how to love God more

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 17, 2013 at 4:56am

Jenny,

These are good questions and not easily answered. How can we measure our love for the Lord? We cannot use a cooking thermometer to insert in order to check the heat ... would be nice if we could (not trying to be funny or make light of your question). Let's look at these questions in a new thread, but I am going to take my time to pray over your questions and my response before commenting as these are important questions.

 

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 17, 2013 at 8:48am

thanks LT, i'm looking forward to read your response

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on March 17, 2013 at 11:24am

I was going to respond but then was kinda convicted of my response. I was going to say we love Him more because of His blessings towards us daily. But, what if He done absolutely nothing for us, would my love for Him still grow? I'd like to think so but it's really got me wondering about my love for Him. Is it a selfish love? Is it because of what He can & does do for me? 

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 17, 2013 at 1:54pm

i'm wondering the same things Taminator 

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on March 17, 2013 at 2:31pm

 how do we increase in love for God? 

 

The one thing that has been evident to me is that when I abide in Christ, my love for him grows. As I read about his beauty and faithfulness my heart longs for him more and more.

 

how do you know if you love God?

 

I don't like to disobey him. I miss Him when I do not abide in him. I miss him, not just the peace, joy etc... but Him, I miss Him.

 

how can you tell if you're increasing in love for God?

 

The cares of this world become less appealing or important and the seeking to do His agenda becomes more pressings for me.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 17, 2013 at 2:49pm

Jenny,

David has pretty much stated what I was thinking and has done so in a very succinct way. The only thing I will add is the more I grow to love Him the more I realize I would miss Him.

 

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 17, 2013 at 8:12pm

thanks LT, succinct is right

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 17, 2013 at 8:11pm

thanks David, you've given me lots to ponder on here. 

something that stands out to me is, you say you know you love God because you miss Him when you do not abide in Him, and that as you abide in Him, your love for Him increases. so,

would you mind telling me about what makes the difference for you between abiding in Him and not abiding in Him?

and do you think it's possible to continually abide in Him?

if so, do only mature Christians experience this?

i really appreciate any answers you want to share

 

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on March 18, 2013 at 9:52am

 

Jenny,

 

Excellent questions.

 

Let me first clarify something that came to my mind, which we have made the distinction for before, but is worth repeating. We Never Stop abiding in Christ positionalyl once we are born again. We are secure in Christ because He is able to keep us.

 

What I mean when I say that at times I abide in Christ and other times I don't is meant in practice not eternal position.

 

When I study, pray, fellowship, share and worship my Lord as my life style, then I am abiding in Christ. I am doing my part through the Spirit to keep a healthy relationship with him, when I do not my relationship with him suffers and I am not actively abiding in him at such times thought I am positionally in Christ, as He is in me, in Us. :)

 

As to what makes the difference, is simply me not continuing to do what I should do. Getting weary of doing right. Falling into complacency and plain old laziness, but then I miss Him, oh I miss him and I then ask God to give me the will and the doing to abide in him and He does.

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 18, 2013 at 12:22pm

thanks so much, this makes a lot of sense! sometimes i get so anxious about doing "my part" to keep up the abiding in practice, and it's so important to remember that i am always positionally abiding in Him, whether i feel like it or not. 

this leads into another question that maybe you can help me with, relating to abiding:

sometimes i feel like a certain difficulty is a test from the Lord, to test my obedience. i'm really afraid of "failing" the test. but even if i do fail the test, i am still abiding in Him positionally, but it will effect my experience of abiding. 

is this pretty accurate?

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on March 18, 2013 at 3:08pm

That is pretty accurate Jenny,

 

I do not agree with all of  TD Jakes' doctrinal understandings,  but I think he got this part of abiding in God's will very well.

 

Check it ou:

 

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on March 19, 2013 at 3:20pm

thanks, this sermon was really good and i need to hear that "nothing just happens". 

it's amazing to think on how God is totally in control, just like he was even when Jonah disobeyed and hopped on a boat, God had him thrown overboard and a big fish to swallow him etc. 

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