One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’” Mark 12:28-30.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
When a scribe asked Jesus what the first and greatest command is, he truly did not know. In their religious tradition they had managed to set forth 613 commandments. My Son went right to the heart of the matter and summarized it in two: Love God and love your neighbor. So the commandment is simply to love, and that is who I am and I made you in My image and according to My likeness, so that is who you are as well. Love is just and love is kind. Love seeks the good of the beloved. And love never fails.
Equal to My majesty is the mercy that I show. And that was what the gift of My Son as your scapegoat was all about.
How did Jesus tell you to love Me? Not lip service. He said genuine love is from your heart but it is more than that, it entails every thought, word, and action. What you are spending your strength upon? Worry, fear, covetousness, bitterness, revenge? I think in love, talk in love, and walk in love. Everything else is foreign to Me and cannot enter into Me or My Kingdom.
How do you know if you truly love Me? Jesus told you it is the one who keeps My Word.
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 14:23-24.
Now, there are three things that prove you love Me. And I want you to see if they describe your heart towards Me. You have no fear, you do not worry about anything, and you know where you are from and where you are going, in other words you know who you belong to. Those, which result in a life of righteousness, joy, and peace, which is the flow of Heaven, are basic indications of whether you really know Me in love or not.
Let us consider the third one first because knowing Me as your source, shield, and promised reward is the foundation of the other two. For if you know Me, that is, who I AM, and that you belong to Me, you have nothing to fear.
For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island.” Acts 27:23-26.
For I am your God who planned you in My heart from everlasting to everlasting and gave you life, breath, and being.
The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:24-31.
When you know Me, El Shaddai (your source of all supply, every good thing given and perfect gift comes down from Me) and El Elyon (the Most High), as the One who chose to save you, in Christ forgave you, by My grace raised you, and in My love seated you above with Me at My throne of grace as your wealthy place, you can live fear and worry free. I am pleased to give you My Kingdom, fill you with My glory, seal you in Christ forever by the Spirit and that is your life story. I have redeemed you. Know who you belong to and who He is. I AM, I WAS, and I AM TO COME. I am always here for you.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you for I am the LORD your God.” Isaiah 43:1-2.
What are My thoughts and intentions towards you?
“You are precious in My sight, you are honored and I love you.” Isaiah 43:4.
You who have received My Son as Lord and delight in keep My Word know where you are from and where you are going. And this is blessed assurance, joy unspeakable filled with glory. You are not wandering through this life alone with no source and no hope for an awesome future beyond all you can ask or imagine. You already have it in Christ. You are headed to the expected and desired end to your life in the mortal into the eternal revealed to you in My Word.
So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going.” John 8:13-14.
In fact you are already seated in Heaven with Christ. Heaven is your true home and death is behind you. When Jesus died to sin, you died with Him by substitution, and when I raised him up I raised you with Him to newness of life with all your sins paid for, your sentence satisfied, and released from your sins by His blood as My kingdom of the royal priesthood, called to My eternal glory, favored and beloved. In the spirit you are seated above and not beneath in the Holy of Holies on the heavenly Zion which is 1,500 miles high. Revelation 21:16.
And seated above with Him as His body on earth, He, as your head, has given you His authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, set the captives free, and undo the works of the devil. You are empowered by My Spirit in you to do the works He did and greater in His Name. You have power of attorney with the Name above all names, to whom every knee must bow in Heaven, on earth and under the earth.
Know who you belong to in love. And your response will be to love Me with all your heart (born again spirit), soul (mind, will and emotions, which represents your words), mind (thoughts), and strength (actions, especially singing praise for I am your strength and song). So you see it all has to do with your thoughts (what you know and meditate on), your words (come from your thoughts), and your actions (what you do with what you know and meditate on) as the building blocks of your life story for idleness or for glory.
The one who does not love gains nothing for all his or her busyness no matter how amazing their works are to the world. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. For I see the heart. Do you love Me? Feed My sheep, which is loving your neighbor as yourself, the second most important command which derives from the first, i.e., I think in love, talk in love and walk in love. All else is foreign to Me and cannot enter Me and you are in the same image and likeness.
This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:19-22.
And when you know who I am and what you have in Christ, that you belong to Me and I have sealed you in Christ and you possess redemption, you will not worry and fear for in My presence is fullness of joy and that is where you always are, One with Me at My right hand in Jesus through whom you live your life of grace.
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 1 John 4:16.
I perfectly love you so perfectly love Me and perfect love casts out all fear, for as He is (perfect) I have made you in this world. You are perfect, complete in Him.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9.
I love you. Why would you doubt, fear, or look about for help when you belong to Me? Look up at Me and smile and your face will never be ashamed. I deliver you from all your fears. You have it all in Christ, your good Shepherd and your great High Priest. And you are in Him and He is in Me and I am in Him so I am in you and you are in Me. You are Mine and I am yours. So rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give constant thanks, for that I My Will for you in Christ Jesus. And in Him we are complete.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.