WE ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE GOD PASSIONATELY! Maintaining a passionate love of Christ is not optional.
The most important commandments are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength...
[and to] love your neighbor as yourself.
(Mark 12:29-31.
) Sometimes, it's hard to maintain that love, especially when we feel overwhelmed by the stresses of everyday life.
What steps must we take to remain close to God and maintain our relationship with Jesus Christ? WE MUST SPEND TIME WITH HIM.
In order to be in relationship with anyone, we must spend time with them.
When my children were living at home, I tried hard to have the family gather around the dinner table to spend time together each night.
I wasn't always successful, and sometimes our dinners together were more chaotic than I would have liked.
But I made the effort and I'm glad that I did.
My children have grown up to be close to each other and to treasure family ties.
My friends and I stay in touch often throughout the week with phone calls and text messages.
We get together on weekends as often as we can, walking together around the nearby lake or breaking bread together after church.
Just as we make time for our friends and family on earth, we must make time to spend getting close to Jesus.
Even Jesus spent time away from the crowds to commune with the Father.
When we follow his example by setting aside time each day to worship and commune with him, we will get to know and understand him better..
As we study scripture, we are reminded of his great love for us.
Even as he hung on a cross, Jesus prayed that his Father would forgive the men that crucified him.
And he continues to pray that same prayer for you and me everyday.
WE MUST MATURE IN OUR FAITH.
"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does.
But when I grew up, I put away childish things.
" 1 Corinthians 13:11 As we study God's word and let it guide our actions, we learn more of His great love for us.
The Bible is the greatest love story every written! God is continually trying to draw us close to Him and refers to us as His bride.
We are sometimes rebellious and make foolish mistakes, but he continues to love us, forgive us and reach out to us.
He is reaching out to you today.
I am very grateful that God is so gracious, loving and forgiving.
I was a bit hard headed when I was young and had to learn everything the hard way.
I made a lot of mistakes and have hurt myself and others when I refused to accept God's guidance.
I am amazed that He has forgiven me! He loves you.
He has forgiven you and forgotten your sin.
Won't you please drop the burden of guilt that you have been carrying and come walk with Him again? WE MUST LOVE OTHERS.
I was in a San Francisco coffee shop a couple of years ago when a man came in from the street.
He was dirty and disheveled.
His clothes were ragged and his eyes looked a little wild.
I sat alone at my table, watching him approach.
I was uncomfortable and a little afraid.
One of the employees got to him before he reached my table.
They told them to leave and he looked at me and said "No, it's OK, I know her.
" The shop employee asked me, "Do you know this man?" And, looking the stranger right in the eye, I said "No.
" That seemed reasonable enough to me at the time.
I struggled a bit, because it seemed harsh to let this man leave the shop hungry.
But, it was the truth.
Wasn't it? I didn't know anybody in San Francisco and I had never seen that homeless man before.
But still, two or three years later, I still struggle with the way I responded.
I'm sure that's not the way Jesus would have acted and the words "when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me (Matt 25:45) haunt me every time I think of that man.
I also wonder if I, like Peter, denied my Lord.
And what excuse did I have? The donut shop employee might have thought I was weird if I offered to feed the hungry man? I might have to spend a few minutes of my time conversing and sharing God's love with someone that was not like me? Was it the money? I'm not rich, but I could certainly have afforded a second cup of coffee and another donut.
Do I hold so tightly to God's blessings that I would refuse to share even that little of what I have? I'm not sure what I should have done on that day.
Today's social problems are so complex.
If you buy food for an alcoholic that has spent their grocery money on alcohol are you helping that person? Or are you enabling them and preventing them from reaching for recovery? I wish I knew.
But, I do know this, God calls us to reach out in love to all our neighbors, and the ones that we find hardest to love may be the ones that need our love most.
When we remember how much God has forgiven us, and how much He loves us in spite of our faults, loving others becomes a natural response.
So, take time to get to know Jesus through meditating on His word, mature in your faith, and learn to love all of God's people.
These practices will help you to rededicate your life to Christ and live according to His commands.
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