Agape

I have been preparing this week to preach this Sunday at The Chapel. God has been doing such a work in me lately by lavishing His love on me, that it's difficult not to want to share Sunday on anything else... so I won't :)

In my preparation, I was looking up the Greek word for "love" in Strong's Concordance. Most of us are familiar with "love" in the new testament being translated from the Greek word "agape," which is true. But as I dove into the meaning of the word, there were some enlightening aspects to this "agape" love that caught my attention.

One of the aspects of this "agape" love was that Strong's stated, "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts as God's love is seen in the gift of His Son." It then references 1 John 4:9,10...

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Wow.

If love is only shown through actions, God showed us the greatest act of love, by sending His Son to die in our place. How many times have we heard this?! Yet, it is so fresh and new for me this morning.

If love is truly something that can only be seen and displayed through the actions of someone, then God's actions were greatest...

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

God doesn't just tell us He loves us, no, He proves His great love for us by laying down His life for us.

For a recovering perfectionist, I am so thankful that God truly loves me this morning, and that He showed it! He shows me His love through more than mere words, but in action too. I find rest, hope, strength and peace in His love, and pray you do today as well.

First Love

I will be preaching tomorrow (Sunday) at The Chapel in Somerset, KY. The section of Scripture I plan to preach from is Revelation 2:1-7. God has been doing a work in my own heart as I have prepared for this message... Have I left my first love?

Take a look below at Jesus's letter to Ephesus and try not to be challenged! The version I used below is the Amplified version...

1TO THE angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lampstands [which are the seven churches]:

2I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.

3I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.

4But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].

5Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.

6Yet you have this [in your favor and to your credit]: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans [what they are doing as corrupters of the people], which I Myself also detest.

7He who is able to hear, let him listen to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant to eat [of the fruit] of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.