Matthew 22: 37-38 "Jesus said to him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment."
The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!
So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind." We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!
Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.
1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.
Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!
2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.
3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10
We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.
4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16
We too become givers as we spend time with Him.
5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.)
When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2
Here's the way it develops...
The More you know Him, the More you love Him!
The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!
The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!
6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him."
His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "
Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21
Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?
I Think Not!
Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.
The Bible plainly tells us that loving God is the greatest principle contained within it's pages. Loving God is the reason you were created. To live within a love relationship with Him is the highest of all life purpose and without this intimacy we will live a life that remains frustrated, meaningless, stagnant, empty and without purpose!
So many people do not know the very basics of Loving God. Let's keep in mind we are commanded (it's not optional) to love Him with "all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind." We are so often concerned that if we love God in this manner that we won't have any time or affections left for others in our lives. The opposite is true. We are told in Matthew 6:33 that if we put God "first" and the affairs of His "Kingdom" and "righteousness" then all the "things" of life are taken care of!
Let's think for a moment about some of the principles we employ when we set our affections on others close to us. If we apply these same tactics to our relationship with God, we will be off to a good start in loving Him, as well.
1) Set aside time to spend with Him. I remember when I first met my wife, Debbie, I believe that I invested enough in fuel taxes to repave all of Richie highway as I traveled back and forth between Pasadena & Annapolis. She became a priority on my daily schedule. it was amazing how much time I had for her when I re-prioritized my life and other interests. You cannot build a relationship by remaining separated or without spending good quality time together.
Time chatting while eating or riding down the road is good, but true intimacy only develops when our sole focus of the moment is on the one we love. Set two or three times a week, initially and have a date with God. Do not cancel, it may harm your relationship!
2) Good love relationships are not easy to develop. They take a lot of effort and good old fashioned work. "...Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6 Another translation says He rewards those who "diligently seek Him." Sincerely seeking and diligently seeking, both speak of working to build relationship with God. After all the years of relationship with the world, it takes a concentrated effort to focus on God.
3) Communication is essential! Most of us have no problems bombarding God with our problems and needs, but when it comes to listening to his heart, we need to employ the skills the prophet Samuel learned. "...Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 1 Samuel 3:10
We need to learn to be open and honest with God (He knows all of our thoughts anyway), and we need to allow God to be open and honest with us! This is one of the biggest obstacles to developing intimacy with Him. We don't want to hear what He has to say and oftentimes when He does begin to speak into our hearts correction or conviction, we begin to shout Him down with our religious banter! Sometimes heart exchanges with our loved ones can be painful! However, if we wish the relationship to deepen these exchanges of truth need to be allowed in our time together.
4) We willingly and affectionately lay down our own self centered desires to reap a harvest of love from our loved one. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..." Ephesians 5:21 We become givers as a result of our new natures. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ..." 2 Cor 5:17-18 We remain givers by the continual oversight and review of our will.We, as a result of our continued, deepening relationship with God, commence to take on the character and nature of God, Himself. " For God so loved the world, that he gave...: John 3:16
We too become givers as we spend time with Him.
5) We discover and share each others giftings and talents. The more time we spend in reading His Word and in discovery of His character and nature, the more we fall in love with Him. The more time we spend basking in His presence the more He begins to reveal Himself to us. (In our own relationships, we DO NOT reveal our innermost thoughts, impressions, motivations and desires to those who are mere acquaintances.)
When we first encounter a loved one , we simply "love" them based on first impressions and external observations. The more time we spend together, the more we are able to observe the intangibles which form the very foundation for any long lasting, intimate relationship. (loyalty, faithfulness, trustworthiness, etc...)The more you know Him, the more your heart goes out to Him and the deeper relationship you develop. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord..." 2 Peter 1:2
Here's the way it develops...
The More you know Him, the More you love Him!
The More you love Him, the more you trust Him!
The more you trust Him, the more you obey Him!
6) Finally as your intimacy progresses, you couple together to produce offspring.When you spend time with Him, you discover that His heart goes out for other hearts who desire to be with Him. 2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal) toward him."
His desire is that you remain so intimate and connected to Him (Two operating as one) that your life is filled with much fruit. John 15:5 in The Message says it this way. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. "
Then out of our Love relationship, and having laid down our own interests and desires, we begin to pursue the desires of His heart. We allow His Holy Spirit to influence others through our lives and the anointing which flows out of us. Out of His love for us and our love for Him, we obey Him and He manifests Himself to us and others.
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21
Do we really love God with all all your heart, soul, strength and your mind, as He desires and commands?
I Think Not!
Let's begin or intensify (Whichever place you're at) the journey into the heart of God.
Begin Today.
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