Love God, love people

Since the foundation of the world, God has provided for a body of believers to join His Son. Jesus testified : "I was at work with him, and I made his every day his delight, Playing constantly in his presence, playing on the globe of his land, and finding my happiness among the sons of the man" (see these prophetic words of Christ in Proverbs 8: 30-31).

How to show our love for Jesus ? John answers : "For the love of God is to keep his commandments. And his commandments are not painful" (1 John 5: 3).

And what are His commandments ? Jesus tells us, in essence, that they are two : "Of these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:40).

The first and most important commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and thoughts. We must not keep anything for ourselves. The second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two simple commandments summarize the whole law of God.

Jesus is actually saying here that we can not walk in the glory of God if we have a grudge against someone. So, to love God means to love all brothers and sisters in the same way that we have been loved by the Father.

"If anyone says : I love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar ; for whoever does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see ? And we have this command from him : that he who loves God also love his brother" (1 John 4: 20-21). "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (verse 8).

We can praise God by raising our hands, praying every day and spending hours studying His Word, but if we are bitter and resentful towards anyone, all of this is futile.

If you're in this state, tell God you're sorry. But go one step further and reconcile yourself with this person to enjoy true intimacy with the Father.

David Wilkerson