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RECEIVE FIRST

RECEIVE FIRST

If you’ve never received love, how can you love others? In other words, we can’t give what we’ve never received. But oh how we try! Our typical strategy? Try harder. “I don’t care how much it hurts, I’m going to be nice to that bum.” So we try. Teeth clenched, jaw firm.

Could it be we’re missing a step? Could it be that the first step of love is not toward them but toward Him? In 1 John 4:19 (NIV) the apostle writes, “We love, because he first loved us.” Long to be more loving? Then consider how you’ve been forgiven. Paul said in Ephesians 4:32 (NIV), “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

We want to. We long to. But how can we? By living loved. By following the principle: receive first, love second.

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Max Lucado
Max Lucado is a pastor, speaker, and best-selling author who, in his own words, “writes books for people who don’t read books.” He serves the people of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, and his message is for the hurting, the guilty, the lonely, and the discouraged: God loves you; let him.As a writer, Max is known for combining poetic storytelling and homespun humor with the heart of a pastor. All of his trade books began as sermon series at Oak Hills Church, and his sermons all begin with Max asking himself this question: “What can I say on Sunday that will still matter on Monday?” He’s been dubbed “America’s Pastor” by Christianity Today, and “The Best Preacher in America” by Reader’s Digest.Max’s books have sold more than 145 million copies in over 50 languages worldwide. He published On the Anvil, his first trade book, in 1985. His 44th trade book, Help Is Here, was released in 2022. Max’s books regularly appear on bestseller lists, including The New York Times. His writing has also been featured in Bible studies, Bible commentaries, songs, greeting cards, and even plush toys. He is the recipient of the 2021 ECPA Pinnacle Award for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry.read more...  
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