1 THESSALONIANS 3 The Christian Life We Must Have . vl.

A Concerning Love ; This chapter speaks about the Agape love that Jesus places within us and expects us to spread it about in His name that God may be glorified . The Agape love is having the most consideration for others, putting them first and ourselves last . Ever willing to help people with our skills and energy and sometimes money. ROMANS 13 v 8 ; Owe no man anything but to love one another for he that loveth another has fulfilled the law. Christ is looking for the person who is willing to serve Him and fulfil the law. But with no Agape love within one cannot expect to be anointed for service for Jesus. v 2. A Sincere Love. PROVERBS 3 v 27-28 ; Withhold not good from them to whom it is-due. when it is In the power of your hand to do it. God says show Me the strength and sincerity of your Agape love by practical means. Let Me see Christ's love in action In your life, if you would serve and obey Me. EPHESIANS I v 15-16; Wherefore I also after I had heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, and make mention of you in my prayers. When did we last pray for other people and their welfare. v 2. An Unselfish Love ; Let our motives be for the glory of God the betterment of our friends and not the praise of others. I CORINTHIANS 13 v 4 ; Charity suffers long and is kind, charity envies not, vaunts not itself, is not puffed up. How difficult it is to be completely unselfish in all things. EPHESIANS 5 v 25 ; Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. v 33 ; Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife, see that she reverence her husband. v 2. A Labouring Love ; Willing to put an honest effort into the work for Jesus. Having an enthusiasm to do our best for the glory of God. EPHESIANS 4 v 1-3; I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. With all lowliness and meekness with longsuffering forbearing one another in love. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. How important it is to live each day as Christ would have us . v 2. A Comforting Love ; We are often called upon to counsel someone in distress or grieving. Someone hurting inside and looking for a good listener, who has some compassion in their heart.; That comforting, caring, sincere-love ..ROMANS 13 v.9-10 ; ...you shall love your neighbour as yourself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Try writing out a list of the things you could do f or other people in need or grieving or unsaved. ) v 3, A Strengthening Love.; Despite our own possible afflictions we should learn from them to be equipped to comfort and strengthen that person who has been referred to you for help of some kind. 1 CORINTHIANS 13 v 13 ; And now abides faith hope and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity. Quite often people will be converted because they see in you an unselfish love and Christian compassion for them and they desire to have the kind of Christian life that you say you have. v 4. A Testing Love ;. Our love for Christ and the unsaved around us-and those needing help, will often test our Christian love and faith. I CORINTHIANS 13 v 3 ; And though I bestow alI my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profits me nothing. God is ever ready to judge our works and motives. v 5. An Enquiring Love. Dont sit around home waiting for something to happen. Some people join up with groups of people who make themselves available with various forms of help for those who need it. Let us continue with our good works and watch for God's answer to our prayers for other people. JOHN 21 v 16 ; He said to Him again the second time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou Me ? Yea Lord

You know that I love You. He said unto him, feed My sheep. Have you heard Jesus say this to you. Are you helping to feed the sheep In your church ? v 6. An Abiding Love . How wonderful it is to know that, in Christ we have not only eternal life, but eternal love from the Godhead. HEBREWS 13 v 1-2 ; Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Let our marriages be cemented with the glue of abiding love. . An Exchanging Love If we have the Agape love in our lives we will get fellowship and enjoyment of helping others. Imagine the power and joy that a Spirit filled Church with a group of willing hearted members giving out that which Jesus put in their lives. What a difference that would make in that particular district, ROMANS 5 v 5 ; And hope makes not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. JOHN 13 v 34 ; A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Imagine the peace and joy and Christian love that could be in a church If all its members were willing to love each other with the Agape love. v 7. A Comforting Love ; The prayers and concern of the. Christians must bring comfort and peace to those being prayed for. I THESSALONIANS 4 v 16-18 ; For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout., with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord . Comfort one another with these words. The most comforting love that we can offer any unsaved person is to explain to them the meaning of these verses and the great love of God for them. JOHN 3 vl6. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever belleveth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. v 8..A Living Love ; That love and compassion that is vital, real and sincere will become an active living love . How we all need this kind of love. EPHESIANS 5 v 1-2 ; Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children And walk in love as Christ also loved us and has.. given Himself for us an offering and sweet sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. EPHESIANS 4 v 32 ; And be kind to one another, tender hearted forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you. v 9 .. A Satisfying Love The love of Jesus in us and spread abroad by the Holy Ghost will be the most satisfying and practical experience Christians can have, for God commanded that we have this kind of living love. GALATIANS 5 v 22 ; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance, against which there is no law. I CORINTHIANS 2 v 9 ; But as it is written, eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of: man the things which God has prepared for them that love Him. That promise of God should certainly make us satisfied with the Godhead and the love of the Father, Son and Holy-Ghost. v 10 A Continuing Love .Christ's love for us never ceases but man's love for God can dwindle away. Let us not become apathetic towards the Godhead but be ever alert that we seek to please God and not man. If we continue is the Agape love the Holy Spirit will help us to continue our work In the vineyard. JOHN 8 v 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. Dont hide your light under a bushel but be proud to honour Jesus who offers you eternal life with Him. v 11. An Inspiring Love ; If offered in the name of Jesus who gave us such love. 1 JOHN 5 v 1-2 ; Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God,

when we love God and keep His commandments. God will honour the Christian love in our heart only if we spread it among our neighbours. It is like a well I continuously springing up but if we get apathetic we plug up the well and people will see an undesirable change is us. v 12. An Abounding Love ; An enthusiastic practical love that one enjoys participating in ; Let us ever be abounding in theAgape love to the glory of God ; CORINTHIANS 9 v 8-9 ; And God is able to make all grace abound toward you , that you, always having all sufficiency In all things, may abound to every good work. As it is written He has dispersed abroad , He has given to the poor, His righteousness remains for ever. Can we also say that our righteousness will be noted and ours for ever ? Our good works have to be done with the right motives, Because we know that God has called us to get on the bandwaggon of Christian love and help for those who need some. v 13. A Purposeful Love ; There is a motive for everything we do and a consequence to follow. The list is endless when it comes to saying what can I do to help these needy people ; Be genuinely concerned about their overall welfare and the very angels in heaven will rejoice over every soul saved by you under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ROMANS 8 v 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. Let us answer His call and accept the challenge of discipleship in Christ and to shed His love around to others who do not know Him as Redeemer. ROMANS 5 v 5 ; And hope makes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.