Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
DAILY READING – Matthew 6:1-18; Exodus 33:1-34:35; Proverbs 15
God takes the issue of love seriously. No matter what you do for God, if it is not done because of your love for Him, it has no value to Him. That’s why He says in the book of 1 Corinthians 13, even if you burn your body for His sake, but you have no love, then it is all in vain. If you do not love God, whatever you do for His Kingdom, does not count.
God is looking for those who love Him. And for those who love God, the Bible says ‘eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has entered into the hearts of men the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ Now love for God is not lip service. Songs of Solomon says, Love is as strong as death. When we love, we must be willing to lay down our lives for Him. When we love God, we must be willing to pay the price of following Him at all costs. Nothing should be able to separate us from the love of God; not tribulations or trials, or heights or depths. Nothing should be able to separate us from the love of God which is Christ Jesus. When you love God, you must be willing to give up everything to follow and serve Him. Christ proved His love for us by giving up His heavenly status and coming to the earth as a man to die on the cross for our sins. Today, we must prove our love for Him by forsaking the world, taking up our cross and following Him.
If there is anything still hindering you from fully serving God, then your love for Him becomes questionable. To truly love is to die to yourself so as to become one with the one you love. You cannot say you love God and yet be unwilling to pay the price to follow His laws and His ways. Jesus said ’he that keeps My commandment, he it is that loves Me,’ and ’if a man say he loves Me and keeps not My commandment he does not love Me.’
To serve God, we must seek to know Him in His Word. Why people find it difficult to praise God is because they do not take the time to study the Word to know His deeds, His nature and character. You cannot know the greatness of God, His awesomeness, His great and mighty acts through studying His Word, and not want to praise Him. It is through study of the Scriptures that the Holy Ghost begins to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts. And from this love flows out continuous praise to God. God is looking for worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. True praise is not just singing popular gospel songs while your mind is on other things. No, true praise is concentration on God, and all His goodness and mercies and faithfulness, through knowing Him in His Word. And when we praise God, things begin to happen miraculously in our favor. Indeed, God is good.
PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to love You by the revelation of the Spirit so that my service in Your Kingdom can be acceptable.
Quote
It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – WORDBITE 201.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK SUPERNATURAL LOVE OF GOD]