FAITH CAPSULE: Have you actually taken some time out to search your heart if indeed you love God?

1 John 4:7-21, 1 John 5:1-5
 
Jesus was crucified, went to the grave and has risen for us to have life. How much love do you have for Him? Many songs have been written about love among the believers and non-believers. Among such is the song that says, “Oh how I love Jesus 3x, because He died for me.” Have you actually taken some time out to search your heart if indeed you love God? Do you love God? It is time for every one that confesses their love for God to begin to question every area of their step in life and determine if they love God. What does it mean to love God?
LOVING GOD
1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” Keeping God’s commandment is either doing His will or being obedient to His will. It takes sacrificial commitment to obey God’s commandment. Loving God is a sacrifice. Sacrifice is not cheap but it is giving unto God what is costly. King David once stated in 2 Samuel 24:24, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.”” King David was responding to Araunah who had offered him a free land to make a sacrifice to God. The sacrifice was meant to deliver the children of Israel from death that was caused by David’s census. At that time, David’s census was against the command of God. David’s rejection of free land was a clear demonstration of what a costly sacrifice before God should be. A consciously engaging a costly sacrifice is a proven mark of love for God. Also, a sacrifice to God is to worship God. Worshiping God is supposed to be a non-stop engagement as long as there is breath within us.
With God, there is a set standard for every area of His expectation for us. God did not just ask for love rather He gave us a standard of acceptable love when He stated in Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” To love God means to give Him our all. Through the pages of the Bible, men and women that gave Him all were able to live a fulfilled life and accomplish great exploits to the glory of God. Men like Abraham, Joseph, Daniel and other giants loved God and were able to do great exploits. The giants in the hand of God’s approach to the issues of life clearly depict what it is to love God with all of their heart, soul and strength.
 
Prayer for today:Ask for the grace that enables man to love God with all heart, soul and strength.