Preparing to Walk in Peace

    Who among us doesn’t like shoes?

    It’s stereotypical for women to like shoes, but we do! We like to be prepared for any occasion with the right pair of shoes! Whenever I am about to travel or make a public presentation, my mind always generates this recurring dream in which I get to my destination and find I only have one shoe and I fall into panic mode... whether that means I’m shoe obsessed or simply unsure of my packing capabilities, I don’t know, all I know for sure is that “missing a shoe” and not being fully prepared is fearful to me!

    God, in His great wisdom and love for us, gives us all we need to be prepared – including shoes!

“…having shod your feet with the 

preparation of the gospel of peace…” 

(Ephesians 6:15 NKJV)

    I have found that this is not a part of the armour that is often talked about, so I want to learn more about this shoes that God has prepared for His people to wear!

    “Preparation” (Strong’s G2091) means foundation, firm footing, readiness. By this we know that God has provided something that we can wear confidently! These shoes have a sturdy, gripping base that won’t let us down! We can stand for as long as it takes (Ephesians 6:11, 13)! We can go through valleys (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), we can climb mountains (Psalm 18:31-33), we are ready!

    The “gospel” (Strong’s G2098) is ‘the good news of Jesus Christ.’ “Peace” (Strong’s G1515) means ‘one, quietness, peace of mind.’ It carries with it the idea of ‘to join, tie together in a whole, wholeness when all essential parts of joined together.’  God is essential. You are essential. You coming to God through Jesus Christ is essential (John 14:6, Romans 6:1-13)! Put them all together and you have peace, being joined with God! You maintain that peace by continuing to learn and grow and humbly obeying God’s commands (Psalm 37:37)!!

    The “gospel of peace” specifically in Ephesians 6:15 expresses ‘the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lots, of whatsoever lot that is.”

    When we live this way, in peace with God, standing on the firm footing of faith, others will notice the difference! And when they do, we are PREPARED and READY to help them to pursue the same peace, by telling them how we came to have it, by sharing with them the GOSPEL OF PEACE!

“…Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, 
and always be ready to give a defense 
to everyone who asks the reason for the hope 
that is in you, with meekness and fear.” 
(1 Peter 3:15 NKJV)   

    Shoes that remind us of all our blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14) and makes us ready and prepared for the occasion when someone asks about our hope? Well, those are without a doubt the best pair of shoes we could ever put on!!

    Are you wearing the shoes God has provided? Are you prepared to share the gospel of peace with others? Let’s remember to put these shoes on daily (along with the rest of God’s armour, Ephesians 6:10-18) as we continue to pursue peace each day!!

You can do it! So can I!!

Peace and Holiness

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, 

without which no one will see the Lord.” 

(Hebrews 12:14 NKJV)

    We need to make every effort to live in peace and to be peaceable (Romans 12:18), BUT it should never come at the expense of our holiness; without holiness we will not see God.

• We need to be kind without becoming soft toward sin.
• We need to be loving without disregarding or watering down God’s truth.
• We need to be just without lacking compassion.

    Jesus exemplified all these qualities for us. He maintained His holiness while teaching and admonishing people. He loved people so much that He couldn’t bear to let them remain unknowledgeable about God and His goodness. He pointed people toward the One source from which they could obtain true peace. He, with love, corrected them, guided them, and taught them.

    “Speaking the truth in love” will go a long way in helping others know God and it will help us to grow up in Jesus (Ephesians 4:15)! There are so many manmade doctrines and “trickeries of men”, leading unknowledgeable people astray – they seek peace but cannot find it in ever changing/adapting doctrines – but with God there is TRUE PEACE, a constant source of knowledge that has never and will never change, and a love that grows greater the more we seek Him!

    Please take time this week to read and consider these verses: Ezekiel 3:18-21, James 5:19-20, and Galatians 6:1-2

    And now let's include the verse that follows in Hebrews 12:

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness,
without which no one will see the Lord:
looking carefully lest anyone fall short
of the grace of God, lest any root of
bitterness springing up cause trouble,
and by this many become defiled."
(Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV)

    “Defiled” is the opposite of “holy.” We don’t want “defiled” to describe us or others. Defiled would mean that one has fallen short of God’s grace, it was not sought for and therefore not obtained. When this happens, “roots of bitterness” can spring up and cause serious trouble.

What is a “root of bitterness”?  This term is mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:18-19, when God commanded the Israelites to get rid of their foreign idols. I think it is worthwhile to put those verses in front of us.

“ …and you saw their abominations and their idols which were among them—wood and stone and silver and gold); so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood; and so it may not happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall have peace, even though I follow the dictates of my heart’—as though the drunkard could be included with the sober.” (Deuteronomy 29:17-19 NKJV)

    A root of bitterness can crop up when one becomes resentful of being told what to do, what they have to change about themselves, and/or what they have to give up.

    Have you experienced a root of bitterness yourself? I have! Usually, these roots first test the soil of our hearts when we are young and become resentful of our parents telling us “no” all the time.  And when they aren’t saying no, they’re telling us to “clean your room, take out the garbage, and lose your attitude”! We grow bitter and angry and plot and plan parental avoidance methods, so as to bypass hearing their endless rules.  It makes life miserable for everyone involved.

    When this same resistance transfers to God and His commands, we not only continue to make life harder for ourselves, but we also are endangering our souls. We, like the mistaken Israelites, may say in our heart, ‘I don’t have to give that up, I can still have peace' or 'I don’t need to do EVERYTHING God says; His words are more suggestions for good behaviour than actual rules or guidelines! I’m fine, I can just do what suits me! I’m a good person, God loves me! It’s all good!'

    We cannot follow the dictates of our own heart and claim peace for ourselves. We cannot disregard God and think we will be counted among the righteous.

“”Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD, 

“Who take counsel, but not of Me, and 

who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, 

that they may add sin to sin.”” 

(Isaiah 30:1 NKJV) 

    True peace comes only from God. His ways are constant – they do not become obsolete or outdated – they are consistent in their benefit and their wisdom! God tells us that if we want to have a good life, a peaceable life, we need to depart from evil and do good, we need to seek peace and chase after it diligently, tirelessly pursue it (Psalm 34:11-15, 1 Peter 3:10-12)! We must do all that is necessary on our part to always come back to a place of peace with God first, and then live at peace with others around us (Romans 12:18).

    We know the glories of God, His goodness, His grace! Let’s never compromise our love and appreciation for Him by calling wrong, right (or ‘okay’), for the sake of peace. God calls us to be holy – that is top priority. Peace comes through speaking the truth in love.

Are you ready to do that? Are you willing to stand against the wiles of the devil and speak God’s truth without compromise? Are you ready to deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus in obedience to all God has commanded (Matthew 16:24-26)? These are essential components in our pursuit of peace! God’s ways are a benefit; His commands overflow with wisdom! Turn away from your own notions of what you think is good and let God’s words guide you towards true peace!

You can do it! So can I!!

Understanding Peace So We Can Pursue It

    I would like to share with you something that I read while studying and researching the word ‘peace’ (Hebrew: ‘shalom’, Greek: ‘eirene’). 

    “Shalom really means everything that makes for a man’s highest good, all that makes life life indeed. In English peace has come to have something of a negative meaning. It is apt to mean the absence of war and the absence of trouble. For instance, if in a campaign hostilities actually came to an end and there was no more fighting we would be likely to say that there was peace; but quite certainly the Hebrew would not call a situation where there was a blasted earth, and where people still regarded each other with a kind of terrified suspicion, peace. …The greeting salaam does not simply express the negative wish that a man’s life may be free from trouble; it expresses the positive hope and prayer that he may enjoy all good gifts and blessings from the hand of God. In thinking of the meaning of peace, both in the Old and New Testament, it is essential to bear in mind the positive meaning of the word.” (William Barclay, Flesh and Spirit, 1962)

    Can you understand why love comes before peace in most every list of qualities a Christian is to have?

    We need to have a heart that learns to truly love – undefeatable goodwill and benevolence that seeks only good for the other – in order to pursue peace which is a sincere wish that the other person will blessed with ‘everything that make’s for man’s highest good.’

    All too often we are content with a peace that is only visible. We think, ‘there are no negative interactions, no outward upset, so we are at peace, right?’ Yet our hearts are disappointed, discouraged, angry, frustrated, irritated, or fuming. Our hearts are so darkened that the very idea of hoping that our fellow man has everything that makes for their highest good is something we may sneer and scoff at. God wants us to pursue true peace, and it begins in the heart.

    Consider your heart this week. Take note of any upset that you keep bottled up under the guise of peace. Is your heart truly at peace with your family, friends, brethren, and neighbours? Can you sincerely hope for them everything that makes for their highest good?

You can! So can I!!

Pursuing Peace: Know God, Know Peace

    Last week we looked at the passage in James 1 that stated that we need to be careful to ask in faith and without doubting (double-mindedness). We were instructed to ask for wisdom, of which God will give freely, even generously, and He will not scold you for asking for it, even if you ask for it every day!

    Wisdom is found in doing/obeying God’s commands (see Deuteronomy 4:5-6), and the wisdom God gives, that which is from above, is first pure, then PEACEABLE, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (James 3:17).

    When we study and humbly obey ALL of God’s commands and instructions, letting HIS word create the guidelines we live by, not adding to it or taking away from it, but studying and applying His pure, unsullied word, we will find that we can be at peace with God, and live peaceably with others – KNOWING GOD allows us to KNOW PEACE.

    James 3:14-16 to see how earthly wisdom (No God) results in confusion and every evil thing (No peace).

    The peaceable wisdom that come from God, through His word, teaches us gentleness, as well as reasonableness and consideration for others. It helps us to remember God’s great mercy, so we in turn show mercy to others; we behave as a child of God. God’s wisdom helps us to see souls – the one thing we ALL have in common – teaching others through both our spoken words and unspoken words (consistent example, we practice what we “preach”).

    Can you see why James encourages us to ask God for wisdom? How faithfully requesting it can help us in our pursuit of peace?     

    Faithfully pursuing peace, living in it through studying and applying God’s commands/instructions, will grant us a harvest of righteousness – being found right in the sight of God (James 3:18)!

    What a noble thing to work toward, a bounty to harvest!

    Are you desiring to KNOW PEACE? Begin with truly KNOWING GOD. Let the seed settle into your heart (Luke 8:11-15) by reading His word, let it take root as you humbly obey His commands, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), and look forward to a flourishing harvest of righteousness!

You can do it! So can I!!  

  

Pursuing Peace

    Peace, perfect peace.

    It is more than just a quiet moment after a chaotic day. It is a quiet mind and a calm heart even amidst the chaos.

    Is it attainable? YES!

    If the Lord wills, over the next few weeks we will look to gain a better understanding of peace so that we can truly “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14) as God commands. We will look at all things that pertain to it: how to attain it, how to maintain it, and how to be at peace with God, your brethren, and mankind.

    Are you ready to pursue peace? Me too!!

    When we are commanded to pursue peace in both 2 Timothy 2:22 and 1 Peter 3:11, we are being told to pursue 'being at one again.'

    Consider for a moment James 1:5-8. James warns against being double-minded (vv.6-8). The term 'double-minded' holds the idea of being anxious, that stress-inducing battle between rational and irrational thought. It is a mind that is not at peace.

    God wants us to have peace. He instructs us to "be anxious for nothing" in Philippians 4:6, and He does not leave it at that, He tells us exactly what needs to be done to overcome anxiety and "be at one again" in our mind and heart - "in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) 

    We go through many struggles and hardships in our lives, but through it all God is more than willing to supply His abundant peace, all He is asks of us is to give over our worries and anxieties, lay them down at His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) and ask Him for His help. 

Side note: God loves us SO much that He also provides us with a 'maintenance plan' - a help to abide in peace - He provides us with a list - a whole list - of good and proper things to think on (see Philippians 4:8), so that we can train our minds to stop dwelling on frets and worries by replacing our negative thoughts with a positive one from the list. When we purpose to focus on what God has told us to focus on it changes our perspective and heals our minds. It takes time. I've been there, I've done it - it's difficult at times, but it works!!  God's way IS ALWAYS the BEST WAY!! It is worth every effort to try!! 

Are you ready to pursue peace? Are you willing to give your worries to God in exchange for His perfect peace? God is ready, willing, and able to provide!

You can do it! So can I!!

Pursuing Love: Concluding Thoughts

Owe no one anything except to love one another, 

for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” 

(Romans 13:8 NKJV)

    We owe it to our family, our friends, our neighbours, and our enemies to love them. We owe it to them. Think about that for a moment. It is the only thing we are to owe anyone!

    When we show love through our actions (1 John 3:18) we show others God. People who may not otherwise know God can see Him through us when we truly love Him and them.

    When we love, we “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). Others will see the difference when they compare us and our actions with those in the world!

    As we have studied over the past weeks, love (agape) is a determination to do no harm (Romans 13:10). It is a choice made to show that we serve God first, not ourselves. We don’t add to the negativity, we shine God’s light into the situation, guiding people toward His goodness (Romans 12:17-21). We shine His light when we behave as He has instructed us:

• Love one another
• Love your enemies
• Bless those who curse you
• Do good to those who hate you
• Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you
• Love your neighbour as yourself

 (John 13:34-35, Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 22:36—40)

    Let’s do it God’s way!! He has instructed us over and over again to love as He has loved us!! Let’s reach beyond and grow up out of our natural tendency to react in the same manner in which we have been treated and learn to turn the lights on in people’s lives by responding to the situation with God’s love! Put His instructions into action!! It will take time to get comfortable with handling situations this way, but it truly is worth every effort!!

God is worthy of our obedience, a person’s soul is worth our effort!

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also 

ought to love one another.” 

(1 John 4:11)

You CAN do it! So can I!!

Pursuing Love For Our Enemies

    I would like you to consider this verse today:

“…I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44 NKJV)

    This is not the natural response to hurt and harm – at least not for me – so I have to recall this verse to mind and constantly remember that I don’t serve myself, I serve God!

    If I serve myself I burn bridges, I cut ties, I store-up resentment, I may even heartlessly “poison the well” in speaking badly to others of the people who have caused pain/hurt/disappointment. I will surround myself with people who deem my anger/upset justifiable. I won’t strive to change or grow because it’s hard, I will only wish others would so the world would be a better place.

    When I serve God I love, I bless, I do good, I pray – not for myself in this case, but for those who hurt me - I learn to forgive, I remain kind. I struggle but I grow because of it. I reach for the next rung on the ladder of growth because I know that God wants me to be holy in all my conduct, just as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). I seek justification through faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 5:1-2), not from the world. When I serve Him faithfully, I can prove to myself and to others what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, so I sacrifice my wants for what God wants me to do (Romans 12:1-2) and I can become a better person than I was before.

    Serving God requires us to change, to grow up, and be different.

    We submit to this change and the work that goes into it because we want to “be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

    Do you serve yourself? Do you give into the upset, unleash the fury that you feel when you or someone you love is hurt or hurting, and never seek to change yourself?

    Or do you serve God? 

    Follow Jesus' example in 1 Peter 2:18-24 and trust God, trust His ways; it’s only ever for your own good! Allow yourself to grow up in Him!

“…beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17-18 NKJV)

    And remember: 

"If someone does wrong to you, do not pay him back by doing wrong to him... Do not let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good." (Romans 12:17, 21 NCV) 

You can do it! So can I!!

Pursue Love Toward All People

    If you have ever struggled with trying to feel justified in not exhibiting love toward people who “are not deserving of your love,” I beg for a bit of your time today, and ask you to think about Jonah.

    God gave Jonah the command to go to the city of Ninevah, tell them about God, and give them warning about what would happen if they didn’t turn from their wicked ways.

    There was just one problem though, Jonah didn’t like the people of Ninevah.  Jonah knew of the Lord’s mercy (see Jonah 4:2); He knew that if the people repented and turned to God, God would very likely have mercy on them and NOT destroy them – a punishment Jonah heartily believed they deserved.

    So Jonah chose to ignore God’s command. He got on a boat and sailed off in the opposite direction, and eventually ended up in the sea, in the belly of a great fish. Jonah, facing his own destruction, came to know the error of his ways, prayerfully repented, and God showed mercy to him and gave him another chance. He happily received from God what he refused to offer the people of Ninevah, think on that for a moment...

    Even with this second chance, God’s command did not change – ‘Go to Ninevah, tell them of Me, give them warning, that they might turn from their wicked ways.’  Jonah finally obeyed it, went to Ninevah, told them all that the Lord gave him to say (Jonah 3:1-4), and the people DID repent and God was merciful to them.

    God commands us to love: “love one another” (people you know, 1 John 3:23), “love your neighbour” (people you meet, Matthew 22:36-40), and “love your enemies” (people you don’t like, Matthew 5:43-48). His command has not changed, yet we, like Jonah, feel justified in completely ignoring the commands we don’t like. We need to humble ourselves, as Jonah was humbled in the depths of the sea, prayerfully repent and be obedient to all of God’s commands.

    The people of Ninevah “could not discern between their right hand and their left” (Jonah 4:11) – that is how God saw them and He pitied them, He wanted them to know of Him and His way so that He might be merciful to them.  There are people in your life, in your path, who don’t know God or His way, they can’t “discern between their right hand and their left” and you may be the one needed to tell them of God through kindly showing His love and exhibiting what it looks like to walk in His ways – you may be their Jonah!

    We get angry when we hear that there are people who have the cure for cancer but withhold it as we watch our loved ones die from that horrible disease, but we have something greater than the cure of cancer – we have access to life in Jesus and hope of eternal life – yet we withhold knowledge of it to those who are dying all around us in sin!

    Let’s pray for a heart that feels pity and concern for those who have forgotten God and His way, for those who do not know of God or His way. Let us love as God loves, who “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

    Search your heart today. Determine to pursue love and to humbly show others how to live for God! Generously share the joy of the Lord with everyone around you - be the Jonah who tells them of a better way!

You can do it! So can I!!

Pursue Love With All Your Heart, Soul, and Mind

“Jesus said to them, “You shall love the Lord 

your God with all your heart, with all your soul, 

and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37 NKJV)

    This command is recorded seven times in the Bible: Deuteronomy 6:5, 10:12-13, 13:3, 30:6, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:29-30, and Luke 10:27.

    At first glance we can see that this command was emphasized (mentioned FOUR times!) to the children Israel before they entered the promised land of Canaan and then referenced by Jesus in three of the four books of the gospel, but upon further investigation I found that there is something to learn from each mention:

    In the first recording of this command in Deuteronomy 6:5 we find with instruction to keep this command in our heart and teach them to our children, speak of them freely during our daily activities, and write them on your doorposts and gates.

    The next recording in Deuteronomy 10:12-13, states that the Lord requires it and that is for your good.

    Looking at the surrounding context of the third mention of this command in Deuteronomy 13:2-4, we find that in obeying this command, you prove to God your allegiance and dedication to faithfulness. He wants you to choose serving Him over all else. He does not want you to be led astray by men’s words but to walk after Him, fear Him, serve Him, and hold fast to Him.

    In the fourth mention of this command in Deuteronomy 30:6 we find that God will circumcise the heart (see Jeremiah 32:39) to love Him completely – to what purpose? “…that you may live.”

    When Jesus recalls this same command to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:34-40, we learn that loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind is “the first and great commandment.” On this command (and the second, “Love your neighbour as yourself”) hang all the Law and the Prophets. Everything given as command in the Law and all that was uttered by God’s mouthpieces, the prophets, is based on, and leads everyone back to, this command – the very foundation of righteousness, faith, and hope – to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength!

    In Mark’s writing, we learn that “there is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28-30) and in Luke’s writing we read the declaration from Jesus, Himself, “do this and you will live” (Luke 10:27-28).    

    Are you obeying the first and great command? The command that the Lord requires, the command that is for your good, the command that you are to know and live so well that you can speak easily of it and teach your children (or other people in your life) to follow your example in obeying it? The command that benefits you AND others as you obey it? The command that proves your allegiance to God and His way? Are you ready to diligently pursue this selfless love?

    Jesus said, “do this and live.” You can have life in His name (see John 20:31 and 1 John 5:11-13)! Love God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind – give Him your ALL! It is worth every effort and every sacrifice to obey this first and great commandment!!

You can do it! So can I!!     

    

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!!