Matthew 22:37-40 – Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Mark 12:29-31 – “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Love. Matthew 22:40 and Mark 12:31 clearly state that to receive Gods love, to love Him with all that we are, and to love each other is the essence of peace with God, also with others, and to daily walk in it. Nothing gives us undefeatable peace and eternal satisfaction of soul more than walking as the Lord has called us to. We know that He has called us to love.
Galatians 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Most of us know this scripture, but have we taken it to the Lord and asked for insight? Have we used it to examine our lives and see if we measure up to its calling…all the time, every time? Most importantly if we ask God if we measure up to it, what will be His assessment of us? Family and Friends, this a statement from on from God. I know that I fail. I am not always loving (remember it starts with loving God first, foremost and always). Loving God effects everything else that we do. Jesus taught us that it all begins and ends with love. He taught that if we love God more than anyone else (and it should not be close) or anything else, we break no laws. If we have the love of God flowing into us, making us new creations, and then from our new hearts His love flows back to Him and out to others, then we will break no laws. We will not sin. (Romans 13:8-10) If we think that is oversimplification, then argue with Jesus, He is the one who said it.
What is the secret of life, of all life? It is found in these verses in the books of Matthew and Mark. Jesus simplified the meaning of life for us. Receive God’s love, be renewed by it, and let, from a changed heart and soul, this divine love flow to others. When we are changed by His love it will flow from us to others, just as His love flows to us. By the very nature of it divine love is shared from one to another.
God is love, He always has been and always will be. (1 John 4:8) Being true to His nature, and He can be nothing else, His love flows to us. Giving Himself to us is His greatest gift to us. His greatest expression of love to us is Jesus. (Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:15) Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Oh love God who first loved us! (1 John 4:19) How do we love Him? Primarily we love Him by loving Jesus. How do we love Jesus? He said that if we love Him we will obey Him. (John 14:15, 15:14) We grow in God’s love because none of us have already perfected it. We can grow in it because daily we receive an endless supply. Daily His love changes us.
Love Jesus endlessly and without stipulation. After all, He is God and we are not. With all that we are love God and when we do that, we will love each other, and if we love each other with Godly love, then we will not sin. Love God and express love (words and action) to others today.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.