I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
Loving God and Loving People
In Matthew 22, we see the religious leaders of Jesus’ day trying to trip Him up with hard questions. One of the questions asked of Him was this:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
In an effort to trap Jesus, this Pharisee asked Him something designed to expose ignorance or false teaching or anything else they could hold against Jesus and His ministry.
But Jesus was ready.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39 ESV
Such a succinct, truthful answer did the opposite of what the religious leaders had hoped for. It didn’t discredit Jesus. It validated that He was who He said He was. He didn’t get cornered. He didn’t get flustered. He simply and without wavering, clarified the foundation of everything.
What was Jesus saying?
Loving God with our whole hearts and loving others as we love ourselves—these two things are more important than anything else. They are the foundation of life as a believer. Not being right. Not obtaining possessions or wealth. Not having everything in life just the way we want. Loving God. Loving people.
But here’s the thing— the only way we can ever love people well is if we first devote ourselves to loving God and allow ourselves to be loved by Him. How? Like any relationship, there are ways to facilitate growth:
- Spend time in His Word
- Have honest conversations with Him
- Reflect on His character every day
As your love for God grows and grows, your heart for people often will, too. Showing love for God looks like doing what He commands—and that includes loving the people around us the way that God loves us.
The great news? God loves you so much. He loves you right now. And He is inviting you to know and experience His love today.
God So Loves You
If you’ve experienced any part of the Bible, you probably know that John 3:16 highlights a vital part of the gospel message…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
Think about it:
“For God so loved the world …”
God didn’t merely like the world, but He loved the world. He loved you so much that He created you, made a way for you, and desired a forever relationship with you.
“… that he gave his one and only Son …”
Because of God’s immense love for the world, He gave—generously and sacrificially—His one and only Son … because it’s only through His death that we can have life.
“… that whoever believes in him …”
It’s not enough to know that Jesus existed as a real, historical person—James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe that and shudder. Believing in Jesus means we choose to trust Him as Savior and Master...
