What does it look like to love God with all our heart?  According to Jesus, the two greatest commandments are to love God and our neighbors.  What the world teaches about love is pure fantasy.  Jesus did not emphasize not to lie, steal, or cheat.  He went deep into our stone cold hearts to highlight the 2 commands that all scripture spring from.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. And then He added, and the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two hang all the law and the prophets.”  Every word, every page of scripture, every move of the Spirit, every definition of holiness, all hangs on love.

Without encountering the heart wrenching love of God, people grow weary of trying to be perfect and walk away because of what religion presents. “Do better, try harder.” But the Word says that we are saved by God’s grace, not our works, so we cannot boast about what we did to get into heaven. Thank You Jesus for You said, “It is finished!” So just go out and love others as I loved you. Even as I was messing up big time, God loved me. Our obedience to love sets our souls free of guilt, shame, and self-condemnation. We then can BELIEVE that He will finish what He began in us. We love, because He first loved us. AMEN –  Indeed, we are set free when the Spirit of God enters and changes our identity as a beloved child of God. The world is in crisis because of a lack of love. The modern church is built on attendance, NOT on real affection.  Pulpits teach how to defend truth, but not how to demonstrate genuine SACRIFICIAL LOVE.

We were designed to simply love God, but the Deceiver strongly suggests that we love ourselves, take care of ourselves, and seek success not God. To be indignant, easily offended, and perfectly self sufficient is the way of the world. Those blinded by the liar struggle to forgive and they justify their anger, hate, and issue condemning judgment. Our failure to love those who hate us is a self deceived fraudulent faith. According to Jesus, the highest command isn’t church attendance, or doctrinal accuracy.  It is to love.  Jesus loved those who brutally thrashed Him. Do we deny our flesh to love and forgive those who are cruel to us? If we honestly examine our love life, we have reason enough to repent. “Do I actually love God, or do I just agree with Scripture?” Because love is more than nodding along with the Sermon on the Mount.  It’s more than just admiring what Jesus accomplished on the cross, it is picking up our cross to follow His sacrificial example of love.

To capture every thought is a discipline that is obedient to God’s command. THINK
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Learn, receive, hear from the Holy Spirit and —put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Paul knew what it was to be in need, he knew what it was to have plenty. Paul learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Praise God in all circumstances. In poverty or wealth, for He is watching, listening and God is glorified by your yielding to His plan and purpose in all suffering. Philippians 4

Love is persistently moving. Love lays hands on the sick. Loving hearts grieve over what grieves God.  The cost of love for Jesus was paid in tears, suffering, rejection, mocking, abandonment. If our love for God doesn’t cost us anything, it may not be the real thing. We are commanded to love one another as God loves every soul He created. He pours out His mercy on the just and unjust.  Jesus loves the sinner and the saint.

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. AMEN ❤️ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do NOT forgive others their sins, your Father will NOT forgive your sins.” MATTHEW 6 Sowing Seeds