04/07/2024
DEVELOP A GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD.
Developing a sincere love for God is one of the most important things we can do as Christians. Christians who truly and sincerely love God are rare in number. Some people would even argue that yet we attend church, fast, pray, and are born again, etc. These actions do not show that we love God, even though they sound nice.
The transactional gospel has always been the primary cause of the majority of people's lack of true love for God. By "transaction gospel," I mean that God will not bless us if we do wrong; instead, we must conduct good deeds in order to get his blessing. This is incorrect because it suggests that if you perform good deeds, God will also do good deeds, which tends to indoctrinate people to love the blessing more than the one bestowing it. To put it briefly, you determine what God does. This is really incorrect!
This is wrong because it denies us the chance to grow in our love for God. People are more inclined to focus on blessings, miracles, breakthroughs, etc. Have you not heard Christians ask why more non-Christians than Christians get blessings? Christians are taught to believe that by being born again, they are doing God a favor.
The majority of Christians do not have a valid motive to worship God. And for this reason, the majority of Christians go to church: they want God to intervene in their problems, illnesses, miracles, etc. And for that reason, even if someone is truly devoted to God, they may find themselves preoccupied with other matters once their prayers have been answered. They were more in love with a blessing than with God. I'm telling you, even if you are blessed, you still long for paradise.
Don't get me wrong, it's good to have high expectations, but loving God more than loving his gifts is better. What distinguishes us as sincere worshippers is our love for him. It is not appropriate to think of a blessing as a reward for our good efforts.
They seek a blessing, which is why a lot of pastors no longer fear the Lord and instead use deceptive tactics to draw people into their churches. They do not preach God's justice and kingdom, which are the first things God commands us to pursue. Furthermore, he guarantees that everything will be added to us.
The majority of people desire breakthroughs and healing in their personal and familial lives. And for that reason, their perception of Jesus is skewed. They see Jesus as someone who simply wants to help them overcome obstacles, heal illnesses, and be the name they may call upon if they are having trouble sleeping.
Some like to be interred at the cemetery among a large group of people. Is this the life that Christians lead? Furthermore, it has been noted that the majority of those in this group suffer from such emotional problems that, in the event that their funeral was missed, they might give up on their relationship with God. Don't get me wrong: going to funerals can help and uplift the person who is grieving. On the other side, it is risky if people believe that the number of people that attended their loved one's burial determines how much trust they have in God.
Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38, NLT)
God's blessings are nice, but it's more vital to love him for who he is than for what he can give you. We can only truly fall in love with him in this way. It is not necessary for us to adhere to his word in order to get a blessing from him. When we truly fall in love with God, we often act in accordance with his word—not because we want to be rewarded, but because we love him. This is authentic Christianity.
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14: 23, NIV)
The text makes clear that Jesus never asked anyone if they needed healing or if they would like to be blessed. However, he speaks of our love for him. Let us grow to love Jesus more and more, brothers and sisters. Nothing can ever shake us if we love him because he understands what we need and will provide for it. However, let us avoid transaction gospels and continue to worship God in spirit and truth. The foundation of a Christian life must be our sincere love for God, not promises from him.
“This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”… (John 21: 14-17)
Jesus’ emphasis to Peter was on love not a blessing because a Christian is a blessed Creature. Friends let us all be deliberate about developing a genuine love for Jesus.
Additional Scripture
1 John 2: 15-18
