February 2012
Pursuing Happiness
“Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue” (2 Peter 1:5)
The Apostle Peter penned these words thousands of years ago, yet they remain as relevant today as ever. There was a reason Peter encouraged his readers to supplement their faith with virtue. It was because God had set men free from the corruption of the world caused by evil desires. And what was to be their response to His grace? Pursue virtue, the first in a chain of pursuits which would keep them from becoming ineffective and unproductive in their faith.
There are so many things we are pursuing these days: a new job, a bigger home, better health, a little more wealth…and the list goes on and on. We’re entitled to pursue these things. It’s part of our heritage – the pursuit of happiness if you will. But what if happiness can’t be found in pursuing these things? What if happiness isn’t the result of a new job, a bigger home, better health, or more wealth? What if happiness can only be found in the pursuit of virtue?
In the beginning, God created man in His image and he was declared “good”. Then sin entered into the picture and man’s goodness was corrupted, his godly image marred, and shame entered into his being. Happiness was lost. So how can happiness be found? We shouldn’t be surprised to learn that happiness can only be found by reversing the process in which it was lost. We must once again be declared good and our godly image must be restored. How does this occur? Simply put, we are declared good (or righteous) by placing our faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 4:3). How is the image of God restored? By the will of God, who brings all things to pass for our good, which is to be conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29). What is our responsibility in that process? We must…
“…make every effort to supplement [our] faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).
Blessings,
Steve
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“O Love That Will Not Let Me Go”
O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
George Matheson (1842-1906) wrote the words to this much-loved hymn while feeling intensely lonely and afraid.
Years back, his fiancé had broken their engagement upon learning he was going blind. Despite that challenge, Matheson had followed God’s call to a fruitful pastoral ministry — with his sister’s assistance. Now his sister was getting married, and Matheson worried about who would take care of him and if anyone would ever want to marry him.
Amid such despair, Matheson later shared, God gave him all four verses of this hymn in five minutes. It’s a poignant reminder that God’s love sustains us even when human love falls short.
February 2012 Communication Resources: Newsletter Newsletter
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St. Valentine’s Sacrifice
Every February 14, we celebrate the loved ones in our lives with cards, flowers and chocolate. But Valentine’s Day has another meaning that’s been lost.
First declared a holiday by King Henry VIII of England in 1537, it commemorates the beheading of St. Valentine on February 14, 270 A.D. His crime? Performing wedding ceremonies after Roman Emperor Claudius II had outlawed marriage.
Valentine was martyred for faithfully doing the work God had given him. Although it’s good to celebrate love and marriage, let’s also remember the courage of a man who gave his life following his convictions.
February 2012 Communication Resources: Newsletter Newsletter
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Walking with God
The essence of the Christian life is knowing God and walking with him. It's about sticking with him when the sky is blue and also when it's filled with clouds or choked with smoke. It's about walking with the Lord thorugh thick and thin, and pressing on through every heartache and trial that happens to come our way.
—Greg Laurie
February 2012 Communications Resources: Newsletter Newsletter
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Quotes
“To love another person is to see the face of God.”
—Lyrics from Les Misérables, Claude-Michel Schönberg
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“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
—Anne Bradstreet * *
“Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof.”
—Kahlil Gibran
February 2012 Communications Resources: Newsletter Newsletter | 
