suffering.

How Does God Comfort Us?

God comforts us in many ways. One of the greatest ways He does this is through His Word. In His Word, God gives us His promises and shows us His love. The Holy Spirit also gives us peace beyond our circumstances and beyond our understanding.

Also, God often comforts others through His people, the church. They share His Word, empathize, care for others, and can even give nice, warm hugs.

Blessed to be a Blessing:

God told Abraham he would be blessed to be a blessing to all nations. What God meant is that He would bless Abraham to have many descendants and that one of those descendants would be be our savior, Jesus. God also blesses us to be a blessing to others, yes, through the love and salvation Jesus gives us, and also through the comfort He brings

He comforts you not only for your sake, but so that you can then comfort others.

Is there someone you know who you could comfort, today?

Heavenly Father,

Praise be Your name for You show us great compassion. Please comfort me as I go through…

(pray over anything you are suffering through)

As You comfort me, help me to also be a comfort to others, especially bringing the comfort You give through Your Word and Spirit.

Amen

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck February 14, 2020

Blog Jesus Loves You, love, love others

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Why Would I Love You?

why would I love you?

“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 have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

Why do you love your spouse or parents or siblings?

Jesus commanded us to love them, but He bases it not on what they have done for you or can do for you. That’s how the world works, but not how Jesus works. If we base our love on what others have done or can do for us, then we wouldn’t love people much and it wouldn’t truly be love from the heart.

Jesus bases your loving others on the love He has already shown you. He humbled Himself and died for you. He created, sustains, and cares for you. Jesus loves you, so you can love them…or anyone else.

That’s not always easy. Sometimes you don’t want to love them. Remember, however, from Tuesday’s devotion that God primarily describes love as actions and characteristics. Even when you don’t “feel” the love, you can show love by your actions.

How can you show love when you are angry at someone?

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving us even when we don’t deserve it. Thank You for giving us Your Spirit, a Spirit of love and for transforming us to be more like You. Help me to love others as You have loved me.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck February 7, 2020

Blog love, love others, love your enemy, love your neighbor

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You Want Me To Love Who?

You want me to love who?

Monday, I wrote about starting the day singing (or speaking) of the love and strength of the Lord. Go ahead and do that for a minute.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” – Matthew 5:43-45

Who do you love?

Who do you treat well?

It’s easy to love someone who loves you back. I love my family. That’s not hard because, on a regular basis, they tell me and show me that they love me. We love our friends and the people who help us out. As Jesus points out a few verses later, pretty much everyone does that, but Christians are called to something more.

“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” – Matthew 5:46-47

It’s much harder to love someone who mistreats you or seems ungrateful. Yet, this is what we are told to do. It can be difficult, however, when we think of the fact that we are loving them because God loves them and we are loving them because God loves us and works His love in us, it can make it easier.

This is also what Jesus did.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” – Romans 5:8-10

While we were still sinners and enemies of God, Jesus died for us.

How wonderful that He did that?!!

If He had waited for us to stop sinning, we would have no hope.

Who might you need to start showing love to?

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving me even when I rebelled against You. Help me to love others as You have loved me. Help me to love my enemies as well as my friends.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck January 14, 2020

Blog love, love others

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What is Love?

What is love?

“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.” – John 13:34

What is love? (Do you hear the Haddaway song in your head? Sorry 😉 )

Is love an emotion?
Is love a Characteristic?
Or is love an action?

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Notice that everything in the list describing love is an action. Love is a characteristic, but one that always shows itself in action. It can have an emotion behind it, but that doesn’t define it.

In fact, I’m always inspired to see a person show someone love when they don’t feel like or when the person doesn’t deserve it.

Jesus showed us love when we didn’t deserve it. He died for us. He loved first, so we can now love each other. So, we can show love when others don’t deserve it because Jesus did just that for us.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for loving me when I didn’t deserve it. Help me to love others as you have loved me.

Amen

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

The Other Six

How To Use These Posts
The Other Six is a short, daily devotional blog post. You can use these posts for personal devotions, however, I’m also going to write them in such a way that you could use them for family devotions. I’ll include a Bible verse, questions and/or discussion points, and a closing prayer. I highly encourage you to do these devotions with your family or friends if possible.
Enjoy!

Kurt Steinbrueck January 13, 2020

Blog honor, love, love others

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Love and Honor

Love and honor

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” – Romans 12:10

What are some of the things in life that frustrate you? Are there people who irritate you?

In Romans 12:10 we are told to love one another and honor others above ourselves. This is easier said than done. However, it’s amazing what can happen when we do it. People are encouraged and feel loved.

One of the things I love about this text is that it doesn’t just say to honor one another or even honor one another above yourselves. It says to outdo one another in showing honor.

First, it makes it a friendly competition. That tends to get us motivated. Second, it prevents us from being done.

If we were just to honor others, we could say, “I showed honor to Bob last week. Check. That’s done.” When we are told to outdo one another in showing honor, I have to keep looking for new ways to honor Bob.

Who are some people you could be honoring? How can you honor someone today?

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving me and serving me. Help me to love others and serve them. Help me to see people the way You do, as valuable and lovable and then to show them honor in Your name.

Amen

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

The Other Six

How To Use These Posts
The Other Six is a short, daily devotional blog post. You can use these posts for personal devotions, however, I’m also going to write them in such a way that you could use them for family devotions. I’ll include a Bible verse, questions and/or discussion points, and a closing prayer. I highly encourage you to do these devotions with your family or friends if possible.
Enjoy!

love others

Hah! They Deserved that!

Love is a Verb

Be Known For Something

Honor and Love

Doing It For Their Good

comforted to be a comfort

why would I love you?

You want me to love who?

What is love?

The Other Six

Love and honor

The Other Six

Faith Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, FL serving Lutz, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, and New Tampa, FL