Increasing Love - 1 Thessalonians Series

 

Welcome to Multiply, a podcast to help encourage our village church planters, pastors, and Christian leaders. We are Brad & Daneille Snowden, and we are delighted to be with you today.

We have a vegetable garden and a small flower garden as well. This summer has been extremely hot, and I must confess, I was not diligent watering my potted flowers. Before this, the rains would come, and I had beautiful and colorful flowers that bloomed perfectly. Now, the petals have fallen, and my leaves are brown. Why, because I did not pour into them water that gave them life.

Today we will read about how our Lord Jesus increases His love in us to pour out to others.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 says:

“And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you

Looking at the first part of this verse we read; “and may the Lord cause you to increase & excel in love…”  God has gifted all humans with an inner ability to love and care, especially for those who they are related to. It is what is termed: a natural form of love. The Greek word: ‘storge’ describes the natural bond and love between parents, children, brothers, and sisters. As Christians, we become a part of even a larger family, the family of God. This love is called philia (in Greek) which is a love Christians practice towards one another. It means ‘beloved, a dear friend, one trusted in a close way, and a confidant.’  We have this love because as it says in verse 12 of our text – “the LORD CAUSE YOU TO INCREASE IN LOVE!” [HIS LOVE] This love is called Agape love in the Greek. It is the highest level of love, it is God’s immeasurable love for humankind, it is perfect and unconditional as we see all throughout God’s Word.

I believe the Apostle Paul was full of this love as he lived out his life as a missionary and church planter! He expresses this love here in 1 Thessalonians for the church of Thessalonica, as he expressed his longing to be with them and how he prays often for them.

May we all increase in God’s Love and have the increasing love for one another, this is done as God increases in our lives. This was strongly declared by John the Baptist himself.

More of Jesus we must pray, as we increase in His love to overflowing.

This has been Multiply; will you please share this podcast to others? You can find us also on www.vcpencouragement.org, also on Facebook and YouTube.

Be increased in Jesus today!