Understanding Love So We Can Pursue It

    In order to “pursue love” (2 Timothy 2:22) we, first, need to understand what love it is that God wants us to pursue.

    You may think that an odd statement because, well, love is love. In English, yes, but in the original Greek there are two different words used in the New Testament, which both translate to our one, all-encompassing word ‘love; these words are ‘agape’ and ‘phileo.’

    Agape, simply stated is selfless love. This type of love is found 159 times in the New Testament. It is a choice, a preference. Preferring to serve God over self. It means to actively do what the Lord prefers. True agape love is always defined by God, because God is love (1 John 4:7). We love others just as God loves us - unconditionally, with mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and patience.

    Phileo is brotherly love. Found 21 times in the New Testament, it is affectionate love, sharing a strong bond with another person. An easy way to remember this is to think of the root word – Philadelphia – those living in the US may automatically think “the city of brotherly love” and that is what Philadelphia means ‘brotherly love’! It means to show warm affection in intimate friendship, tender compassion and kinship.

    Where phileo is of the heart (feelings), agape is mainly of the head (purposed, determined). Phileo love is easy, for some it comes naturally and without much effort, but agape love can be difficult because it means that we love (and are loving toward another) because it is the right thing to do (see Matthew 5:45-48).

    So, the love we are to pursue in 1 Timothy 2:22, which love is it?

    As you may have guessed, the love God wants us to pursue is AGAPE. I’ve said this many times before, and I’m saying it again, God’s commands are only ever for our good, and this is no different. He wants us to pursue the love that takes more effort and purpose, the love that puts our focus on others and off ourselves (Hebrews 10:24, Luke 9:23), the love that helps us to purify ourselves just as He is pure (1 John 3:1-3), makes us holy, just as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), and results in us loving just as He loves (1 John 4:7-19, John 13:34-35)!

Are you pursuing agape love? If you’re not actively pursuing it in your day to day walk, are you ready to begin? Let’s work together to learn more about how to pursue this selfless love and make it part of our daily actions!

From wherever you are right now – let’s BEGIN!

Pursuing Love

“Flee also youthful lusts; 

but pursue righteousness, 

faith, love, peace with those 

who call on the Lord 

out of a pure heart.” 

(2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV)

LOVE

    GOD is LOVE (1 John 4:8,16)

    We must pursue LOVE, therefore, we can draw the necessary conclusion that we must pursue GOD.

    When we pursue God, we will learn to love as He loves (1 John 4:7, John 13:34-35); there is no purer source from which to learn how to love than God Himself (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:1-3).

“Behold what manner of love 

the Father has bestowed on us, 

that we should be called children of God!” 

(1 John 3:1 NKJV)

    What a wonderful fact to meditate on as we begin our closer look at LOVE! God, our loving Father, teaches us all about love and how to love others (1 Thessalonians 4:9) when we diligently seek Him and study His word for guidance and growth!

    GOD IS LOVE. Let's pursue HIM together and find LOVE!

    You can do it! So can I!!

 

Pursuing Faith With Those Who Call on The Lord Out a Pure Heart

The coal nestled with others in the fire 

will brightly glow and continue to fulfill 

its purpose, but a coal separate from 

the glowing embers of the fire will 

soon cool, become ashen, and 

fall short in fulfilling its purpose.

    One of the reasons God established the church and instructs us to gather together, be together, pursue good things together is because He knew we need to be helped and we need to learn to be helpful. Consider Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and Galatians 6:1-10.     

    In Paul’s letter to the Roman brethren, he states his hope to be an encouragement to them and in turn be encouraged by them, because of the faith they share (Romans 1:12).

    When we join ourselves to a congregation of believers – those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart - we need to commit ourselves to them, just as faithfully as we commit ourselves to our walk with God. How else can we encourage those with whom we share a faith? How else can they be an encouragement to us? See Hebrews 10:23-25, Ephesians 4:29, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11.  

    When we are faithful (in attendance and in active involvement) to the church, we have the blessing of others caring for us, seeking our best interests, and watching out for us. We have help in physical sickness and also in spiritual weakness (see James 5:13-20). If we are only there occasionally how will others know if we are sick (either physically or spiritually), how can we be a benefit to others when we aren’t there enough to realize these same concerns occurring in their lives?

    Consistently gathering with brethren for bible study and worship helps us to better understand the scriptures (Acts 17:11, 18:24, and consider the work of the preacher in 2 Timothy 4:1-5). Gathering together with those who call on the Lord out a pure heart allows us to better understand how to get through life’s struggles (Titus 2:3-5, Galatians 6:1-10), and how to better get along with others (Romans 12:9-18).

    Are you nestled together with “those who have obtained like precious faith”? Are you doing all you can to encourage fellow Christians to keep “glowing” and motivating them to fulfill their beautiful purpose of living for God? Keep burning bright! Continue to help those around you to keep seeking God and His perfect way (Romans 12:10-11)!

    Are you feeling a little “ashen”? Have you stepped away from worship and bible study and allowed your zeal for God and good works to cool? Look for ways to once again involve yourself in the work. Call up a sister in Christ and discuss ways you can get active and have your embers fanned to flame again! Pray for your appetite for God’s word and ways to increase your zeal (see Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-11, and consider 1 Peter 2:1-3)! Desire to fulfill your purpose in serving God!

“For You will light my lamp; 

the LORD my God will 

enlighten my darkness.” 

(Psalm 1:28 NKJV)

    Pursue faith, not by yourself, but with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart! There are manifold blessings that come from being a member of the body of Christ – we can encourage and be encouraged, we can help and be helped (see Ephesians 4:14-16)! Do your part today! We’re counting on you, just as you are counting on us!

You can do it! So can I!!

Pursue Faith and Overcome the World

    Through faith we can overcome the world! Jesus overcame (John 16:33), and so can we (1 John 5:1-5), by following His example of faith, love, and obedience!

•     Faith can help you overcome the fears that hold you back (Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:6-8).
•     Faith opens your eyes to the way of escape so you can overcome temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).
•     Faith enables us to lay aside the sin that easily ensnares us and to overcome its hold on us (Hebrews 12:1-2, Colossians 3:1-17, Romans 8:18).
•     Faith in God causes us to think differently and to behave differently than the world (2 Corinthians 6:11- 7:1, Ephesians 4-6). 

    When we serve God the world has no power over us, it has no lure with which to tempt us because we see the beauty of serving a faithful God who loves us dearly as His own children (1 John 3:1-3, Galatians 3:26-27), Who has never forsaken us but instead provided ALL we need to thrive!

    Faith allows us to overcome the world!

    Any problem you are facing, any irritant in your day, any gnawing fear, any puddle, any sin, any sadness – ALL can be overcome by pursuing faith in God and building trust in His grace, mercy, love!

    God wants you to overcome – and He is ready to reward you for your efforts!

    You who overcome…

• …will be allowed to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God (Revelation 2:7)
• …will not be hurt by the second death [Hell, eternal destruction, see Revelation 21:8] (Revelation 2:11)
• …will taste manna, and will be given a new name, that only you know, written on a white stone (Revelation 2:17)
• …will be given power over the nations and the morning star when you keep Jesus’ works until the end (Revelation 2:26-28)
• …will be clothed in white. Your name will not be blotted out of the Book of Life and Jesus will confess your name before God and the angels of God (Revelation 3:5, Luke 12:8-9)
• …will be made a pillar in the temple of God. Jesus will write on you the name of God, the name of God’s city, and Jesus’ new name (Revelation 3:12) 
• …will be allowed to sit with Jesus on His throne – because when He overcame He sat with God on His throne (Revelation 3:21, Acts 7:55-56, Colossians 3:1-3, Hebrews 1:1-4)
• …will inherit all things, God will be your Father and you will be His child (Revelation 21:7)

Are you ready to overcome? Faith will allow you to do just that!!

    God does not ask us to do something that cannot be done – with His help and guidance we can and will overcome! So continue to pursue faith today! Dig into to God’s word, believe it to the extent that you obey it - wholly and completely! Trust in His promises! God wants us to succeed!! 

Jesus did it, you can do it, and so can I!!

From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!

Pursue Faith to Overcome Fear

    I saw a little handstitched piece on Pinterest the other day that stated “Worry ends where faith begins” – a welcome thought isn’t it? But still, many Christians struggle daily with frets and worries and in doing so they miss out on the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

FAITH ALLOWS US TO OVERCOME FEAR

Fear of Not Having Life’s Necessities

• Consider the widow in Zarephath who, through faith, in time of great famine prepared bread from the last of her flour and oil and gave to Elijah the prophet who had asked her for it (1 Kings 17:8-16). Fear would have prevented this woman (her son) from receiving the abundant blessing with which God rewarded her – the jar of oil and bin of flour did not run dry until the famine was completely over.
• How about the poor widow observed by Jesus who, even out of her poverty, gave all that she had – two mites (Luke 21:1-4).  Fear of complete poverty would have prevented the widow to have been noted by Jesus – her generosity in poverty makes her rich to us as a beautiful example of faith! 

    We, like them, have no need to fear not having life’s necessities – God knows, He provides, and He can bless us through others also! Please read and consider Matthew 6:25-34, Galatians 6:2, Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35, and Hebrews 13:5-6

Fear of Failure

    This is a BIG fear for many. “What if I try, and don’t succeed?” “What if…”, “What if…”, “What if…”.  

“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky,

And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly?”

― Erin Hanson, poet.

• The woman with the flow of blood could have feared failure – the studied physicians who attended her only dried up her savings and caused further suffering as her conditioned worsened – but she drew near to Jesus – the Great Physician – and trusted in His power to heal and she was blessed (Mark 5:24-34).  
• Sarah feared failure when she was told she would have a child in old age (90 years old), but she judged God faithful who had promised the child and she was blessed (Genesis 17:19; 18:11-14; 21:1, Hebrews 11:11). 
• The apostle Peter fell (denied knowing the Lord) and yet, through faith, got back up and he was blessed (Luke 22:54-62, John 21:4-19, consider also Psalm 119:59-60) – while you're looking up passages plan to sit down and read the book of Acts (to read of Peter's work for the Lord) as well as First and Second Peter!

    We can often feel like the recipient of the single talent, preferring to bury the talent, than to risk failure in trying to develop it. God wants us to trust in HIM and have faith in HIS abilities to help us succeed and to overcome! Please read Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 6:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 Corinthians 2:10 (and 2 Peter 2:9), 2 Corinthians 12:10, Romans 8:31, and Hebrews 13:6

Fear of Death

• Rahab had faith that kept her in her house even as it tumbled with the rest of the walls when Jericho was conquered (Joshua 2 and 6), she could have feared death more, but she didn’t and we saw how she was blessed. 
• Esther’s faith gave her courage to stand in the king’s court uninvited – the fear of death in that moment was very real (see Esther 4:11)  - but she did so to make request to the king that would eventually help her save the Jewish people from Haman’s planned genocide (Esther 1-10). 
• Even Jepthah’s daughter showed great faith in God – and concern for her father in God’s sight – by refusing to let her dad renege on a rash vow he had made before battle (see Judges 11:29-40 for complete account). 

    We do not need to fear death. Jesus has been there, He’s done that! And He has gone before us to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-6)!

Faith allows us to overcome fear, and in overcoming fear we can also overcome the world!

    How do I know?  Because Jesus overcame the world (John 16:33) – and we can too!

“For whatever is born of God 
overcomes the world.
And this is the victory
that has overcome 
the world - our faith."
(1 John 5:4 NKJV)

    God is right there waiting to help, ready to alleviate your fears and fill you with His mighty strength!

    Pursue faith, hold fast to it, let it grow and develop as you put aside your fears and fly!!

You can do it! So can I!!