Love... Is God's Law

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)

Studying, practicing, and becoming like Jesus is an ongoing pursuit.

  • Thank God progress is all He is asking. 

  • Thank God failure comes ONLY by quitting… since “success” (aka our perfection) isn’t possible this side of Heaven.

Reading and understanding the Bible is yet another ongoing pursuit. I can't reach the bottom or top of It. Going from left to right is a circle (a thankfully never-ending circle).

  • The Word’s wisdom is unfathomable.

  • My enlightenment is incremental.

  • The Word uplifts me AND keeps me grounded. Without It, I am lost

Christians debate the Bible ceaselessly. If their talks are sincere and respectful (as opposed to know-it-all “professors”), insightful reflections can be helpful.*

One sad fact since my commitment to Christ is seeing Christian-on-Christian disdain, as different “sects” hate on each other. It's like religion on steroids. Puffed up!

That being said, Jesus wins all debates with one simple word and commandment: LOVE!

Love is the top, middle, and bottom line. It's the finest, flawless, and winning line. One thing love cannot be… is a flat line.

Actors, models, and talent for Christ:

When God reviews each of our storylines, when we’ve fought the good fight to which we’re called… worldly success is dust on our pages. 

Let’s remember LOVE is our finest act. Love is life. Love is truth. Love never fails.

Love… Is God’s Order (Part 44)

* 'Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true' (Acts 17:11, NIV).

NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re all called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re all called to be models of Jesus. We all have gifts, talents, and a commission to multiply them in the world for His glory.

P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend DAILY BIBLE READING.

WARNING: Don’t focus on your favorite verses, because taken out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!

Carey Arban