AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
IRONWIFEY MAGAZINE
THE LOVE ISSUE
SEPTEMBER 2017 - ISSUE 4 - THE LOVE ISSUE
V ERE
LOVE
ENDURES
HOPES
P S
ERSE
PA T IE N T TS EC OT PR
TRUSTS
GOD IS IS
KIND
IS GOD
LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE
EPHESIANS 5:2 ERV
ereH yenruoJ evoL ruoY nigeB
September 2017
Issue 4 - Love
04
07
God is Love, Love is God By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa
Love Thy Neighbor By: Elsonia Swarts
08
10
His Sweet, Sweet Love By: Adebosoye Olagbegi
Love is Everything By: Bridgette Robertson
STNETNOC FO ELBAT
13
15
Love is my Portion By: Alisha Moore
Perfect Love Cast Out Fear By: Micayla Robertson
16
18
The Greatest Love of All By: Melissa Volmink
What is Love? By: Joanne Christian
Letter From The Editor
Hello Love, Thank you for reading the "Love" edition of IronWifey Magazine. Before there was anything there was Love, for God is Love. Love is more than a feeling; it's a reaction to the Lord's action. God loved us so much He sacrificed His son, Jesus Christ, so that we who believe can be free, forgiven, and inherit everlasting salvation. His love for us is true and His Word reveals the truth about Love. It's time for us to fall back in love with our first love. As you read this issue, I pray that you learn the true definition of love. May you walk in love, and accept God as love in your life. May He fill you with His love, encouraging you to love your neighbor, love yourself, and love your creator. Also, may His love bring you peace and patience to trust in His design. Thank you for reading IronWifey Magazine! May you live a life of love Check out the digital copy online
- Micayla Robertson www.IronWifey.com
Founder + Editor in Christ, IronWifey Magazine
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
GOD IS LOVE. . . LOVE IS GOD By: Ncediwe Mdlulwa
IWM
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
PAGE 5
True love is found in Christ One can never experience true love without knowing where love comes from. I am talking about the source of Love! That source of love being God
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. -1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 NIV Love is the true essence of who God is! Love Characterizes God because: God (Love) is Patient God (Love) is Kind God (Love) does not envy God (Love) does not boast God (Love) is not proud God (Love) is not rude God (Love) is not self-seeking God (Love) not easily angered God (Love) does not keep record of wrongs God (Love) does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. God always protects, God always trusts, God always hopes, And God always perseveres. God (Love) never fails Love is his name and this scripture demonstrates God’s character or behavior
OD IS LOV
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” -1 John 4:8 NLT LOVE is God’s nature and identity Love is everything to God
LOVE is God’s Being! Precisely who he is
There is a saying: you CAN give without Loving but you CANNOT LOVE without giving Thus, God gives us all these things mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 because of who HE is and HIS LOVE FOR US. Love is his way of offering to us as he love us unconditionally
It’s His redemptive strategy in saving humanity Hence, He sacrificed His only begotten son to die for our sins so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life That is why we were born and created, in love, for love, by love (God) So God expects us to LOVE and adopt his Character
We must LOVE God And Love thy Neighbour ☺ Establish a relationship with God and allow him to teach you how to love. Once you do, everything else will fall into place, for LOVE is the GREATEST Command
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
PAGE 6
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
SO NOW I AM GIVING YOU A NEW COMMANDMENT: LOVE EACH OTHER. JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, YOU SHOULD LOVE EACH OTHER. YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER WILL PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES. JOHN 13:34-35 NLT
IWM
IWM
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHR
LOVE THY NEIGHBOR When you look at me, what do you see? Do you see not that I am your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your friend? I am your neighbor. The difference in our pigmentation need not differentiate us for I am your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your friend. I am your neighbor. The crutches in my hand, and me walking in wheels instead of heels; the language of my hands and the guidance of my cane need not differentiate us for I am your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your friend. I am your neighbor. Whether I slay in a dress, or prefer to wear pants need not differentiate us for I am your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your friend. I am your neighbor. Whether I have skin wrinkled from age or skin flawlessly smooth from youth , it need not differentiate us for I am your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your friend. I am your neighbor. Whether I recite the Koran or read my Bible, meditate or pray need not differentiate us for I am your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your friend. I am your neighbor Love Thy Neighbor You cannot claim to love God, but not love thy neighbor - 1 John 4:20 ESV “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” -John 15:12 ESV
PAGE 7
By: Elsonia Swarts
PAGE 8
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
IWM
When my relationship with God started getting deeper, it
HIS SWEET, SWEET LOVE
was because I wanted to see some prayers answered. I
By Adebosoye Olagbegi
The love of God brought contentment to my spirit. Then
used to be frustrated and full of anxiety because of what I was praying too see take place in my life. But as I grew closer to God, his love filled me more and more. My relationship with God went from being about what God could do for me, to what God was doing in me. His love overwhelmed me, and I learned to have peace even when my prayers seemed like they weren't going to be answered. I learned to be filled with joy, wake up with a smile on my face, and say "Good Morning Lord," simply because of who he is.
suddenly, God answered my prayers and my relationship Why does God love us so much? When I sit down to think about how God is working all the intricate details of my life together, I can't help but think why me? Why do you care so much about me? Like Psalm 8:4 KJV says,
What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? One thing I know for sure is that I don't deserve it; his perfect unending love for me.
with him still hasn't changed. I haven't strayed away because my prayers have now been answered. The same love that saw me through and molded my heart to be more like his, is the same overwhelming love I feel everyday. God used the time when it seemed like my prayers weren't going to be answered, to process me. Now not only have my prayers been answered, but I am filled with his love, which was really the best thing to have received in the first place. I also realize that God didn’t answer my prayers just for me. I know he wants to use me to spread his love and to be a blessing to others. My relationship with God isn't only about what's he doing in NOMADIC
me, but what he's doing through me.
|
24
IWM
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
I PRAY THAT CHRIST WILL LIVE IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH AND THAT YOUR LIFE WILL BE STRONG IN LOVE AND BE BUILT ON LOVE. AND I PRAY THAT YOU AND ALL GOD’S HOLY PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE POWER TO UNDERSTAND THE GREATNESS OF CHRIST’S LOVE—HOW WIDE AND HOW LONG AND HOW HIGH AND HOW DEEP THAT LOVE IS. CHRIST’S LOVE IS GREATER THAN ANYONE CAN EVER KNOW, BUT I PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT LOVE. THEN YOU CAN BE FILLED WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD.
PAGE 9
I don't understand why he loves us so much but I know it's the best thing I have ever experienced. I know I can never go back to the way I used to be. Circumstances can change. More prayer request will come up and there will be more things to stress about. But the love of God can never be shaken in my life. Thank you for loving me God. Thank you so much for
EPHESIANS 3:17-19 NIV
meeting me where I was. Thank you for processing me. Thank you for your love.
LOVE IS EVERYTHING By: Bridgette Robertson
IWM
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
PAGE 11
God is Love and without Love, God says we are nothing, we gain nothing, and we are just noise in the earth. -1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Love is. . . Patient: able to remain calm and not become annoyed Kind: Having or showing a gentle nature. “Helps” Love does not . . . Envy: painful awareness of another's advantages and desires to have them Boast: to praise oneself with excessive pride Delights in evil but rejoices with the truth: not finding pleasure in what God says is evil and sinful, but finds pleasure in what the truth of God’s Word says. Love is not. . . ucioVanidA :yB otohP
Rude: not showing concern; but polite Self seeking: concern only for one's needs, seeking to further one's own interests Easily angered: strong feelings of being upset because of something bad
Love keeps no record of being wronged: Not making present decisions based on past hurts Love Always. . . Protects: covers Trusts: has faith in God; believes Hope: a desire with expectations Perseveres: ensures through every circumstance; lasts Love. Never. Fails This is unconditional love. In spite of what's going on in life or how someone treats me I am Love because God is Love 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 | Ephesians 5:1 | 1 John 4: 15-18 Become Love
PAGE 12
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
IWM
SEARCHING FOR LOVE Find the words below hidden in the crossword puzzle of love.Â
God Is Love Patient Kind Trusts Endures Hopes Protects Faithful
Reveal the answer key on page 19
PATIENTZ FAITHFUL A P R K I NDX T G E Y B L NS WO V J I S T O U DH P S C UT MB X Q E A DR Z E U T P N KU V I O L O VES L R Y E H DAT P EN D U R ES Stop searching for love from the world and open your heart to the true love whom died on the cross; and lives on through the Word.
IWM
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
PAGE 13
LOVE IS MY PORTION By: Alisha Moore
The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:5, "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith". This scripture really spoke to my soul when I learned it
Once I got in the presence of the Lord, I began to
and as I began to research it, I discovered that I had to
learn the difference between the enemy's voice of
ask God to cleanse my heart and make it new before
condemnation and God's voice of conviction. Satan
him. It was important for me to develop a new heart
condemns us accusingly, to make us feel guilty, but God
because my old heart was filled with so much pain,
convicts us lovingly to lead our hearts to repentance
anger, resentment, hate and bitterness.
because He is the ultimate source for the life of Love.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right
Love cannot be turned on as a reward. It cannot be
spirit within me. Psalms 51:10 (ESV).
turned off as a punishment. Only something else pretending to be love can be used as a lure or a hook, for
So, I began asking God for forgiveness for the things in
bait and switch, imitated, but NEVER the real deal. Real
my past. I could not heal if I could not be honest and
Love ONLY imitates God, does not pretend, and springs
confess to the Lord all of my wrongdoings. God honors
freely from the heart, accompanied by faith and hope.
those who recognize their sins and cling to the cross. My faith has to be completely dependent on Jesus. That By purifying my heart, I was able to set my soul free and
radical faith of needing only Him and knowing that His
become new in the spirit. I had to re-learn how to think
grace is sufficient, because it is. By faith, I receive help
and create a good conscience, because my old
and hope, salvation and satisfaction, because faith works
conscience was mostly made up of toxic affirmations
through Love. (Galatians 5:6). I can only serve as a conduit
that were condemning, criticizing, chastising, berating
of grace when I myself have been filled with Love
and blaming.
because Love is the fruit of faith.
But, God's ways are not our ways.
As Paul said, "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere
His ways tell us to think on whatever is true and noble,
faith".
whatever is right and pure, whatever is lovely and admirable, and whatever is excellent or praiseworthy.
Love is my aim because living in the joy of the blood-
(Philippians 4:8 NIV).
bought promise ignites radical and profound love in the hearts of believers; For love magnifies the Greatness of God.
IWM
ONE WOMAN SHARPENS ANOTHER
PAGE 15
PERFECT LOVE CAST OUT I’ve learned over time that whenever I’m afraid, or feel fear, I give the enemy control over my spirit. Fear is not just an emotion, but a paralytic that consumes all hope. It requires release of control and sometimes it’s disguised in the form of doubt, worthlessness or pride. Fear always has a plan of attack to feed on the weak, but it was defeated by love long ago, and must be cast down to protect peace. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. -2 Timothy 1:7 KJV God has given us: Power: The Lord said, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, boast all the more gladly about your weakness so that Christ's power may rest on you. -2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
FEAR
BY: MICAYLA ROBERTSON
Sound Mind: You have power over your thoughts. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, right and pure, lovely and admirable. Think on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18), so you must love The Lord with all of heart, and all of your mind and all of your soul (Luke 10:27), because God is love and love is God. Everything Love is He will give to you. God's Word is truth and will help you
Love: He will be patient with you, kind to you, He will not be easily angered or keep no record of wrongs. He will protect you, trust you, have hope in you, and help you to persevere. He never fails and His Word is truth. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-6 NLT
through any situation! You are more than a conqueror through Christ who gives you strength! Before you allow fear to control you, remember that God's spirit dwells in you. Think on Him (Love, Power, and Praiseworthy things) and encourage yourself in the Lord for He will keep you in perfect peace! (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)
PAGE 16
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
IWM
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL BY: MELISSA VOLMINK I recently attended an event hosted by
Can you imagine ever having to sacrifice
Hillsong Church called "Sisterhood" and the
yourself or something/someone you love for
preacher for this event was Pastor Alex Seeley.
someone who is undeserving of this? Because I
She preached about love and her message was
certainly can’t.
from John 13:34 – 35 NKJV which says,
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. --Romans 5:8 NKJV
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if
This just shows the amount of love that God
you love one another.”
had for us. I mean, who would willingly sacrifice their only son for someone
One of the points she made was that we should
undeserving. But that’s exactly what God did.
"let love be the greatest act that shocks the
He said that no matter what you did in the
world because this is how they’ll know that
past, in the present, or will do in the future; and
Jesus is on the throne. So no matter how many
even though you feel that you are undeserving
times you’ve been hurt, and even though the
of my love, you are my daughter and son, and I
world tells you that you have every right to hate
will love you unconditionally.
that person who hurt you, let this be the love that shocks the world." What amazed me about this statement was that when we’ve been hurt and betrayed so
John 3:16 NKJV says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
many times, the last thing on our mind is loving
This is the kind of love that we need to portray
the person that betrayed us. But that’s exactly
so that people may see God through us. His
what God did. He sent His son to live amongst
love and sacrifice for us, stands today as the
sinners and then sacrificed Him for us even
Greatest Love of All. So no matter how broken,
though we didn’t deserve it.
hurt or betrayed you may feel, let this love be the greatest act that shocks the world.
THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN TO LAY DOWN ONE’S LIFE FOR ONE’S FRIENDS. JOHN 15:13 NLT
PAGE 18
AS IRON SHARPENS IRON
IWM
WHAT IS LOVE? By: Joanne Christian Whether it be puppy love or believing that you have found the love of your life; it’s important to know its true meaning. Love is a powerful emotion; one that we long to receive and to give, yet sometimes these emotions can create conflict and often pain. What's important is to take those experiences and find the love in them because they help us connect with who we really are. One thing in this life that you may not get is the love and acceptance from those whom you give it to; but I do know that true love never returns void and the love of Christ goes beyond what any man can give. We have a nature of measuring someone's love for us to determine the authenticity of it; but God's love cannot be measured because He is love.
It starts with Him; and it will end with Him. If we continue to ask the Lord to speak to our heart; He'll help us look beyond what our physical eye sees because He has seen it first and can direct us to its true meaning. And then we can embrace love freely; like falling back without looking but knowing that we'll land gracefully. Do you realize that your faith never looks as grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often like a firefly, showing little light except when it is in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star, not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.
God gives us the perfect example of love; and only He can truly fulfill us. God cares about our desire to find love and when we fully surrender that desire to Him, we can be released from the burden of making it happen ourselves. When we look for love outside of God’s design; we are asking for trouble. Surrendering and submitting to His will, with finding fulfillment in Him gives us the keys to finding true love and happiness. Do you want to meet the love of your life? Look in the mirror.
THREE THINGS WILL LAST FOREVER —FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE—AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13 NLT
LOVE NEVER FAILS WWW.IRONWIFEY.COM