YOU know when you are listening to a wolf when He only speaks of God’s love for us but never about God’s command that we love Him – and if we don’t, we are going to hell. Beware. The LORD’s been 100% faithful to us and yet He requires our faithfulness to Him or hell awaits (Matthew 22:37-40).

Our obedience to the LORD should come out of our love for Him. Obedience to God is an expression of our love for Him. Jesus says: “IF ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Notice “IF.” God isn’t interested in us obeying Him if we don’t first love Him. The first 2 commandments are about LOVE and not works or working to earn God’s favor, which is futility (Matthew 22:37-40). Jesus says the whole law and prophets, all the Scripture writings to that point, and in the kingdom rested upon loving God and others.

Praying God will help you love Him more (Matthew 22:37-40). It really all boils down to WHO we love most. THAT is exactly who we are serving (Romans 6:16).

The indescribable myriad of blessings that await “them that love him.”

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that LOVE him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

God first loved Us. He initiated the relationship!

“We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 

The Big Question Jesus Asks

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17

Three times here our LORD asked Peter if he loved the LORD. And, Jesus is asking each of us today “lovest thou me more than these?” – which is to say  “Am I your very first love, or is someone, something before Me?” Did Jesus not warn the church at Ephesus that they must “repent” to be restored back to Him due to the fact that they had “left thy first love”? (Revelation 2:4-5)

Of this passage One writer points out the following:

“It’s interesting that when Jesus speaks to Peter he uses ‘agape’ (unconditional love) as the word for love.  But when Peter answers he uses the word ‘phileo’, an inferior and different kind of word for love that is a conditional love like the love between friends. Peter, for some reason, does not feel it appropriate to use the word for the highest form of love.”

It seems fitting from this passage, from this dialogue between Christ and Peter that feeding His sheep would include at times posing this all-important question as to whether or not we truly love Him. Or, do we have a mere “form of godliness”? (2 Timothy 3:5)

In light of His soon return and due to His great love for us and desire that we be with Him now and forever, as He did with beloved Peter, the LORD is asking us if we truly love Him.

“They that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14 

God initiates, draws, calls us, and yet He also requires that we reciprocate His love to us. He calls, He chooses, and we are required to be “faithful” to Him just as the married man requires his wife to be faithful to Him – to love him supremely among all men.

Would you like to do business with the LORD today beloved? Quiet your heart and indulge in His love for you:

ARE WE willing today, to announce to God, that we love Him? Are we ready to say “Jesus, thank You for coming and dying for me, for my sins – to take them all away. And You were buried and raised again from the dead. LORD, please take over my life right this moment. I have sinned against You dear LORD. Please forgive me and wash away all my sins at this moment with Your precious blood. Right this instant, if never before, I ask You to save me now LORD. From this moment forward, I am all Yours and I know You are all mine. I love You my dear LORD Jesus. Have Your way in me Jesus! From this moment forward and till I am with You, I will serve You as You allow it by Thy enabling grace. In Jesus’ name sobeit!”

A Settled Issue

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32

When Jesus went to that cross of me, for you, He told us He was doing it for, the Father, to redeem us and that He would “draw” us to Himself. Will we respond in love, in loving Him in return?

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

God is unchanging and perfect and He not only told us He loves us – He proved it by giving His only begotten Son to bring us back to Himself from a life of sin. So this is a settled issue. Yet, will we, will I return His love? Will I reciprocate the great love He has to me, or not?

Acid Test

The LORD WANTS US TO KNOW AND LOVE HIM (John 17:3; Matthew 22:37-40) … YES God loves us but do we truly love Him? Does it seem that We only hear about God’s love for us and yet, seldom about our love for Him?

The unchanging LORD Jesus is asking me today, “lovest thou me more than these?”

In other words, He is asking, “Do you truly love me more than all others and all things? Am I truly first in your life?”

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27    

The word “hate” here means to “love much less” and not to despise ourselves or others. Also, in verse 27 we see once again that the only way to serve Jesus is on His stated terms – the cross, the daily crucified life.

This is a severe message friend. It may do good for us to stop here and pray, asking the LORD to convict, to expose any idolatrous, spiritually adulterous motive of our hearts, to open our heart to what may be lacking in our personal walk with Him. This is the appropriate moment to simply ask Him to grant you a teachable heart that desires the cleanliness and the change He desires. He is the Potter and we are the clay (Jeremiah 18:6).

Sharon Cornella Scutti writes: “Just because Jesus loves everyone doesn’t mean they are in a saving relationship with Him. Jesus is the Creator of everyone but not everyone’s Father until they are spiritually born into the family of God.

Matthew 7:21-23. . . 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.'”

The disciple of Christ is personally responsible for keeping Himself in vital union with the Savior- just as it was the personal responsibility of the 10 virgins in Jesus’ illustration in Matthew 25:1-13. Yet only 5 of those 10 remained with the Great Bridegroom into the bridal chamber. The other 5 were shut out.

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 21 

Jesus foretold that “the love of many shall wax cold.”

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:10-13

Neglecting our fellowship daily with the LORD will always produce the dismal result of waxing cold, backsliding.

Comparing those who love Him and those who don’t…

“But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3

vs

“If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” 1 Corinthians 16:22

Does God know you love Him?

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

TALK is cheap. Obey Him. Now (1 John 3:18; James 1:22).

HELL is full of people who claimed to be saved yet didn’t simply OBEY. Matt 7:21

PRAY yes, yet if we don’t OBEY it’s all futility! (John 14:15; 15:14)

We have no idea just how much God loves us. The question is, am I reciprocating that love? Am I loving God with my whole heart, mind, and strength as Jesus commanded?

Picture a woman who is engaged to a man and yet she doesn’t truly know if that man loves her exclusively. Will she not ask him if he loves her? Will she sense it if he has wondering eyes? Can she possibly feel secure in their relationship if he isn’t loving her wholly, with undivided motives of heart? Is she, will she be safe with Him? Will he be faithful to her?

Remember that Jesus told us that those who will be with Him eternally, are “faithful” to Him – they reciprocate His great love to them (Revelation 17:14). Jesus proved, demonstrated His great love for His people by coming to die for our sins – to bring us back from sin and Satan unto Himself and the Father.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. … 16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:1-3, 16

Do we not realize that God knows the very intents, the motivations of our hearts?

The big question is not whether or not God loves you, but rather: Does God know YOU love Him? Do you truly want the answer to this all-important question Jesus is asking you today? Do you think the Bible may provide this answer? If your answer is “Yes”, you are correct – because God made it clear in His Word exactly who loves Him and who doesn’t. This is the difference between the sheep and the goats, the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13; 25).

As we reciprocate our love back to the LORD who first loved us, who initiated the relationship, He and the Father and Holy Spirit will manifest Themselves to us.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. … 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:15-21 

Job made the quality decision to love and to trust God no matter what he suffered.

“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15

Haggai, the LORD’s servant prophet said he was going to joy in the God of his salvation, even if every single blessing, income stream, and all his food failed, ceased coming in.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” Haggai 3:17-19  

Life offers each and every one of us many temptations, trials, and hardships and so it’s vital to resolve to love God with all of our hearts, no matter what happens (Job 14:1).

Our LORD has a plan to settle us, to mature, to establish, to bring His strength into our lives.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10 

Loving God is everything as far as what’s in our control – because it’s a choice, daily, and will determine if one remains in Christ to the end.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 

Obedience is an expression of our love for God.

“He that saith, I know (love) him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth (obeys) his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.” 1 John 2:4-5

God does not know you love Him if…

• you don’t seek His face in holy prayer communion? (Matt. 6:6; Ps 5:3, etc.)
• you don’t love His Word and study, pour and meditate over it? (Jos. 1:8; Ps 119; 1Pet. 2:2; Jn 5:39)
• you do not love your neighbor as you already by nature love yourself? (Jn 13:35; 1 Jn. 4:7-8, etc.)
• you do not tell others about Him? (Mark 16:15, etc.)
• you do not give of your resources to His work and in particular, where you are receiving His Word? (Mal. 3:10; Gal. 6:6, etc.)

Perhaps the Savior is looking closely for some trace of His fruit of love in your life and is being blinded by your choices to serve self-interests instead of the business of loving Him and doing His will – advancing His kingdom.

EXAMPLE AND RESULT OF THE INCONSISTENCY

Simply put, one simply does not love God if he is not obeying Him in these basic and practical ways that He instructed us to obey Him. For example, many are asking the LORD for more money or better jobs, etc., yet have not given Him even the tithe of what He has allowed them to earn up to this point. It should be noted that the tithe should always be directed to where the individual is being fed “meat” (receiving spiritual substance) – (Gal. 6:6; Mal. 3:10).

Questions to ask ourselves:

• How many people have been negatively affected by my refusal to love them with God’s love?
• How many times has the LORD prompted me to come apart and commune with Him in prayer and in His Word and yet I refused?
• How many times has the LORD quickened me to reach out to others with His love and truth and even given many different methods (your own testimony, the Word, Gospel tracts, emails, letters), and yet I refused?
• How many times has the LORD told me to give of the money He has given me to real ministries of brothers or sisters in Christ, and I didn’t do it because those people didn’t work out of a church building or weren’t “official” enough to my carnal thinking?

• How many true ministers have been affected in their personal lives and ability to minister to others, due to my personal disobedience of withholding and greed?
• It is time for us to repent and get real? Do we think that God is fooled by our mere outward “form of godliness”?

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power (rule) thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7

Christ said that those who refuse His reign in their personal lives (render real obedience to Him) are His “enemies” and that they would be sent to hell in the end.

“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Luke 19:27

Should we cease calling ourselves Christian (Christ-like) until we arrive at a place of full and complete repentance and begin obeying the basic truths Christ gave us? Friend, the LORD loves you enough to send you this message before it is too late (Gal. 4:16). He told us that only those who “doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven” will be with Him in Heaven (Matt. 7:21).

ACTION ITEMS FOR THE REPENTANT:

• – Read, study, memorize, and meditate upon God’s Word
  – Tell someone about Christ right away and how He is at work in your life
  – Get your checkbook out and write a generous check to the ministry or ministries that are feeding you God’s pure Word
  – Get into prayer right away with the LORD and cry out to Him to break you

YOUR PRAYER: Precious heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I ask You to please grant my heart to be truly willing to learn to love You – to be broken and contrite, truly an heart of flesh. Now Father, I know that You alone can do this work in me and to teach me to truly worship, trust, love, and obey You. Dear LORD, I here and now ask You to please do Your essential, Your deeper work in my heart and life today, in Jesus’ name, amen.

If you truly desire to know more about how to really know the LORD, go here okay: Born Again: What is It?

PEACE with GOD

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