This website not only blesses the multitude of readers from across the globe that visit it daily, it blesses me tremendously also. It stores a lot of my gems that I have gleaned from over 40 years of being a committed Christian. Most of the written materials on this website are mine, but once in a while I come across something that no matter how hard I try I can’t say it any better. Such is the case of the following except that I have attached about the pursuit of love:
‘Pursue Love’ by Pastor David Jeremiah. He calls all Christians to pursue love because it is a command, not a feeling.
As you can hear in the MP3, there is a rapid fire comparison of what agape love is in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5. Because of the meat of the Word we are handed, I had to listen to it over and over again. I had to write down the scripture references where he points out that we are not to take a passive role, as so many churches and bible teachers lead us to believe. Instead, we are commanded to take an active role and to pursue love along with the rest of the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit only enables us. It is our responsibility to carry it out.
AGAPE LOVE AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AS THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES:
Love(agape) suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (I Corinthians 13:4-8a NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love(agape), joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a NKJV)
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE LAID OUT PURE AND SIMPLE IN COMMANDS TO OBEY BY TAKING ACTION:
LOVE(AGAPE)- Pursue love. (I Corinthians 14:1a NKJV)
JOY- Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NKJV)
PEACE- Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14 NKJV)
LONGSUFFERING- Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. (I Thessalonians 5:14 NKJV)
KINDNESS- And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV)
GOODNESS- For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)
That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. (Titus 3:8 NKJV)
FAITHFULNESS- Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (I Corinthians 4:2 NKJV)
GENTLENESS- To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (Titus 3:2 NKJV)
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient. (II Timothy 2:24 NKJV)
SELF CONTROL- But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (I Corinthians 9:27 NKJV)
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (II Peter 1:5-7 NKJV)
Annointing 