Loving God is More Important than Works

And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” Mark 12:33 NLT

Have you ever wondered, what does God truly require of you? I am sure there will be many answers to this question. There are many who are busy working for God by serving in the church as an usher, preacher, women’s ministry leader, choir member and many other works.

If you ask many, do you love God, the answer will be yes. What does it really mean to love God? If ye love me, keep my commandments, John 14:15 KJV. Are we keeping His commandments? I do not only mean the ten commandments, but everything that He asks of us, everything that He requires. God is more interested in our relationship with Him. God is more interested in our obedience to Him, than the works that we do.

The religious leaders of the day were going about doing all the religious acts, that was visible to man, but their hearts were dark and far from God. They love to sit in the best seats in the synagogues and at the places of honor at banquets— but they shamelessly cheat widows out of their homes and then, to cover up the kind of men they really are, they pretend to be pious by praying long prayers in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater.” Mark 12:39-40 TLB. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart, 1 Samuel 16:7 KJV.

Here is what God require of us, and that is to love him with all our heart and all our understanding and all our strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. The scripture says, this is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” God is more interested in our obedience to Him than the works we do. Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws’, Matthew 7:21-23 NLT.

I admonish you to love the Lord with all your heart and all your understanding and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as myself. Seek the Lord and obey all that the Lord asks of you. Let’s seek to do the will of the Father, not religious works.

Road to Restoration

“Though our wrongdoings testify against us, LORD, act for Your Name’s sake! Our apostasies have indeed been many, we have sinned against You. […]You are in our midst, O LORD, and we are called by Your Name; do not forsake us!” - Jeremiah 14:7, 9 NASB

How do we get from judged to justice? We follow the road to repentance.

The people of Judah acknowledged their sin; their “wrongdoings” and “apostasies.” These were good first steps, but God was not moved. He saw their hearts and knew they still “loved to wander” and didn’t “restrain their feet” (v. 10).

They hoped God would take care of everything, so they wouldn’t have to change or face consequences. Instead of accepting responsibility, they blamed God because they felt He was like a stranger in the land.

The Lord waited to see if they really would repent, humble themselves, turn from their wicked ways, make real changes, and return to Him with their actions and attitudes. Without these changes, their prayers and fasts would have no impact. God even told Jeremiah not to pray for them because He wasn’t even listening to their cries.

Many people today think like these people. When they face trials, they call on God and then wonder why He doesn’t respond. If we experience this, we must remember that the Lord looks at the sincerity of our hearts. He waits to see whether we’re serious enough to repent and obey Him.

Remember, God is looking at your heart. Humble yourself before Him. Seek His face. Let Him root out anything that doesn’t please Him. Confess your sins and the sins of your nation. Commit yourself to seeking His Kingdom and doing His will.

Father, I humble myself and seek Your face. I confess my sins and the sins of my nation. Forgive us in Your Mercy. In Yeshua’s Name, Amen.

Are You Going Backwards or Forwards

“’Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you shall walk entirely in the way which I command you, so that it may go well for you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear.” - Jeremiah 7:23–24 NASB

God’s people were going in the wrong direction: backward, not forward. The Lord had given them everything they needed. They just had to obey Him and walk in His ways. He desired to bless and prosper them, making everything “be well” with them.

But they continued to listen to other influences…popular ideas and people who made nice promises. Ignoring God’s Word, they became entrenched “in the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (v. 24). As a result, they reaped problem after problem.

God wanted them to change, so He could bless them! But because they refused to return to Him, conditions in their country continued to deteriorate, not improve.

Turning their backs on God was a horrible decision. How could He bless them if they wouldn’t look to Him for their provision? He wanted to see their faces and help them go forward.

It’s easy to find ourselves listening to the counsel of the world. Voices of confusion cry loudly all around us, offering solutions that sound nice, but don’t work…tempt us to ignore God and go our own way…and lure us to follow them and ignore His Word. But what a price we pay!

Remember, God has a plan for your life. Follow His path. Obey His Word. Commit your life to Him. Listen to His voice. Make sure you are going forward in your spiritual life!

Father, I commit my ways to You. Thank You for directing my path. Show me if I am going backward in any way, that I can allow You to redirect my path. Help me to always keep focused following only You. In Yeshua’s Name, Amen.