Introduction
Today marks the first day of a two-week series exploring the important question: What must I do to please God? The answer begins with an essential choice—whom will we serve: God or the devil? There's no middle ground The Bible emphasizes the importance of making a choice, a decision that shapes how we live and whom we follow. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He highlighted the centrality of loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind. This deep love and commitment to God form the foundation upon which the rest of a believer’s life is built.
To please God, we must first choose Him, turning away from the influences of the world and fully embracing His truth and love. We cannot divide our loyalty between serving God and serving our own desires. As Jesus taught, our love for God must engage every part of who we are—our heart, soul, mind, and strength. From that foundation, we are called to express this love through our actions and choices.
Now Let’s Eat Some Meat!
Mark 12:30 (AMP): “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.”
Context of Mark 12:30
Jesus gave these words in response to a scribe who asked Him which commandment was the most important. Rather than citing a mere rule, Jesus laid out the very essence of a relationship with God: complete and total love. This love must involve every part of us—our heart, our soul, our mind, and our physical strength. Anything less falls short of what God desires from us.
This command is not optional. Jesus teaches that to love God in this way is central to our faith, and it defines what it means to serve Him. The love He calls for is not divided or half-hearted, but it demands all that we are. It impacts every decision we make, how we treat others, and how we live our lives daily.
Matthew 22:37-40 (AMP):ntroduction
Today marks the first day of a two-week series exploring the important question: What must I do to please God? The answer begins with an essential choice—whom will we serve: God or the devil? There's no middle ground The Bible emphasizes the importance of making a choice, a decision that shapes how we live and whom we follow. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He highlighted the centrality of loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind. This deep love and commitment to God form the foundation upon which the rest of a believer’s life is built.
To please God, we must first choose Him, turning away from the influences of the world and fully embracing His truth and love. We cannot divide our loyalty between serving God and serving our own desires. As Jesus taught, our love for God must engage every part of who we are—our heart, soul, mind, and strength. From that foundation, we are called to express this love through our actions and choices.
Now Let’s Eat Some Meat!
Mark 12:30 (AMP): “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.”
Context of Mark 12:30
Jesus gave these words in response to a scribe who asked Him which commandment was the most important. Rather than citing a mere rule, Jesus laid out the very essence of a relationship with God: complete and total love. This love must involve every part of us—our heart, our soul, our mind, and our physical strength. Anything less falls short of what God desires from us.
This command is not optional. Jesus teaches that to love God in this way is central to our faith, and it defines what it means to serve Him. The love He calls for is not divided or half-hearted, but it demands all that we are. It impacts every decision we make, how we treat others, and how we live our lives daily.
Matthew 22:37-40 (AMP): “And Jesus replied 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 first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Context of Matthew 22:37-40
In this scripture Jesus explains that the entire Law and the Prophets hang on two simple, yet powerful commandments: to love God with all we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments are intertwined, and living them out is the key to pleasing God. The love for God, which is the first step, must overflow into love for others. It is not enough to say we love God in theory; it must be demonstrated through our actions and relationships.
For believers today, these commandments are foundational. Loving God with all of our being is not confined to a church service or religious practice, but it affects every aspect of our lives. It directs how we think, how we speak, and how we treat others.
Making a Choice to Serve God
Key Phrase: “There is no middle ground.”
One of the essential truths in the Christian faith is that we must choose whom we will serve. As believers, we face a choice every day: will we serve God, or will we be swayed by the values and temptations of the world? The Bible makes it clear that we cannot serve two masters, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” Matthew 6:24 (AMP). Serving God is a choice that requires full devotion, and it means turning away from the values that oppose His truth.
This choice is not a one-time event; it is a daily decision to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Each day, we must choose to follow Him, to prioritize His will above our own, and to reflect His love in everything we do. Each day you can be sure the adversary will present you with options that will go against God’s will, yet still may seem “OK” however you have inside of you the Holy Spirit to give you direction and guidance in the way that you should go, lean into that Guidance.
Joshua 24:15 (AMP): "If it is unacceptable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the [Euphrates] River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua's challenge to the Israelites in this verse resonates with believers today. The call to choose God over the world is timeless. Just as the Israelites had to decide whom they would serve, so do we. And that decision will shape our lives, our values, and our actions.
Relevance to Today’s Believers: For today’s Christians, the choice to serve God is the foundation of our faith. It is not just about going to church or participating in religious activities; it is about making God the priority in our lives, every single day. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, making this choice is what sets believers apart. It shows that we are serious about our commitment to love and serve God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
This choice will shape how we live, how we treat others, and how we respond to the challenges we face. It requires us to continually assess our priorities and make sure that God is at the center of everything we do. Serving God is not just a belief; it is a lifestyle.
Summary
Today is the first day of a two-week series answering the question, What must I do to please God? The first and foundational step is making a choice to serve God. Jesus outlined this in Mark 12:30 and Matthew 22:37-40, where He taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This choice is not just about following rules or being religious; it is a daily decision to put God first in every area of our lives.
The call to serve God means rejecting the world’s values and making a full commitment to live for Him. This is not something we do half-heartedly, nor is it something we do only on Sundays. It is a continuous, active choice to live in a way that honors God, reflects His love, and aligns with His will.
As we move forward in this series, let this first step be a moment of reflection and commitment. Choose this day whom you will serve. And may you choose to love and serve God with everything you are.
If You Have Ears To Hear, Then Hear It!
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