AGAPE-to my Brethren

To my Brethren,

 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now...
 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart.... For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
And this I pray, that your **love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of ** love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same **love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus... Do all things without complaining and disputing...
 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life...

 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
and.. being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in US will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..

 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.....and the God of peace will be with you....Amen

** Love-- strongs #26= Agape..."the active love of God for His Son and the active love His people are to have for God, each other and even enemies"

In John 21:16-17 Jesus asked Peter three times " lovest thou me"? .............the first two times the word love is "agape.........and Peter answered " Yea Lord, you know that I "phileo" you........"phileo" comes from the root word" philos" ...phileo means love like a friend, to have affection for to regard highly.
the third time Jesus asked him .... “Simon, son of Jonah, do you Phileo Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time,
 “Do you Phileo Me?”

What was Peter's response ??

And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I "phileo" You.

Peter knew the Lord knew his heart, yea, the deep things, and he did not answer....I "AGAPE"  you ......................WoW, I wonder how long it took him to achieve Agape ?

Here in Philippians we are called to have AGAPE..............oh my brethren............shall we ever attain ?? HE cannot come,  until we do!!

" Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Mat 5:23-24

"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." Mk 11:25-26

" Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. " Mat 6:9-13

May the peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep OUR hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
MARANATHA !!