56/365: How Do You Love God?

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. ~ Hebrews 6:10

When you serve God's people from the desire of your heart, you are loving God.

This is the very core of God's greatest command - to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind - and to love others as you love yourself.

Love looks a lot like serving. Some need food, clothing, shelter. Others need prayer and a kind word.

GO DEEPER: Deuteronomy 15:7-11

NEXT STEP: Who will you love today? Is God on your list?

craig i

on 02/27/2023 at 06:49 AM

I used to have that attitude as well. Then, I realized it was not my money. The money and blessings came from God. I started giving freely. I figured, it was between God and the person I gave to.

Raphael Sr.

on 02/26/2023 at 06:28 AM

Love GOD, Love People... SELAH!!

Kevin Davison

on 02/26/2023 at 04:21 AM

I am a wonderful faithful guy. I do not make much money each month. But I like to volunteer my time at church by doing things outside to keep the property clean and in shape.

Jacob Dixon

on 02/26/2023 at 02:50 AM

We’ll said old Dude. Team, sorry it is Audio Adrenaline not Steven Curtis Chapman. The name of the song is “Hands and Feet” by Audio Adrenaline.

Old Dude

on 02/25/2023 at 08:04 PM

ME: "I'm not going to give money to that bum. He'll waste it on booze or drugs." JESUS: Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” - Luke 6:38 ME: Forgive me, Lord. Teach me to give like You give. Change my heart, oh God. Make it ever new. Change my heart, oh God. May I be like You.

Ladd Paulson

on 02/25/2023 at 06:59 PM

well said Rick

Rick Donka

on 02/25/2023 at 05:02 PM

Michael, everyone has said it so well. I don't have lots of money to give but Jesus gave his heart in all He did. I help with distributing food and items to the poor and homeless. They appreciate it but I can see that they really love that I take the time to just acknowledge them as my fellow man in conversation. So give whenever and where ever you can with what ever you have (time, service, conversation, etc) and as stated you will be blessed whether its a neighbor, friend or stranger without judgement but with love.

Joey Taylor

on 02/25/2023 at 04:37 PM

I love to help others it brings much joy to heart and it keeps me in line to when I need help. Most of the time u can tell when people are Ginuwine. Obey God's voice and ask him to lead u to people u can help.

Ladd Paulson

on 02/25/2023 at 04:16 PM

Amen Bob great to hear. Wish we could convince more people of that about tithing.

Ladd Paulson

on 02/25/2023 at 04:11 PM

I'm a retired cop so I have a bit of a jaded view of most people with signs asking for something for nothing. My wife carries in her car small grocery bags and tells the folks if they fill up a couple bags with trash when she drives back by she will pay them for the bags. Never been taken up on that offer yet. She also carries 5$ gift cards for McDonald's or Wendy's to hand out rather than cash. I really did marry up.

Bob E Wren

on 02/25/2023 at 04:01 PM

it took me a long time to learn cuz I grew up in a very rough family. you can't fend for yourself then too bad. because of this we're all rough around the edges. I simply gave some extra produce from my garden to the neighbors 6 years ago and helped him out in some other things it has returned itself I guarantee you a hundredfold in snow plowing and just little favors it wasn't my intent but it blew me away how much it has come back and I'm finding this out everywhere I go it's weird you give and you get back 10 times I swear I wished I would have learned this earlier in life

Anonymous

on 02/25/2023 at 03:45 PM

Christian brothers, I love you all. I know Jesus's commandments cover absolutely everything. When you love God and you have Him in your conscious thought, you're not going to disrespect or do things in front of Him that aren't of him. When you love others as yourself, you can truly know there is no need for discord. This is so simple, but I want to complicate it all. Being unsure and not trusting in God and God's will, I can mess this up to extremes. I need to get out of the way and humble myself to let God be in control of my being.

Rick K

on 02/25/2023 at 03:11 PM

T, I've failed too. Thanks for your testimony!

Rick K

on 02/25/2023 at 03:07 PM

Challenging devo. I fail to love others consistently, and therefore fail to love God as I should. But I have no excuses. We are bound by Luke 6:30 to "Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back." I should not need an urging by the Holy Spirit, because Jesus said it in black and white, or I mean, red and white. That's why I love Joseph's approach/suggestion, that as we give, we let others know these are God's resources and ask them to do as requested. Luke 6 is also the chapter that contains Jesus' command that we do not judge. Nor is my intent to judge any of you by my comments. My hope is that these words convict myself. So don't let me/us off the hook. Instead pray for me, that my generosity grows to be more like Jesus. Thanks.

Ashley Jarvis

on 02/25/2023 at 02:53 PM

T, thank you for your honestly and willingness to share with us. I’ve found it is through our failures, not our successes, that we are able to teach others. When I am open about my mistakes, my fails, I am then relatable to the most important parts of those around me. The parts we keep tucked away and hidden from others. “Secrets keep us sick” is a popular phrase in recovery. So, by sharing those things I’d rather keep quiet about, it inspires others to do the same. God has a way of now putting all of us who read about your experience the same test you faced, and thanks to your sharing this I’ll be alert and prepared to immediately make the correct Godly decision. Thing is, however, my kids watching me pull out a $20 bill will not learn nearly as important of a lesson, as your kids learned. Your kids, learned what it truly means to “be a man of God”. They watched their hero, flawless in their eyes, admit that he was wrong. They witnessed what it looks like to be honest and open with others when we make mistakes, when we are wrong. Your kids, learned and witnessed the most valuable lesson of all, honesty with one’s own self. A man who is capable of looking in the mirror with complete honesty, is a man who can daily focus on the next right change that needs to occur to grow closer to their creator. You, T, are an inspiration to us all 🙏🏻

Tommy Williamson

on 02/25/2023 at 02:53 PM

I try to help anyone that needs helps, but I seldom carry much cash and I also know that with my wife on disability, myself on SSI retirement only and right now our son out of work that often we do not have a lot to give either. So a lot of time I try to help with my time efforts and energy in spite of my health. One time that I feel that I failed to help a person has haunted me for years. One day a guy approached me at a gas station asking for help with gas for his car and I turned him down instead of having him pull up to the pump and filling his tank. I had missed several day of work during that pay cycle and had long since used up my vacation and sick time so I knew my paycheck was going to be light. My wife had just lost her job due to her chronic migraines so I knew money would be very tight and the $30 or so that it would have cost to bless him with a tank of gas might have meant not being able to pay a bill. From the moment I got on the freeway that day until now that moment has haunted me that I missed a blessing of God by not helping this man.

Brandon Pembleton

on 02/25/2023 at 02:31 PM

I hadn't really thought of it this way. To love others as you love yourself. Before I came to know God I didn't exactly love myself. I didn't know how to without God. I'd just stuff worldy things into that God sized hole in my. They never filled it and never could - it's God sized. Surrendering to God and fully accepting Him in filled that hole and the great internal mending began. I learned to love myself thanks to God. Then that love spilled out into the world around me gracing me with the love for others in this world. Only God could have saved me from myself. He knows... I tried just about everything else up until I surrendered. Thank you God for accepting me with open arms and love. I love you God amen 🙏

Boyce Moses

on 02/25/2023 at 02:12 PM

Love God, Love Others. Love you Jesus! 💙💛💜❤️

Ethan

on 02/25/2023 at 02:06 PM

I enjoy doing good things anonymously. I try to do all of my good this way, if possible. To me, it is just an awesome spiritual fruit that my soul can partake. Thank You, God, for everything, the good, the bad and the indifferent. Thank You for Jesus.

michael f vinning

on 02/25/2023 at 02:04 PM

Oof, this one hits real close to home. I have never had money, always struggled, always teased for not having the nice anything’s…we don’t go hungry though and God has provided for all of our needs but we never have much extra so it’s hard for me to just give money and I feel selfish bc of that.

Joseph Caraveo

on 02/25/2023 at 01:32 PM

T, thank you for your transparency and humility in sharing your "fail" I however don't see it as a fail. I say that because I search for real men of God to show me how to be a man, husband and father. You my brother have just taught me much! Thank you and I see Jesus all over your actions and that's never a fail! Blessings Joseph

T Toupin

on 02/25/2023 at 01:12 PM

I feel led to share a recent fail. A woman approached me while I was shopping with my wife and two children and asked if she could purchase $40 of groceries using her government assistance card in return for $20 of cash for her to buy gas. Disgusted at her offer to participate in fraud, I quickly said, “No.”. The woman left. My 6 year old asked why I didn’t agree. While explaining it was fraud, I witnessed a real Christian pull $20 out and give it to the woman. By the time we got to the car, God had convicted me that I failed. As we sat in the car outside the store, I confessed to my family that I failed to show God’s love and there was better ways to handle the situation. Hopefully, my failure can help them and, possibly you, to not make the same mistake.

Robert McFaddin

on 02/25/2023 at 01:02 PM

It should say “I try to not give whatever I give in my name, but in the name of Jesus”. What is the Steven Curtis Chapman song name?

klaus

on 02/25/2023 at 01:02 PM

Yes , I’ve struggled with this in the past. I owned restaurants for over twenty years and would drop off items at the food pantry, most times no one was there but some workers. But times there would be people in line for goods. I would see people in line that had interviewed for a job recently.most of the time I would offer people jobs when I really didn’t need to fill a position. Several times the same people that I saw in line that I offered work too told me in no uncertain terms that they were better then that wage. That ate at me for years. Speaking with a friend I learned or relearned that it’s not my place to judge.. that’s HIS.I still struggle with that at times but not as much . I have worked on being a cheerful giver.. Practicing does make it easier! Have a blessed day

56/365: How Do You Love God?

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