Evidence of Keeping the First Commandment Matt. 22:36-38 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
When you love the Lord with all of your heart, soul and mind, your love is going to be evident in your:
Fellowship – this is the quality and quantity of your time that you spend with the Lord – it involves prayer, Bible and worship – you are consciously aware of his presence at all times [Gen 28:16 Jacob said, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not”] – your time on Facebook, with people, on the internet, on TV, consumed with the news all interfere with this fellowship – give these up – Paul said, “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things… that I may know him” – when you are in fellowship with the Lord you are not lonely; we are not consumed with thoughts of ourselves, our concerns, our children, our occupations, etc. – rather we are consumed with thoughts of him – in his fellowship you have an utter abhorrence of sin – in his fellowship is the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit [you are not troubled].
Friendship – this is the quality and quantity of your things that you do for the Lord – as his friend, you are unashamed to talk about him and to stand up for him; you’re not concerned what others say or think; you’re not trying to impress others – what we do we do for his pleasure – like Jesus said, “I do always those things that please him” – you give gifts to him – as his friends we are aware of our utter unworthiness but overwhelmed with our acceptance; we’re so happy and content to be his friend – because we’ll be judged for the things done in our body whether they be good or bad, we are careful to do those things that we know to be good [to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin].
Followership – this is the quality and quantity of your willingness and capacity to follow the Lord – it deals with obedience; faith [don’t do something if you are unsure]; patience to wait on God; a willingness to go where he wants you to go and to do everything that you need to do in preparation for going there to insure that you can stay there when you get there [young missionaries are often in a rush]; trust – you recognize when difficult things come your way that the Lord is in the storm – as you follow the Lord there is an absolute disconnection with the world because of your connection to him – there is a supreme desire to know his will and to do his will at all times – there is a recognition of those things that interfere with his will and a separation from them [a change of ways].
Conclusion: the degree of your Fellowship, Friendship and Followership reveals the level of your love of the Lord in obedience to the first and great commandment. May the Lord help us as our love for him grows and manifests itself in these three areas of our relationship to him.