Love... Is Pure
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8 (ESV)
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
The simple word, PURE, as applied to love, has taken two bad spins in recent years:
Purity is an old-fashioned notion.
Purity is a judgmental mindset.
Neither spin is true. They come from Satan, ‘The father of lies’ (John 8:44), ‘The god of this world’ (2 Corinthians 4:4), and the ‘Prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2).
Purity is the opposite of old. Purity is fresh, new, and untainted. Each day brings exciting discoveries.
It has nothing to do with stale judgment… and everything to do with Jesus Christ, Who was free from all contamination: spiritually, emotionally, and physically– even after death!
Pure love is honest and unselfish love. It's not out to “get”, but simply to give. The only Way we can approach pure love is through Jesus Himself: Love's Refiner.
Pure love is transformingly powerful. It requires working out our “faith muscles”... to build up to a fully-charged love-life. HOW?
Daily walks of outgoing compassion.
Taming and training our tongues to be kind.
Bypassing “junk love” in fast-love drive-thrus.
Refusing “fake love” from church pretenders.
Studying the Bible: real love’s Rule Book.
Discipleship under the Star of Love.
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
Yes, phony love is found in Hollywood, but it IS a storytelling business– and they don’t pretend their fiction is true. (It’s not a crime to tell a good story:)
The danger lies in fake-love Romeo(s), Juliet(s), and especially in phony prophets (aka “pastors”). God’s warnings are clear in both Testaments.
Look for the pure Word, with no additives and no deletions… to feel its full strength, to give and receive God’s pure perfect love.
Love… Is Pure (Part 59)
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re all called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re all called to be models of Jesus. We all have gifts, talents, and a commission to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend DAILY BIBLE READING.
WARNING: Don’t focus on your favorite verses, because taken out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!