C. S. Lewis said that "a man's spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God." It's true that God is concerned about our morals, about our conduct. But he is mostly concerned with our hearts. Are they devoted to him? If we love other things -- our family, our spouse, our friends -- do we still love God more? If not, then, as Lewis, noted, we may not be spiritually healthy.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires.
The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.
Psalms 145:18-20
The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
"If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.
"All those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them. Anyone who doesn't love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me."
John 14:15-24
"If you love me, obey* my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,* who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.* No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them." Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?" Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.
1 Corinthians 2:9
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imaginedwhat God has prepared for those who love him."*
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?"
Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"
The man answered, "`You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, `Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!"
Luke 10:25-28
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?" The man answered, "`You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, `Love your neighbor as yourself.'"* "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!"
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
If someone says, "I love God," but hates another Christian, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.
1 John 4:20-21
If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister,* that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.*
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
The Book of God's Promises -- Copyright, 1999 by J. Stephen Lang. All rights reserved, used with permission.
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About The Author
J. Stephen
Lang
J. Stephen Lang is the author of more than ten books about the Bible, including the bestselling The Complete Book of Bible Trivia, 1,001 Things You Always Wanted to Know About the Bible but Never Thought to Ask, The Bible on the Big Screen, Everyday Biblical Literacy, and The Complete Book of Bible Promises. Lang is a regular contributor to Today's Christian, Discipleship Journal, Christian History and other periodicals. He lives in Seminole, Florida.
