Love Starts With A Devoted Heart

"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." -  1 John 4:20

I woke up this morning with this verse on my mind. The idea here is that loving others is a product or result of loving God. If you hate your brother then it's because you have a love problem

"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 22:34-40

So what does loving God look like? A devoted heart. A heart surrendered by faith. Where there is no room for anything that is not of God. And if there is, well, it is because you lack devotion to God. So often, as Christians, we justify our attitudes and actions based upon the rules of the natural world - our old nature. The life and ways that we have been saved from. All we need is agreement from others that how we feel or treat others is justified - even Biblical. 

What binds us together is found in our relationship with the Father through faith in the Son. There is a song that we used to sing years ago - in the 70's call "Bind Us Together Lord"

"Bind Us Together, Lord. Bind Us Together With Cords That Cannot Be Broken. 
Bind Us Together, Lord Bind Us Together. Bind Us Together In Love
There Is Only One God, There Is Only One King There Is Only One Body, That Is Why We Sing.

Bind Us Together, Lord. Bind Us Together With Cords That Cannot Be Broken."

The world wants peace, love and unity but actually teaches division and hate. The thing that it craves will always be out of reach apart from God who created us. 

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:35

Your greatest testimony is the love we have for one another. Love birthed out of our love for God. People who have devoted and surrendered hearts toward God.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone