For it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and motivates us, because we are absolutely convinced that he has given his life for all of us. This means all died with him, so that those who live should no longer live self-absorbed lives but lives that are poured out for him—the one who died for us and now lives again.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 TPT

All believers have a compelling force that motivates and moves us forward—the mighty love of Christ! His love pouring over us and our love pouring out to him, this is the holy flame that burns within our hearts. It’s time for us to live the way we are loved.

I can hear Paul testifying, “I decided to make the love of God my singular pursuit. But when I found it, his love grabbed hold of me, swept me off my feet, caught me up in its vise-grip, and now my life is completely out of my control. I am being propelled forward by a force greater than my ability to resist. I have no choice. This love is squeezing the very life out of me.” Paul is saying, “I am in a headlock. I have been captured—I am a slave to a love that is beyond my imagination. The love of God has taken hold of me, and I am no longer my own.”

This year, you will be learning more about the love of Christ than ever before. The same love the Father has for his Son is the love he has for you!

You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me.

John 17:23 TPT

Jesus prays that we will realize that the mighty love the Father has for his Son is the same love he has given to us. God wants to share the love within the Trinity with you! Love is what binds the Trinity together, Father of Love, King of Love, and Spirit of Love. A loved based theology must fill our hearts as we go through 2019 with lots of twists and turns in our path.

Our Love for Christ

The Father wants us to pour out our love on his Son. The Father looked ahead and said, “Son, believe me, it will be worth it. Not only will she move your heart with her beauty, but O, she will love you! She will love you with an eternal love! Trust me, Son—it will be worth it!” The cross extravagantly cries, “Anything for love!”

The great issue for mankind is this: “Will you love him?” It’s not simply, “Will you believe him?” Because even the demons believe and tremble. The haunting question of all time continues to be the one that Jesus posed to Simon Peter after Peter had denied him. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” He didn’t ask Peter, “Do you believe in me?” or “Will you keep following me?” or “Will you preach for me?” He asked the great soul-searching question that each one of us must answer. “Do you love me?”

Jesus didn’t die so that people would dissect and analyze the benefits of the gospel and then, based on their assessment of the data, make a rational choice to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. No, he died for much more than that. He died for your love. He will never be satisfied with anything less than your freewill, non-coerced, voluntary affections and desires.

The Fire of Love

The fire of God’s love needs to be fed. It must grow each day, gathering strength in our souls. A fire is maintained by burning more things. If we don’t feed it, it may die. This is why we have a book in the Bible to fuel that flame. The book ends with a flame of God’s fiery love coming over our hearts—what began with a cry for a kiss ends with the solar flare of God’s love sealing our heart. Yes, this fiery love is found in the Song of Songs.

Every one of us is coming up “out of the wilderness leaning into our Beloved.” Through the pain and difficulties of our lives, the passion still burns. We still long to be with the One we love. This fire must be stirred continually with fresh desires to know him and live in nearness to him. I have found that a study of the Song of Songs will ignite even the feeblest heart. When we realize how beautiful we are in his eyes, the mountain of our pride melts like wax and we draw near to him. He promises to draw us into deeper encounters in the days to come, so get ready my friend. Your love life is about to be kindled. Your passion to be one with Christ is about to be intensified. The fire of his love is what we need the most. So, become highly flammable as you come before him!

We love you friend,

Brian and Candice Simmons,
The Passion Translation Project