The God Who Pursues Us

In the famous parable about the father with two sons (Luke 15), we read about how the father pursues each of them. When the prodigal son returns the father sees him and runs out to meet him. What a heart warming picture of a loving father eager to welcome back his wayward son. Later in the story, the older son is unhappy and refuses to enter into the celebration. What does the father do? Same thing. He goes out and pursues his son and pleads with him. These are pictures of how God deals with us.

1. God pursues rebellious people who have been far away

2. God pursues religious people who have been far away.

What a God we serve! He loves us and chases after us.

Loving Like Jesus

Jesus gave us a new commandment (John 13:34) . He said we are to love others like He loved us.

1. We are to love sacrificially.
2. We are to love unconditionally.
3. We are to love permanently.

How to be Popular

Mordecai was popular because according to Esther 10:3 he did two things:

1. He sought the welfare of his people.
2. He spoke peace to all the people.

It seems pretty simple, but it is a good reminder.

1. Serve people.
2. Say pleasant things.

Because let's face it, there are too many self-serving individuals who say ugly things.

Heart Check

When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said in Matthew 22:27, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."

In discussing our love for Him, Jesus listed the heart before soul, mind, or strength. And heart-felt love is always mentioned first in parallel passages. Click on the following verses to see for yourself.

Deut. 6:5

Mark 12:30

We are to love God with our entire being, but it is significant that scritpure always lists the heart first. Yes we are to love God totally with our thoughts and efforts but it begins with heart-felt passion.

The Powerful Love of God

I recently heard a fantastic sermon from Dr. James Noble. He spoke at the National African American Fellowship. His text was John 3:16.

• The love of God is unconditional - agape love
• The love of God is universal - "for God so loved the world"
• The love of God is unique - "that He gave His only begotten Son"
• The love of God is unending - "have everlasting life."

A Pure Heart

Being double-minded is not good because such a person is mixed up inside. Sometimes they are spiritual, othertimes they are carnal. Sometimes they trust, othertimes they doubt. Instead of being double-minded the committed Christian should desire a pure heart. A person with a pure heart is totally in love with God. And because they are full of love for the Lord, there is no room within them for fear, doubt, or disobedience. Jesus promised, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8)."  

Watch out for the symptoms of double-mindedness. Seek to have a pure heart fully devoted to the Lord.  

Loving the Unlovely

The Bible makes it repeatedly clear that we are to love other people. We are to love our neighbor as ourself. We are to care for the widow, orphan, stranger, and prisoner. In both the New Testament and Old Testament God emphasizes the primacy of love.

This command is easy in some situations. Loving family and friends for example is natural and almost effortless.

However certain people irritate us and we find it difficult to love them. We know the clear biblical teaching about love, but some people test us.

What is the solution? Should we avoid them? Should we pretend we like them? Should we try harder to muster up some kindness toward them?

The best solution is to admit our deficit and import love from Jesus. Galatians 5 explains that our old "fleshly" nature is hateful and contentious. But the fruit of the Spirit is love. 

1. We must admit our inadequacy. "God I don't love this person. I don't have affectionate feelings toward them. You know my heart God, I can't fool You."
2. We must appropriate God's love. "God you are loving. Please fill me with Your Spirit and love this person through me. You do in me what I cannot do. I yield to You Heavenly Father. Live and love through me I pray."

An example of this is found in the nation of Japan. This tiny island nation does not have any oil of their own. Since there is no place to drill for it in their own land, they have to import all their oil from outside. This is a picture of our lives. We are not naturally loving. All love we get must be imported from God.

As we acknowledge our weakness and trust God to live through us we discover supernatural love flowing for even the worst of people. This is the only way to love some people.