Luke 10:27 And he answering said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength… I. DO YOU LOVE GOD AS YOU OUGHT TO LOVE HIM? 1. He requires a love of faithfulness and obedience. (1) Do you obey all that He commands? (2) Do you obey in such a manner as He requires of you? (3) Do you obey because God commands? 2. He requires a love of subjection and dependence. Do you possess this love? God is your sovereign Lord, you are His servant, and, as such, you should submit to His dispositions. (1) God deals with-you and your possessions as He wills, that you may lift up your eyes heavenward. Do you say with Job, "The Lord gave," &c. (Job 1:21). (2) God humbles you that you may honour Him by your humility. Do you complain, as though God was unjust? (3) God sends you diseases and afflictions. Do you embrace the cross? (4) God scourges with the rod of His wrath the degenerated human race. Do you honour and love Him in this also? 3. A love of preference. Do you love God more than all else? 4. A love of equality. Do you love whatever God loves, and hate whatever He hates? 5. A love of attention and complacency. Does it afford you delight to reflect on God, to converse with Him by prayer, &c.? 6. A love of zeal. 7. A love of desire. Do you long for the possession of God? II. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO INFLAME OUR HEARTS WITH THE LOVE OF GOD. 1. We should often call to mind certain eternal truths, and ponder over them. Such truths are the following. (1) All visible things say to us that God is infinitely lovable. (2) God has infinitely loved us. (3) God wills that we should love Him. 2. We should banish from our heart all impure flames of sensual passion. 3. We should endeavour to have a great devotion. (Segaud.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. |
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