TOPIC: LOVING GOD TOTALLY
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 5,6,7; Mark:12:1-27
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” Deuteronomy 6:5 (KJV).
God’s love that was extended to man through His Son was total. God gave it all to save humanity and reconcile man to Himself. The scripture recorded it in John 3:16a (KJV), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” The scriptures recorded the identity of God’s Son in John 1:1-4(KJV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” From the above verses of scripture it is clear that Jesus Christ the incarnate Word of God is God. He came carrying the human form for the salvation of humanity. God gave His all that He might win us to Himself. This was a complete and total demonstration of His love, which over the years and in the Law, God has continuously demanded that our love for Him must be total and complete as seen in our focal scripture of today. For us to serve God successfully our love must be total and He must come first in whatever we do.
Loving God wholesomely is a major prerequisite for a successful Christian living. Loving God entails obeying and keeping His commandments. You cannot claim to love someone you cannot keep his instructions. God’s commandments are divine instructions of life that illuminates us when we live by them. In Matthew 6:33(KJV) the bible admonishes us to “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” It is a guide to help us to navigate the world of bumpy traps and mines planted by the wicked one. In Psalm 119:105 (KJV) the bible says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The word of God is a detailed life manual we must follow to operate maximally on earth. The word of God is the light of men, which when we are total embracing it, ensures our success in life. Psalm 119:130 (KJV), “The entrance of your word giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.” Our love for God lies in our obedience to His word which are His commandments. Jesus Christ said in John 14:15(KJV) “If ye love me, keep my commandments. ” Keeping God’s commandment is the true manifestation of our love for God and it is by this we prove our love for God. Keeping God’s commandment is synonymous to loving God. So when we get wholly immersed in His words and live by His commandments we are demonstrating our true love for God. John 14:21(KJV) says, “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”.
If God’s love towards us is total, He expect nothing less than total love towards Him from us. It is on this premise that the scripture stated in Romans 8:28(KJV) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” To them that love God he makes all thing to work out for good to them. Those that love Him are those called according to His eternal purpose.
My dear reader, it is imperative that you know that due to the level of grip by the wicked over humanity, God came down to rescue us, giving His all to take us out of the hold of darkness into His marvelous light. He has paid the price of our sin for us to be free, not accepting Christ into your life is rejecting His Love and the price He paid. I beseech you to urgently come out of the realm of darkness to light if you have not done so.
Prayer: O God my Father grant me the grace to live and obey your commandments.
Pastor Joel Ezeugo