If

If... what a big word.  "If I have not love, I gain nothing."  "If you love me then you will obey me."

It is so easy to say the word Love.  It is so hard to live it.  I want to love God.  I need His love flowing through me to love my wife, kids, friends and students.  I say I love God but how often do I choose other things over God.   I want to spend more and more time with God.  I don't turn on my radio, in the morning, on the way to work, so I can pray and talk with God on the way to work.  Why don't I do that on the way home also?  Why am I so quick to fill my time with other things?  If I love God, I should want to spend as much time with Him as I can.  Help me Lord to seek your face throughout the day.

I sense Your nudging of Your Spirit to spend more time with You... help me to be better at listening to that small voice and then be quick to obey.  If I love God, I should want to obey Him.  Help me Lord to be better and better at obeying You.

Love is a verb.  I can not do it on my own strength.  I needs God's love flowing through me to love Him and others.  That love will totally depend on my level of gratitude for what Jesus has done for me on the cross.  If I think Jesus has saved me from a little bit of sin, then I will only love Him a little.  But, If I continually remind myself of all that Jesus did for me and all my past, present and future sins caused Him to suffer... then, I am in a place of gratitude, humility, submission, reverence and worship.  I want my life to be a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to You.  I have to continually remind myself of Jesus' suffering and my selfishness.  It is pretty easy to remind myself of my selfishness because it keep popping up and showing itself to me and others.

Life is all about relationships.  Number one... Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Number two... love others as yourself.  There is no Number three... love yourself, because we don't need to be told to do that.  Satan wants us to focus on ourself.  God wants us to focus on Him first, so we turn from selfishness, and then others, so we are able to love them through His strength.

Day 102