Jesus noted in the Scriptures the two greatest commands in response to a question. It came from a Pharisee lawyer seeking to stumble him. What the enemy seeks to make our downfall
God turns into our Victories.
Matthew 22:36-40
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Take note of the "firsts" in the Scripture.
The heart leads the way clearly in the first and greatest commandment not the mind.
Jesus commended the Ephesian church in Revelation for their clear commitment to getting the teaching right, but he threatened to take their lamp away for lack of first love.
The heart loves first.
Paul the Apostle said, "I pray the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you." (Eph 1:18) Hope and love spring from the eyes of the heart seeing and encountering the Lord Jesus.
The heart is the first place to weigh and guard.
It can cloud up and grow cold.
So many of our passion troubles and the disappointments of walking the narrow way effect the heart. It is amazing how many things ding the heart. When we are walking in first love and keeping our heart tender before the Lord all the usual challenges of life can nick and cut the heart deeply.
What provides all the energy for success in loving God? How do we sustain love for God and stay on the narrow way?
He loved us first. "We love, because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19
He started the love between us. He dreamed it up. He made the way to love through the sacrifice of Jesus and his perfect obedience on the cross. Jesus rose from the dead in the power of a new life; a life filled to the brim with love.
It is an easy slip. Right off the narrow way. When we put the sustaining grace of first love on ourselves. The work of Jesus on the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit provides for us a never ending stream of fiery love as we walk in the way faithfully.
Remember first love is not an emotion. Jesus said, "do what you did at first." This first love is not bound up in the patient endurance of the struggle. It is free in the mystery and never ending sea of the Father's love. He sustains us and our first love. And we simply respond. Like we did at first.
First love is easy. And at times appears so difficult.
Our hearts get all tied up and wounded and then mingle a lack of faith with our minds.
Then the first love fires start growing dim.
First love abides in child like simplicity.
It rests in the NAME. By faith it walks in the character of the Lord of Lord's.
And it loves freely and truly.
We may be saying deep down, following God is a hard way
Maybe that's why Jesus called us to repentance in regards to first love.
We have to sorting out the good and perfect love against the backdrop of so many distortions.
We pick up wrong thoughts and our understanding of the Father and his steadfast love gets mixed up and bent.
What we need to be saying deep down is....
"I surrender" and "I am yours and you are mine".
Can you remember back to what you did at first?
First love expresses a life, a way to follow Jesus and be near him. First love is first abiding. Pursuing Jesus above all things and letting the standard of love be set by him. Our worship flows and looks just like the worship of Jesus. Your will Father is my desire.
34 When Jesus realized how insightful he was, he said, “You’re almost there, right on the border of God’s kingdom.” (MSG Mark 12:34)
What was missing? Why was he standing on the boarders of the Kingdom looking in? What did he miss?
He missed the Son of God, God's very heart and love, standing before him. He thought the Kingdom was about thoughts and right thinking and doctrinal statements and bible insights and laws. He wanted the equation, the plainly spelled out course; a lawyer answer instead of a love answer. He was looking for a way that required nothing of him.
He desired to surrender nothing and his question required no surrender.
This is the pure logic and simple addition of a religious life that satisfies the mind but misses the heart by a mile.
What he missed was the one The Father sent. Sent to say, "For God so loved the world he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will have eternal life." He looked for something while the very light of the world right before his eyes. He missed him. Overlooked him. He overlooked love. Because he had religion. He wanted more religion to fill up this new understanding so he could continue on the same course. Nothing required of the soul religion. Nothing demanded beyond what he deemed acceptable and reasonable.
He wanted God the math equation. Not God the Son revealed in a cross and a sacrifice of his own blood.
First love is not acceptable, reasonable, or without the deepest demands imaginable. The Son of God charted a path through the darkness that required all of his heart, mind, soul and strength. All of it submitted in faith to the character and love of the Father, he accomplished the will of God in perfection. He did it for love.
Every pathway of The Kingdom of God leads to love and connection with the Father. In the beginning we were walking with him in the cool of the Garden. In the end we are dwelling with him in the city lit by his radiance and beauty.
If we plan to go anywhere in the Kingdom of Jesus we have to start with the heart.
In order to start moving with God we have to start moving in love.
Love is the doorway.
The heart says the first words of love.
Feedback? Ideas?
I would love to dialogue with you.
Share your comments.
2016
Transfiguration!
Look forward, eyes filled with Abundance, Boundless, Victorious vision in Jesus.
Get a copy of my Prophetic Review 2016 - Salvation's Mountain Erupting with Open Doors, Shifts and Invitation. Encouragement, focus, wisdom and insight into the prophetic seasons of the new year.www.jeffreynoldsministries.com
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You can do this thing! He's got you.
Jeff Reynolds ---
Brother Jeff
Jeff Reynolds Sr. LeaderCapstone Christian Fellowship
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
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