Missing Something

1 John 4:20 - If someone says, "I love God," but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

How easy is it for us to be so focused on our relationship with God, and leave out our relationships with His people?  If we claim to know and love God but we don't bother to know and love God's children, then we are definitely missing something.

Jesus told us to focus on two commandments to love God and love others, because as He said they are equally important (Matthew 22:37-40).  If they weren't equally important, He wouldn't have said so.

When my last marriage ended, I told myself that I was going to only focus on my relationship with God for awhile, and if God wanted me to have any other relationships, He would make it clear to me and would change my heart as only He is capable of doing.  I don't think it's a bad thing to want to be focused on our relationship with God, but not at the expense of other loving relationships with those that God loves.  I said He would make it clear to me.  He did. It's all over the Bible, I just chose to only focus on certain other parts.  That was a critical area that I have been coming up short in.

We've all read about man's fall in the Garden of Eden, when Eve was deceived by the serpent about what God intended for them.  I remember once hearing a Pastor talking about this section, and he pointed out something that I had never really noticed before at that time.  Throughout the first 2 chapters of the book of Genesis, God is referred to as Lord God.  This would indicate that He is not only God the Creator, but also Master (Lord).

Satan never denied that God is the Creator, but he refused to accept His authority as Master.  In Genesis 3:1-5, the serpent only refers to Him as God.  It wasn't a typo by the writer of the book, it was intentional on the part of the serpent.

The Apostle John said, "But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8).  If I claim that I love and follow God, but I am ignoring my brothers and sisters, I missed the mark.  God wants, and more importantly deserves, complete obedience.  He doesn't want us to be half way.  He knows that we will fall short and make mistakes.  He doesn't expect or demand perfection.  But when we stand up, dust off, and continue on, we need to stay 'all in'.

Jesus said in the book of Revelation that He doesn't want us to be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16).  He also warned us that not everyone will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father (Matthew 7:21).  What's the will of His Father?  It starts with loving God and loving others.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your Word the Bible.  Thank You for the instructions that You give us throughout that show us how to live our lives for You and Your Kingdom.  I pray that I will always be all in for You despite my stumbles along the way.  I don't want to miss out on anything.  I pray for those that are only going half way.  My prayer is that they will be reminded that You don't want for anyone to be lukewarm, but for us all to be all in and on fire to serve You, Your Kingdom, and Your children.  I pray that we all will stay on fire for You, Lord God.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!



God Bless!!!