HOW MUCH LOVE DO YOU REALLY HAVE FOR GOD?
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
If we are truthful within ourselves each time we deal with this subject it becomes a kind of love /hate thing. On one hand we do love God and we do recognize what He has done for us by sending His Son Jesus to die for us; but on the other hand there is a point that comes in our relationship when we just would rather be left alone so that we can enjoy what parts of this life we have left.
It seems , however that being left alone is never in the plans for any of us once we start a journey toward God. The relationship that God requires from us is one of completeness where everything that we have been given as a part of this life is really required to be given back to God out of love and trust before He is satisfied that we have accepted Him in the same way He has accepted us. Luke 14:26-33 uses extreme statements by Jesus to emphasis this love /hate contrast. It is hard to understand this extreme to hear Jesus say that "unless you can love me so much that our relationship comes before father and mother, brothers and sisters...he is not worthy of me", but it really becomes true by the time we are ready to go home to the Kingdom of Heaven.
All that we have and all that we can get our hands on in this world is still not enough to use as a bribe to enter into the Kingdom. The only way is through the true love found in the intent of our hearts toward God for what He has already done for us. If we love God in that way we will also seek after Him so completely that the relationship we have with God becomes all that counts in this life. That is what makes it so easy to let go of the things of this world in exchange for the things of God. The thing that has to happen in our lives however is to wake up to what the truth is about our life and situation. We must realize that we are not , and never have been in control of what is going on...and that this life is meant to be more of a class room than anything else. We are running a race, but not as this world runs a race. We are running to finish a course, and not to compete against one another. We are set in various circumstances to learn how to love and how to give of self. We are taught these things in order to understand the depth and the height of God's love for us as His creation. Once we can see that effort made for our salvation then and only then can we make an informed choice as to what we want to do in the intent of our heart.
Even knowing the truth for most people will not cause them to turn completely to God in the way we are speaking. We are base creatures because of sin, and that has made many people just a little higher than the animals around them which are governed by the laws of nature to follow " Kill or be killed, the strongest survives". The world operates under this law but the Good News of Jesus Christ is opposed to the law of nature by introducing the Spirit of the laws of love and mercy. When we try to incorporate God's laws into the laws of the base nature of this world it feels like evil wins at first, but not when we are in God's hands. God takes delight in rescuing us from the impossible against us. In our brokenness He lifts us to victory, and when we no longer have the power to fight God renews our strength to continue to stand. How much do I love God? Without God I would have nothing...I could do nothing and I would be no one at all. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
If we are truthful within ourselves each time we deal with this subject it becomes a kind of love /hate thing. On one hand we do love God and we do recognize what He has done for us by sending His Son Jesus to die for us; but on the other hand there is a point that comes in our relationship when we just would rather be left alone so that we can enjoy what parts of this life we have left.
It seems , however that being left alone is never in the plans for any of us once we start a journey toward God. The relationship that God requires from us is one of completeness where everything that we have been given as a part of this life is really required to be given back to God out of love and trust before He is satisfied that we have accepted Him in the same way He has accepted us. Luke 14:26-33 uses extreme statements by Jesus to emphasis this love /hate contrast. It is hard to understand this extreme to hear Jesus say that "unless you can love me so much that our relationship comes before father and mother, brothers and sisters...he is not worthy of me", but it really becomes true by the time we are ready to go home to the Kingdom of Heaven.
All that we have and all that we can get our hands on in this world is still not enough to use as a bribe to enter into the Kingdom. The only way is through the true love found in the intent of our hearts toward God for what He has already done for us. If we love God in that way we will also seek after Him so completely that the relationship we have with God becomes all that counts in this life. That is what makes it so easy to let go of the things of this world in exchange for the things of God. The thing that has to happen in our lives however is to wake up to what the truth is about our life and situation. We must realize that we are not , and never have been in control of what is going on...and that this life is meant to be more of a class room than anything else. We are running a race, but not as this world runs a race. We are running to finish a course, and not to compete against one another. We are set in various circumstances to learn how to love and how to give of self. We are taught these things in order to understand the depth and the height of God's love for us as His creation. Once we can see that effort made for our salvation then and only then can we make an informed choice as to what we want to do in the intent of our heart.
Even knowing the truth for most people will not cause them to turn completely to God in the way we are speaking. We are base creatures because of sin, and that has made many people just a little higher than the animals around them which are governed by the laws of nature to follow " Kill or be killed, the strongest survives". The world operates under this law but the Good News of Jesus Christ is opposed to the law of nature by introducing the Spirit of the laws of love and mercy. When we try to incorporate God's laws into the laws of the base nature of this world it feels like evil wins at first, but not when we are in God's hands. God takes delight in rescuing us from the impossible against us. In our brokenness He lifts us to victory, and when we no longer have the power to fight God renews our strength to continue to stand. How much do I love God? Without God I would have nothing...I could do nothing and I would be no one at all. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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