Everything Starts with the Heart - The First and Greatest Command Begins With The Father Loving First

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

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
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 

 

Thanks for Reading!   

I love your comments. Ideas and thoughts.
Please share em.
Re-shares are great. thank U.

Here are some other blogs posts that may interest you.   

1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html
 

2) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/04/you-fascinate-me-jesus-so-why-are-you.html

3) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/07/never-be-lacking-in-zeal-need-some.html 

The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you. Testimonies?  Share em with me.   

Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you! With much love in Jesus 

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 

Jeff Reynolds   --- 

Brother Jeff

Jeff Reynolds Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
 

The Enemy loves to push our Buttons - There are Buttons he can never push again. The Ascension of Jesus Part IV.

The Devil has no ability to alter, touch, change or rearrange anything Jesus established forever when he sat down next to the Father in heaven.   

It feels good to say that.  Say it out loud.    

Do you hear things shake? 

Do you feel the words reverberate through creation?

small fires in your heart make a difference

Paul says, we are seated with Christ in heavenlies.     

(Eph 2:5-7)

Everything was set forever in the goodness of God.  It occurred when Jesus ascended.   His feet, touching the earth on a mountain in Israel, lifted off the earth and ascended into heaven.    He took his seat at the right hand of the Father and his place as the High Priest of the Heavenly tabernacle.  

Paul says, 

Heb 1:3

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

The Devil has no ability to alter, touch, change or rearrange anything Jesus established forever when he sat down.   

You and I sit down with him into everything he accomplished when we believe in him.  

Sitting down.  Work is done.  It is finished.   What does that work mean in ascension?

 

1) Jesus sat down in perfect worship.   A central piece of what Jesus did was set perfect, holy, and righteous worship into the fabric of heaven and earth.  

Jesus personified and is everything he accomplished in the Father’s will.   We will be the same as we walk after the Spirit and obediently follow the Lord Jesus.     He did not just accomplish things.  HE was and is and is to come.  He is everything he ever said, did or called forth in the human heart. 

2) Jesus sat down in perfect relationship.   Perfect relationship with everything seen, unseen, known, ever to be known, Jesus holds all things together.  Jesus created all things and all things will unify and find their fulfillment in Jesus.    He brought righteousness into all things and when all is unified in him a perfect relationship will exist with everything in the created world.     Beautiful.   

3) Jesus sat down in perfect revelation.   As the Scripture reveals and sets a righteous and true witness into the world of divine revelation, Jesus himself connected the Ways of God, the Truth and Life into a perfect revelation of his rule and reign.   The Kingdom, Jesus’ rule and reign, came with him and in him and through him.  It does the same in us as we renew our minds in his ways, truth and life.   The amazing beauty of what Jesus accomplished is resident in him and radiates from him in love and generosity.  

4) Jesus sat down in perfect inheritance.  Jesus won humanity an inheritance as vast as the heavens, rooted in the Father’s heart and richly inclusive of everyone who believes in HIM.    Paul tells us that who we are is hidden in him.   We are treasure hunters in the face of Jesus.   Inheritance is discovered.  It unfolds as we travel with him.   As we seek his face and purpose to know Jesus above all things in this life.   He meets us at the point of our desire for him.   Tremendous promise.  

5) Jesus sat down in heavens temple.   Jesus sat down in a heavenly temple that is now completely connected to the earth’s dynamic and unfolding story.   He passed through all things and descended to the darkest places.  He fills all things in every way.   Then he ascended higher than anyone possibly could.   Jesus is beyond the touch of earthly rulers and authorities, heavenly rulers and authorities any and all powers.    This is eternal.  Set forever.  Jesus is the eternal reality that all things are moving toward.  The earth is passing away.  It is fading in the truth, righteousness and glory of Jesus.  And the Kingdom is coming everyday in the glory, beauty and power of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

The Devil has nothing to do with ascended eternal realities.  

His is the game of deception.   Entanglement.   Lies.  

Jesus said he was the father of lies.  

He never tells the truth. 

Speaks in half-truths.  Sounds right on the front.  Devastates on the back side.

HE cannot tell the truth…. ever.   Remember this.  

The Spirit does tell the truth.  Always.  Ask him for guidance. 

The Devil is created. 

HE is one angel.

There are not enough fallen angels to handle all of us!  Graham Cooke says. 

I think he is right. 

Satan is in one place at a time.  He is seated somewhere also.  

He is seated in what is fallen and fading away.

We don’t all fight him personally.  

He has limited resources; a certain number of angels to move about the earth. 

 We have thousands upon thousands of witnesses who have walked in the way and shine with the glory of a race well run.  Seated in heaven.   Seeing Jesus. 

We have thousands upon thousands of righteous, holy, servants of fire who minister at the Lord’s word and support the cause of the righteous every moment. 

We have Jesus in us.  Christ in us the hope and power and truth.  (Col 1:27)  We have glory in us. 

Do you see the complete emptiness of the Devil’s position? 

Do you see the utter glory, power, eternal kingdom we are part of?

Do you see Jesus? 

That is what we need. To see with the eyes of our hearts the Lord of Glory. 

Nothing can change our life, our family, and our insides like a fresh revelation of the Love of God in Jesus Christ.   (Eph 3:14-22)

Ask the Spirit for a love encounter with Jesus.  

Our lives in Christ are hidden in this place. 

Hidden in Jesus heart.

Linked with the Father’s heart in everything Jesus accomplished and finished both in heaven and on earth. 

We belong to HIM. 

Nothing can tear you away from him. 

Trust.  Believe.  Know and live in his power. 

 Isaiah 26:3  Perfect Peace!

With much love and faith that he will accomplish everything he set out to do in YOU!

Comments?  Ideas?  Feedback? 

Thank you so much for your +1’s, reposts, sharing, mentioning. 

It is awesome to dialogue with you and hear what is in your heart.  

Brother Jeff.  Sojourning the same paths as you.  Come Lord Jesus!

 Jeff Reynolds.  apostolic voice 

Capstone Christian Fellowship

www.mycapstone.org

www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 

jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com 

jreynolds@mycapstone.org

The Heart is the Battle Field - The First Place for First Love

Heart break through?   How do we get it?  Why do we drift away, ever so slowly, and find ourselves out in places where the heart is practically dead?   

This is the land where others are overwhelmed by His presence and we are standing, quiet, contemplating.....   Contemplating everything but the beauty and glory of Jesus.   Wrestling rather than recognizing, wondering rather than wading deep into the knowledge of Jesus.   Wrestling with God over the circumstances of our lives rather than letting thankfulness, the most basic ingredient of worship, begin to open the eyes of our hearts to the riches of heaven.   

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart....." 

Keys make a difference

Scripture speaks to the heart.  

Psa 86:11

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

 Real and true seeing in the Kingdom comes from an undivided heart.   That heart in turn takes on understanding of the NAME.  

Eze 11:19

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  Matt 5:8


This is the beginning place of knowing God; of seeing the Father as we honor the Son.  The Spirit is so patient and kind yet in his wisdom he always brings us to the place of understanding the real condition of our hearts.   The journey remains the same as we follow the Lord Jesus, will we trust the Father to heal us, mend us, make all things new? 

The Father is a masterful craftsman of the heart.  Tending our hearts like a garden, he grows us up in all his ways through the perfect work of Jesus and the powerful touch of the Spirit.   His ways work perfectly to reveal the deepest content of our hearts and his power is perfectly able to deliver us from deep darkness.    

Following Jesus is the easy yoke and light burden.  

Take Paul the Apostle for example.   What a scandal.  He persecuted, jailed and arranged for the death of Christians.   He watched Stephen enter into glory and took care of everyone's cloaks while they stoned him.   He sought to destroy the Body Jesus tasked him with growing, nurturing and loving in the sufferings of his Master.   Paul, like the Master, became a master builder of the heart after Jesus.  Perfectly working out in this fallen world a clear witness of the glory of running the race with a pure heart. 

The emotions of love are fleeting and not enough to carry the heart to the deep places of walking after Jesus.   There is a much deeper place to walk with God that originates in the heart and fills up every other place of our lives.   

My son Isaac is in love.  This is not news or talking behind him as the whole world has known for some time.   It is awesome to watch him.  Love has a deep hold on him .  Because of love, He does things in a unique way.   His heart is leading the show.  I love watching him be so full of joy when he is with Leah.   

Love is not a math equation.  
Love is not science.
When is the last time someone bought love?
When is the last time someone talked you into love? 
Love requires honest surrender.  Surrender to the Holy Spirit.  Love requires true faith.   
Love for God requires depending and trusting. 
Love requires risk and honesty.  
Jesus is perfectly able to lead us in the pathways of love for the Father.  
We can walk in the same relationship he has with ABBA.  

There are three or four things I cannot understand:
how eagles fly so high
   or snakes crawl on rocks,
how ships sail the ocean,
   or people fall in love.    Prov 30:18-19

So how do we fall in love with Jesus?   
How do we keep our hearts on fire and in a constant state of love and devotion?

Is it pure emotion?  No.  They can't run as far as we need to go.

Is it pure will?  No.  Ever willed someone to love you?   Choosing may be one ingredient but it is not sufficient to lead us in hope and patient endurance.

It may be a very simple equation.   "Come, Follow me",  Jesus said.

Follow HIM.   Let the Holy Spirit be the one who disciples you by leading you.  

Stop running your own course on "how to be an amazing disciple of Jesus that everyone will recognize."  Start walking after the master of the heart.   

To find your life, you have to loose it.   Loose it in Jesus.   He will tend to the needs of your heart and lead you to quiet waters.   That is who he is.  That's what he died for.  That's what his Kingdom is; rich in, rest.   

Along the way......

Mind your Heart- ask the Spirit to search you and see if there is any way in you he would like to heal?   Ps 139

Grow a garden of many varieties - John 15

Dwell in the Word richly- Col 3:16

Know your identity in Christ - John 1:12

Walk in faith, hope and love  - I Cor 13

Some other blog posts on this topic:
Love for God is never ending http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/03/love-for-god-is-never-ending-open.html 
Jesus you fascinate me
http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/04/you-fascinate-me-jesus-so-why-are-you.html


Comments?  Ideas?   Thank you for reading.   Thank you for your comments as well.  
We need each other to navigate and chart these pathways.  



With much joy and admiration in Christ,


Brother Jeff
Jeff Reynolds.  Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com
www.mycapstone.org