Thursday, February 13, 2025

LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD FEBRUARY 13, 2025

 

LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD FEBRUARY 13, 2025

 

Greetings Dear Saints,

 

May the LOVE of God be upon each you every second of your daily living in His Kingdom. A song states, “It’s love, it’s love, it’s love that makes the world go round.”How true because God is Love and He so loved the world, which includes everything about creation and not just the earth. God gave of Himself to and for us because of His love.

 

As we observe “Valentine’s Day,” we will hear tremendous references to love. You can research love and Valentine’s Day on the internet and discover multiple references, definitions, “stories” and whatever else you want to find out. As you may know, there are various levels of love, but the highest level and the only one deserving of all our heart, mind, might, and strength is GOD’S LOVE. In the Greek it is called “Agape” meaning the type of love that is God’s.

 

So, God is love, and God so loved the world that He gave of Himself, His Only Begotten Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. There are numerous scriptures that refer to what is known as “The Great Commandment.” What is that commandment? Don’t forget the second one. However, sometimes we may hear something so much that we “turn it off.” What God has asked us to do is to so incorporate the Great commandment into our hearts, minds, body, spirit, soul that despite the efforts of the adversary, we will never forget or turn away from His love.

 

In Matthew when Jesus was asked what the great commandment was, he said that all the laws and commandments hang on these two, love God with all and your neighbor as yourself. In Mark, in a similar session, Jesus told the young man, who had said that to obey the two great commandments is more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices, “You are not far from the kingdom.” In Luke we get the parable of the “Good Samaritan” with the understanding of who our neighbor is. These great commandments are also brought to our attention in the Old Testament, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.

 

It is said that the first mention of love in the Bible is Genesis 22:2 where God spoke to Abraham and said, “Take now thy son, thine only Isaac, whom thou lovest…” God was directing Abraham to take Isaac and offer him for a sacrifice. Notice, God did not say “Thine only son” but, “Thine only Isaac.” God knew what it meant and would mean to “Give His Only Begotten Son.”

 

So, if God gave His best, even Himself for each of His creation, we should not wonder then that the Greatest Commandment is to Love God with all we have, are, or ever hope to be. As humans, we usually try to reciprocate when it comes to giving gifts, even valentines. That is to give, at least of equal value, but more importantly, above and beyond. Of course, we can never “Out give God.” He does not expects us to. He just asks that we love Him as He loves us.

 

But words, as important as they might be, are not enough. Our expressions of gratitude must be carried out in the lives we live, in the way we respond to His giving us our daily bread. We are called to live so His will and Kingdom may come on earth as it is is heaven. GOD LOVES YOU!

 

God bless,

Paul Gage

 



No comments:

Post a Comment