Agape = Sacrificial Love
Instead of taking from another, Christian love constantly assumes the posture of giving; of serving; of willingness. Sacrifice is, in fact, fundamental to the truest definition of what love is:
“Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
Serving = Action Love
Christian love is not merely stated - it is demonstrated:
“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
Searching = Perusing Love
We don’t wait for someone to show themselves to be lovable or worthy of our love. Rather, Christian love is initiative.
Christian love goes. It pursues. It seeks out. Just as Jesus does for us:
“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
We cannot be a people of love, our love will end. We can be a people of faith and through the Love of God love will triumph! Find your home in Jesus Christ, open your heart to Him, receive His love and EVERYTHING will change!
If you planted seeds this morning and they were full grown tonight, what would YOUR crop be? Plant LOVE!
To be continued…
Instead of taking from another, Christian love constantly assumes the posture of giving; of serving; of willingness. Sacrifice is, in fact, fundamental to the truest definition of what love is:
“Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
Serving = Action Love
Christian love is not merely stated - it is demonstrated:
“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
Searching = Perusing Love
We don’t wait for someone to show themselves to be lovable or worthy of our love. Rather, Christian love is initiative.
Christian love goes. It pursues. It seeks out. Just as Jesus does for us:
“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
We cannot be a people of love, our love will end. We can be a people of faith and through the Love of God love will triumph! Find your home in Jesus Christ, open your heart to Him, receive His love and EVERYTHING will change!
If you planted seeds this morning and they were full grown tonight, what would YOUR crop be? Plant LOVE!
To be continued…
Joy!
The word joy appears over and over again in the Scriptures! Read em, Read em all!
“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5b)
“Shout for joy to God, all the earth” (Psalm 66:1)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2)
“Shout to God with cries of joy” (Psalm 47:1) “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy” (Isaiah 9:3)
“With a joyful heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)
“The prospect of the righteous is joy” (Proverbs 10:28)
“You believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8)
…and there are so many more!
What we believe shines through our lives to the world! How we embrace life will be the posture from which we rise to greet or dig in to confront the “what-evers” we face.
It seems that God wants us to greet life—the world—with JOY! And if God wants this for us then God will provide the tools we need to achieve it!
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11)
It is the presence of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, that brings us true joy. Oh, we can bring our own little joy along, but God wants us to have BIG Joy! True Joy! God’s own JOY!
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy” (Romans 15:13)
“No one will take away your joy” (John 16:22)
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17)
How we start the day will dictate how we encounter the world, project life and deal with whatever we encounter.
Start with God and you will end in joy.
The word joy appears over and over again in the Scriptures! Read em, Read em all!
“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5b)
“Shout for joy to God, all the earth” (Psalm 66:1)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2)
“Shout to God with cries of joy” (Psalm 47:1) “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy” (Isaiah 9:3)
“With a joyful heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7)
“The prospect of the righteous is joy” (Proverbs 10:28)
“You believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8)
…and there are so many more!
What we believe shines through our lives to the world! How we embrace life will be the posture from which we rise to greet or dig in to confront the “what-evers” we face.
It seems that God wants us to greet life—the world—with JOY! And if God wants this for us then God will provide the tools we need to achieve it!
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11)
It is the presence of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, that brings us true joy. Oh, we can bring our own little joy along, but God wants us to have BIG Joy! True Joy! God’s own JOY!
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy” (Romans 15:13)
“No one will take away your joy” (John 16:22)
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17)
How we start the day will dictate how we encounter the world, project life and deal with whatever we encounter.
Start with God and you will end in joy.
