God definitely requires that we love Him unreservedly. It is not a suggestion, it is a command. No excuses are acceptable. No exceptions are tenable. The command is simple, straightforward and unambiguous. Interestingly, there are many individuals who give all sorts of excuses for not loving God with their whole being, but who do not hesitate to demand this and that from God. Someone once said, Jesus is the Master, not a MasterCard. It is simply incomprehensible how anyone can expect God to be at their beck and call and not be committed to loving Him unconditionally. There is something seriously wrong with that mindset.
Jesus stipulated what is required to demonstrate love for God. He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15). Short and simple! Keeping God's commandment is a strong indication of love for Him. Remember that Jesus is the Son of Man, the Son of God and God the Son. (John 1:1) So, the question arises, Do You Love God? The Bible says, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13). There is no alternative to obeying the commandments of God. We are to obey God's commandments not our amendments of His commandments, not what we think His commandments are saying but HIS COMMANDMENTS (hook, line and sinker).
There are two commandments I want to focus on today:
"...Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15, MEV)"...All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20, MEV)
Basically, Jesus commands His disciples to preach the Gospel to all creatures and make disciples of all nations. The mandate is local, national and international. How do you measure up? You don't have to be a pope, bishop, apostle, prophet, or even an evangelist to preach the Gospel. Let me state, without fear of contradiction, that no one can truly claim to love Jesus if His commandments are ignored, disregarded, or given only partial attention. Fortunately, in the West and other regions we still have a window to preach the Gospel. In many other countries, 'Christians are being persecuted and attacked' (Open Doors). We are to GO and preach the Gospel and thereby make disciples.
One fact that we have to embrace is this: If we do not preach the Gospel now and make disciples, we will lose that privilege sooner rather than later. The bottom line is (as hard as it may sound), we are no use to God if we refuse to preach the Gospel. In fact, it will be a demonstration of presumptuousness for us to expect God to hear our prayers if we disobey Him. The Bible says, "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry." (Psalms 34:15). The righteous are those who are born again and who walk in holiness and in righteousness, obeying the Lord wholeheartedly.
So, would you say you love the Lord? It is fair to say that we have all fallen short of God's standards but our imperfections are no excuse for sinning. We must return to God, rededicate our lives and march as soldiers of Jesus to possess the land for Him. God is with us, not against us. Hallelujah!
Please engage in the noble task of evangelism. Call upon your brother and your sister and organise evangelistic events in twos, threes or more. Tell the people that Jesus loves them, that He died for their sins, was buried and on the third day rose from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Jesus is alive and He saves all those who will come to Him in repentance and receive Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. God bless you as you reach out by faith to the lost. Have a blessed day.
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