Do You Love God?

Beth Moore has been teaching on this in my Bible Study and God has been working it out in me, so time to use this blog for one of its intended purposes...to share with you what God is doing in this vessel.

Well, of course I do! I'm saved, silly. He is mine and I am His. I am thankful for Him. I have a great respect and reverence for Him. No, not phileo love (meaning brotherly love) but do you agapao Him? God tells us in Mark 12:3 that our protos, or priority, is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength." How do we identify that kind of love? Beth has helped to break it down and tell us:

1. Does He regularly circulate into my thoughts? Often, sometimes, or rarely...
2. Am I often drawn to spend time with Him? Not, and I disciplined enough to stay caught up in my Bible Study and prayer...am I drawn? Often, sometimes, or rarely...
3. Does my life demonstrate a love for God? Often, sometimes, or rarely...
4. Do I often just enjoy God? Often, sometimes, or rarely...
5. Do I find relief or satisfaction int he obedient life? Often, sometimes, or rarely...
6. Do you persevere and be patient with God? Often, sometimes, or rarely...
7. Do you make a fool of yourself for Him? Often, sometimes, or rarely...

Wow! As I answered those questions I realized I don't think I agapao Him. Something that God showed me thru scanning my own heart about the above was that thru everything I have dealt with as a child and never thought this type of love was possible, IT IS! And God not only is so crazy about me, but so is David. God has given David that supernatural ability to agapao! I know David loves God, but David is also a tangible picture of God's love for me! Trust me...David does make a fool out of himself for me...ask anyone. But God revealed to me a deeper love I can also seek for David and even my kids! Hallelujah!

Satan's scheme is to try and deceive us into believing that either God doesn't love us or that we love God when we really don't agapao Him. Isn't that silly? Why are we so deceived? Beth used the story of Peter being questioned about his love for Jesus out of John 21:15-25. Jesus asks Peter if he agapao'd Him. Peter says that he phileo'd Jesus. Jesus asks the same question again and Peter replies with the same again. Jesus finally concedes with basically, "Ok, Peter...you can Phileo me, but without agapao love for me, you cannot walk the crucified life." Ouch! That cut me to the core! I can either live the life of just saying, "Yes, I'm a Christian and yes, I love God." But then I will miss out on all of the "above and beyond I could ever imagine" for myself. It's time to take God and my walk with Him seriously. I want to walk the crucified life with Him. (I'll share a story with you on that later.) Do you? Beth says, "God gives any believer what she asks in His will" and we just read that priority is to love Him, so that is His will. So, "therefore ask God diligently and daily for the supernatural ability to love Him." I've started this on Sunday and have been amazed at what God has done and is doing thru that very simple prayer. Will you join with me and become a fool for Christ?