Study Time: Love (Part 3)

Finally I conclude my three part series on the topic of Love. I bring to you, a short lesson on agape love. Grab your notebooks and Bibles because I really want this lesson to linger in your conscience, and not just evaporate into thin air after you've read it. 

Bibles and notebooks ready please

This post couldn't be more timely, given I have spent days in the last week, in the city of Love. That's right, I have been in Paris. Sadly, there were no romantic dinners in the Eiffel Tower, or evening strolls along the river Seine. My trips have been strictly of the professional kind, sheepishly shuffling along behind clients whist they gawp at the classical offerings this city has to offer.  

The Sacre Coeur against the beautiful backdrop of the blue sky

Here come my disclaimers:

Disclaimer 1:  Study Time will be purely devoted to Biblical teachings. My other blog posts will be general motivational material.
Disclaimer 2: Please remember that the original intended audience of my lessons are young people, so please excuse me if Study Time appears to be too basic for you. (Remember, I teach young people!)

Key Bible Verses
1 John 4:20                                1 John 4:19                              1 John 5:2-3
John 3:16                                   1 John 4:7 - 8                           Mark 12.30-31

Definition
Agape in the new original text is translated to 'Love' and it describes perfect, unconditional love that  God is capable of demonstrating to his children so perfectly.

Lovely fresh fruits served at the Sofitel Hotel. Prepared with love of course!

It is hardly surprising then, that as we are made in God's image, God expects us to demonstrate this love that is so pure and authentic to Him and to others. (Mark 12: 30-31)
Aside from God's mercy that he shows us everyday, and the benefits that he daily loads into our lives, His ultimate portrayal of love was the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ , who showed love to believers and non believers alike, during his time on earth.  This sacrifice is key, because without it, everyone of us, with all our sinfulness, would be sentenced to eternal condemnation.  (John 3:16). Because of His sacrifice, our only job is to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved! (Hurrah!)

The steps of Montmartre, leading to the Sacre Coeur

The reason why God is able to agape us is because He is love. This makes the two inseparable. (1John 4:8) For example, if you are a singer, you are able to effortlessly sing (in an ideal world!). If you are a painter, you are able to effortlessly paint. Consequently, we can only know this true, unflawed, and unconditional love when we come into the knowledge of God. 

This is why as followers, of Christ, who claim to know and to love God we are challenged to let our lives become an embodiment of agape love. This means our love should be an example to other believers and should definitely not discriminate against non believers, no matter the circumstance. (1 John 4:20 -21). Ladies and gentlemen, please let honesty guide your thoughts. How much do we love others? A good measuring stick against which we can put our love for others to the test is 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. If you are abiding by these tenets then my dear, this is true agape. 

Filet de Bar, chez le Pullman à Bercy

Don't beat yourself up if you find yourself falling short of the guidelines set out in the love scripture, because frankly, without the grace of God it is impossible to abide by it! I would like to encourage and to cheer you on to continue to ask for God's supernatural power to work in you so you can be a true portrayal of agape love to your fellow man here on earth.


Aside from loving mankind, how else do we show our love for God? Through the obedience of his commandments! (1 John 5:2-3). It's as simple as that dear reader. Whilst sobbing your heart out during worship at church is a lovely gesture, true love to God is demonstrated through our obedience of his commandments. As they say, the proof is in the pudding!

The beautiful  Sacre Coeur standing proud and stoic (from another angle!)

That concludes my Love series. Hopefully, it has stirred up a longing for a relationship with God. Maybe you find you would love to live a life in the fullness of God's love, to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal saviour and to inherit this salvation I spoke about earlier. Or maybe you'd like to rekindle your love for God. In this case, please read aloud this sinner's prayer:

Heavenly Father, I recognise that I am a sinner, and ask for forgiveness for my sinful nature.

I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me, rose for me and is coming back for me.

I declare in Jesus' name that I am saved!

Amen!

Simples! You are saved! You may want to get yourself a Bible, follow a daily devotional such as this one, and join a good prayerful, Bible believing church.

I hope you have enjoyed the third installment of my Love series. You can read parts one and two here and here. If you have any questions on anything I have shared with you in this lesson or the others please comment below. Let's discuss! Or send me an email at souljournersstory@gmail.com.

Until next time. Ciao for now! 

Let's Talk About Breasts

Breasts, tits, rack, knockers, jugs...whatever you wish to refer to the two mammary glands dutifully planted on your chest, we are going to speak about them today.

 Courtesy of eduncovered.com

This may not be one of my most exciting topics, but it is definitely one of my most important. I feel I have a responsibility to use this platform to share knowledge that could potentially save a life so here goes.

In the UK, the month of October is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness.Breast cancer occurs when cells begin to divide and grow abnormally. If you cannot fathom why us Brits would dedicate a whole 31 days to breast cancer awareness, here are some facts that should jolt your reasoning into motion:

1. Every year nearly 55,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK, that’s the equivalent of one person every 10 minutes
2. 1 in 8 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime
3. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women in the UK
4. Nearly 12,000 people die from breast cancer in the UK every year
5. Breast cancer also affects men, but it’s rare – around 400 men are diagnosed each year.

(Statistics are courtesy of Breast Cancer Care)

Please do note that these stats have nothing to do with breast shape or size!

My aim is not to scare monger but only to educate, and I feel we all have a duty to be aware. To bring it all home, I would love for you, if you are able to, to gather seven of your nearest and dearest girlfriends and female family members for a girly meetup. Once you are all together, look at those faces you love so much and cherish. According to the stats, one out of your group will develop this horrific disease  in their lifetime. It's a scary thought!

Why not get together over a nice meal and share some knowledge and good vibes?

But all hope is not lost, because I feel with education, faith and prayer all can be overcome! In light of this, I would love to share with you how you can examine yourself

There’s no right or wrong way to check your breasts for any changes. Try to get used to looking at and feeling your breasts regularly. You can do this in the bath or shower, when you use body lotion, or when you get dressed. There’s really no need to change your everyday routine. Just decide what you are comfortable with and what suits you best. Remember to check all parts of your breast, your armpits and up to your collarbone. (Info courtesy of Breast Cancer Care)

When you do check yourself, this is what you are looking out for.

(Infographic courtesy of Breast Cancer Care)

Again, I am not intending to plant seeds of fear. Besides, most abnormalities are not cancerous, but merely tissue swelling and cysts etc.  Lastly, please do spare some time to pray for cancer sufferers around the world and their families.

For more information on cancer awareness, what to do if you think you've got cancer, and ways to support cancer research, please visit  https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/