When this love of God is poured out in our hearts, we can do what Jesus talks about in Luke 10;27: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself."
It is interesting to note here, that we then become able to love ourselves! We become “loveable” and we are able to value ourselves, and who we are in Christ. When you in this way learn to love yourself, you will also be able to love your neighbor and will be in harmony both with God, yourself and other people.
This will have great influence on our way of living our daily life. John tells us in 2nd John 1; 6: “This is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. “ He also tells us: “This is love for God: to obey his commands.” (1st John 5; 3) Love is not just sweet emotions or feelings, but a driving force in us that makes it very natural for us to follow every detail of the Word of God. His love for us makes us willing to rather die than to be reluctant in following every word of Scripture. The Bible is also clearly stating that Jesus is “the word” – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1; 14)
In this way we can know if Jesus is living in us, as Jesus is telling in John 14;21: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.”
Live in the Word – live in Christ!
It is a tragic fact that many Christians today never really read the Word of God for themselves. Paul is again and again telling us how important the Scriptures are for our lives. He was speaking about the Old Testament, as they did not have the New Testament at that time. We need to read again and again both the Old and the New Testament to understand who God is, his way of thinking and how we can follow His ways in our daily life. This is the foundation for a blessed life, as He says in Joshua 1; 8: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Do you want to be prosperous and successful? Here is the recipe! That does not mean that life will be always easy, but you will succeed in your plans and your ambitions to please Him that loved you first! He loves to bless you in your family, your work, your finances and everything you set your mind to do!
Learn to quote the Word of God by heart! Tell it to yourself, tell it to others. Speak it out in your thoughts, your prayers, your talks with other people. Be a passionate lover of The Word – Jesus! Let your ambition in life be to please him, and by knowing The Word you will know how you can please Him and bless Him. Love Him, love your neighbor and love yourself! Then the life of Jesus will shine on others through you!