How To Love God
 

God has not left us in the dark about how he wants to be loved. It is top priority to him!

22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
22:37 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.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment. Matt. 22:36-38

What does God consider as loving him? This should be top priority to us!

The Apostle John anointed of the Spirit reveals to us how to love God.

5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3

So loving God 101 is that we would be obedient to his word. Do you think that if we consistently teach this it could bring about a new "move of God" in the Earth?

Re: How To Love God
 

everyone preaches about what we need to do to bring about the move of god. i think it will be god's sovereign timing, not based on what we do. i don't think we need to pray more, restructure leadership, be more holy or change doctrines to provoke god. when darkness becomes more prevalent, light will shine brighter.

Re: How To Love God
 

How do you feel about what John said about what it means to love God? How would light shine brighter apart from keeping the Lords commands?

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MTD, it's a lost cause. Many if not most do not know the difference between keeping God's commandments and trying to earn salvation.

Re: How To Love God
 

Perhaps it not a lost cause if we start with the very simple truth about what it means to love God according TO HIM.

You could move the conversation forward by giving your comments about what kind of love God desires?

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At best you are Don Quixote and your giant is only a windmill. In other words: I've always heard great importance placed on obeying God by Christians. But the simple fact is that some of those that love God the most are also those that fall the most. Your approach minimalizes them. So at worst your approach makes those that really do love God more than anything doubt that they do becauese they fall. That ought not to be so.

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If great importance is put on obeying God why should we not understand its important to continue hearing it? What makes this "my approach"? Is it not the Holy Spirit that inspired Johns writing?

We should rejoice at being reminded as to what it means to love God shouldnt we?

Jesus does not agree with the idea they that love him the most fall the most.

14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. John 14:24

He seems to cut to the chase doesnt he? According to him those that fall the most are those who love him not!

If someone is not obeying the commandments of Jesus the scripture indicates they should doubt their standing with God.

2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. John 2:3-4

God doubts that they love him according to the Apostles doctrine.

Re: How To Love God
 

I guess that means Peter didn't love Jesus when he fell by denying him. I guess that means John was wrong to tell the followers of Christ that if they sin they have an advocate with the Father. I mean how can they even be called followers of Christ if they don't love God due to a sin?

Your interpretation makes half the advice given to Christians about sin in the new testament meaningless sense if they are sinning at all then they can't love God which would mean the Holy Ghost shouldn't have inspired anyone to give that kind of advice to Christians to begin with.

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Its funny, I had a thought today regarding this exact scripture. The church has divided itself over either attempting to be innovative in their relationship with God or being so unmovable on old ideas about have a relationship that it seems in all the strife we have all lost out on the overall goal. Relationship is simple, religion interferes.

22:37 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.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Good post sir.

Re: How To Love God
 

Sure John told believers if they sin....we have an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ.

Now how did that same John describe what it means to love God? Perhaps if people knew GODS DEFINITION of what it means to love him they would take "loving" him more seriously?

Maybe many of the children of light have not heard the truth?

Re: How To Love God
 

Don't esteem your own faulty definition of what it means to love God as being equivalent with God's definition. God's whole definition leaves place for those that love him yet fall. Yours turns them into God haters.

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i'm reminded of the verse that says how can we love god whom we haven't seen if we don't love our brother who we do see. i think there are many people who do works of compassion among agnostics, buddhists, muslim etc. i think they are fulfilling god's command more than some christians. so while i agree with john that we should obey, i don't think we are exceptional people, it is our reasonable service. benny hinn and pat robertson have built hospitals and fed millions between them. love covers a multitude of sin. i don't have a narrow view on obeying god.

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A move of God is simply God moving in ones life. Making himself known. Jesus was very emphatic about two things.

14:21 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. John 14:21

They that love him will keep his commandments.

They that love him according to HIS definition of love will be loved by him AND he will manifest himself to them.

That is a move of God!

Jesus making himself real! Isnt that the desire of a Christian? To have PERSONAL FELLOWSHIP with the risen Christ?

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Neither do I. We are to learn all his commands and keep them.

28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matt. 28:19-20

This is discipleship to Jesus. It is also how he judges our love toward him.

2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 1 John 2:5

God wants to be loved in this manner. He rejoices in it amen?

Re: How To Love God
 

MTD Jesus has two commandments. 1. Love God 2. Love others

It seems to me you may be leaning more towards the 613 laws of the Torah

Or more towards the 16,245 commandments of Pentecostal pastors.

I feel pretty good about most of us following the commandments that Jesus gave.

Re: How To Love God
 

MTD, maybe you should start us off by what you understand loving God to mean?

then this discussion can make some headway...

Re: How To Love God
 

Well how about what the Apostle John says it means to love God? After all he is one who leaned on Jesus breast right? It is specifically said that he was the disciple Jesus loved.

21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? John 21:20

Do you think any of us know what it is to love God more than he knew?

How about what he said here? This is what he heard Jesus say to all the Apostles.

15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. John 15:10

Here Jesus says if we keep his commands we will abide in his love.

What is the love he speaks of? Is it the love of being a friend?

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14

Jesus said if we do whatever he commands we will be his friend.

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How do we know that we are loving others according to the Lord Jesus?

Again the Apostle John tells us.

5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 1 John 5:2

God counts it as we love the brethren if we keep his commandments. So apparently there are more than two commandments. Amen?

Jesus SUMS UP all his commandments by giving us the two he said that all the law and prophets are hanging on.

His commands are things that we do toward God and things we do toward men.

Im glad you feel good about keeping Jesus commands. We should! If we are doing so he says we are friends with him. I wonder why MANY CHRISTIANS seem to become upset when we mention that this is how Jesus described what it means to love him?

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Jesus gives us 3 chapters worth of commands/instructions in Matthew 5-7. There are not 613 of them there. Yet there are enough to where it would take some time to assimilate them. They are things that are pleasing to Jesus. He teaches his ways so we will know how to act or be. Things that if we do them he will desire to be our friend. Things that if we do we will want to be with us.

He finishes these instructions by giving this analogy:

7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Matt. 7:24-27

Those who keep Jesus commands he says are wise! Those who keep them not are foolish.

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So what you're saying is that we should keep the beatitudes? what other commands are there?

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The beatitudes are the heart of Jesus teachings. If there are any others stated by him or the apostles we need also to know and observe them.

That is IF we love him.:highfive

Re: How To Love God
 

If one does not do Jesus commands he sees them as not loving him already. So no the doctrine of obedience will not make them into haters of God. If they are CONSISTENTLY DISOBEDIENT they already hate him.

If on the other hand peradventure they may be a true Christian who really has been falsely taught that you can continue in sin and still have God with you the teaching of obedience may work true repentance.

Re: How To Love God
 

Will obedience to the commands of Jesus bring about a move of God in your life?

The Apostle James taught YES!

4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:4-8

We see here that the sinning believer is not near to God neither is God near to him. Yet if one draws NEAR to God by obedience THEN it will happen that God will draw NEAR to the believer.

Note the MOVEMENT there. Instead of being far away God will now be NEAR!
So yes if we obey the commands of Jesus we can have a move of his Spirit in our loves.

Re: How To Love God
 

Another example of obedience to Jesus teachings can bring a move of God (some call this revival) into your life.

3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22

God wants to reveal himself in answered prayers. If we meet his conditions John said he will do this very thing!

God will do this because he counts this as loving him.

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You are not the mouthpiece of Jesus. Do not presume to speak for him!

Stop fighting windmills Michael. I don't know of any Christian that believes he can continue in sin and still love and serve God. I do know a great many Christians that believe a person can fall over and over and over again and still be loving and serving God.

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If anyone wants to see the negative end of MTD's doctrine look no further than me. Assume for a moment that I believed his doctrine and consider my past: I fell over and over and over again to the same sin. I'm no longer a Christian. But considering Micheal's doctrine all the work and tears that I put into trying to overcome my sin mean nothing. According to him I didn't love God even though I was trying very hard to obey him. According to him I spent all my time in prayer and the bible during my highschool years for a God I didn't love. And if I never loved God through all that then why would I ever try God again seeing that it must be nearly impossible for me to love him? In other words his doctrine leaves me hopeless!

How can anyone hear my story and think for a second that he is right? How can MTD hear my story and think for a second that he is right?

Re: How To Love God
 

The problem with what you are assuming is that what I am saying is MY DOCTRINE. If you would read what I have written you would know it is not my doctrine but rather the doctrine of the APOSTLES handed down to them through Jesus Christ.

Now are you saying you are not a Christian or was that meant as a hypothetical saying?

Re: How To Love God
 

I have a book by Jerry Bridges, "The practice of Godliness"

He says in his book that that when you study scripture, you read about the Fear of God and the Love of God (his love for us). When you reverence God, and realize how holy he is along with understanding how much he loved us and sacrificed on calvary so we can be free, then you will develop a desire for God which will be the basis of Devotion to God.

Then Devotion to God will lead to becoming disciplined in the practices of reading his word, and prayer and fellowship, which will lead us to become mature Christians and producing the fruit of the Spirit.

There is a multiple pronged approach to becoming perfect (mature) in God.

For some reason MTD, your approach, while not lacking in truth, is discouraging. It's seems like part of the picture is missing.

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If you are going to act like that then I can too. If you would have read what I have written you would know I am saying that your doctrine is NOT the fullness of the apostles doctrine concerning sin and loving God.

I am not a Christian. Got a problem with that? Go jump off a bridge.

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That is probably the best way that what I am trying to say can be said. His approach lacks so much that while there are elements of truth to it overall it paints a false picture.