Love’s best kept secrets

God’s promises for you

LOVE ALWAYS PUTS GOD FIRST

He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with

all your soul and with all your strength and with

all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as

yourself.’ ”

Luke 10: 27

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey

my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with

him.”

John 14: 23

LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil

with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so

that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 3: 8-9

LOVE FOLLOWS GODLY EXAMPLE

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ

loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5: 1-2

LOVE REJOICES IN THE TRUTH

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one

another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard

from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

2 John 4-6

LOVE IS PATIENT

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that no

one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

1 Thessalonians 5: 14-15

LOVE IS SINCERE

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil;

cling to what is good.

Romans 12: 9

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who

loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love is

the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13: 8, 10

LOVE IS HUMBLE AND SUBMISSIVE

(Jesus speaking) “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,

you also should also wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have

done for you.”

John 13: 13-15

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and

authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to

slander no one, to be peaceable and

considerate, and to show true humility toward all

men.

Titus 3: 1-2

LOVE IS NOT RUDE

Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the

Lord.

Leviticus 19: 32

“Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 19: 19

LOVE ALWAYS PERSEVERES

Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by

side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property,

because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done

the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Hebrews 10: 33-36

LOVE ALWAYS PERSEVERES

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the

salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

2 Timothy 2: 10

LOVE DOES NOT BETRAY

“Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that

endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.”

Leviticus 19: 16

LOVE DOES NOT COVET NOR ABUSE

“Do not defraud your neighbor or rob

him. Do not hold back the wages of a

hired man overnight.

Leviticus 19: 13

You, my brothers, were called to be

free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful

nature, rather, serve one another in love.

Galatians 5: 13

LOVE DOES NOT BOAST

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts... With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse

men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be... Who is wise and

understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that

comes from wisdom.

James 3: 5, 9-10, 13

LOVE DOES NOT BOAST

If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not

associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy,

but warn him as a brother.

2 Thessalonians 3: 14-15

“Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not

share in his guilt.”

Leviticus 19: 17

LOVE REBUKES WRONG

LOVE DISCIPLINES

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.

So be earnest, and repent.”

Revelation 3: 19

...”My son, do not make light of the Lord’s

discipline, and do not lose heart when he

rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines

those he loves, and he punishes everyone he

accepts as a son.”

Hebrews 12: 5-6

LOVE DOES NOT DIVIDE, IT UNITES

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with

one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly

united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1: 10

LOVE BINDS TOGETHER

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or

famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor

demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to

separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8: 35, 37-39

LOVE IS IMPARTIAL

“Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use

honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your

God, who brought you out of Egypt.

Leviticus 19: 35-36

LOVE IS CONSIDERATE

“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a

money lender; charge him no interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return

it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I

will hear, for I am compassionate.”

Exodus 22: 25-27

LOVE IS CARING

Religion that God or Father accepts as pure and

faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in

their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted

by the world.

James 1: 27

As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother

caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share

with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had

become so dear to us.

1 Thessalonians 2: 6-8

LOVE ENCOURAGES THE WEAK

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the Father of compassion and the God

of all comfort, who comforts us in all our

troubles, so that we can comfort those in any

trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact

you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5: 11

LOVE PROVIDES TROUGH GOOD WORKS

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful

with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4: 28

LOVE IS NOT SELF-SEEKING

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better that yourselves. Each of you should look not

only to your own interest, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2: 3-4

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as

yourself. I am the Lord.”

Leviticus 19: 18

LOVE DOES NOT SEEK VENGEANCE

LOVE IS GENEROUS

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their

overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave

as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently

pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

2 Corinthians 8: 1-4

LOVE IS GENEROUS

Do not withhold good from those who

deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do

not say to your neighbor, “Come back

later; I’ll give it tomorrow” – when you now have it with you.

Proverbs 3: 27-28

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain

nothing.

1 Corinthians 13: 3

LOVE IS JUST AND ALWAYS PROTECTS

“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality

to the poor or favoritism to the great,

but judge your neighbor fairly.”

Leviticus 19: 15

You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their

cry, defending the fatherless and the

oppressed, in order that man, who is of the

earth, may terrify no more.

Psalm 10: 17-18

LOVE ACTS

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay

down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in

need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions

and in truth.

1 John 3 :16-18

LOVE ACTS

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let

them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those

who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely,

O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as

with a shield.

Psalm 5: 11-12

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love

has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his

friends.”

John 15: 12-13

LOVE IS FORGIVING AND MERCIFUL

...”If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he

repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times a day, and seven

times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’

forgive him.”

Luke 17: 3-4

Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus

Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and

save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the

clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Jude 21-23

LOVE IS LONGSUFFERING

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who

curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do

not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what

belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6: 27-31

LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,

brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ

God forgave you.

Ephesians 4: 31-32

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love

covers up all wrongs.

Proverbs 10: 12

LOVE RESTORES

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who

are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

Galatians 6: 1

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do

good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of

believers.

Galatians 6: 10

LOVE IS GRACIOUS

...”If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he

is thirsty, give him something to drink. In

doing this, you will heap burning coals in his

head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but

overcome evil with good.

Romans 12: 20-21

In everything I did, I showed you that by this

kind of hard work we must help the weak,

remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself

said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Acts 20: 35

LOVE EDIFIES

...We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 8:1

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Romans 14: 19

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us

should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Romans 15: 1-2

LOVE REFRESHES THE SOUL

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am

gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my

burden is light.”

Matthew 11: 28-30

LOVE REFRESHES THE SOUL

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want... he leads me

beside quiet waters, he restores my soul...

Psalm 23: 1-3

Your love has given me great joy and

encouragement, because you, brother,

have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Philemon 7

LOVE GIVES A WHOLESOME LIFE

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue

rejoices; my body will also live in hope... you will fill me with joy in

your presence.

Acts 2: 26, 28

You have made known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence, with

eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16: 11

LOVE ALWAYS HOPES

...God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made

complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear

in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The

one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4: 16-18

LOVE ALWAYS HOPES

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and

depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and

blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1: 9-11

LOVE IS MORE THAN THE USUAL

...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to

know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all

the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3: 17-19

LOVE TRUSTS IN GOD

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in

heart!

Psalm 32: 10-11

Love never fails...

1 Corinthians 13: 8

LOVE NEVER FAILS