Mark 12 30 thou shalt love the Lord

Mark 12: 30 “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, heart and with all thy soul, soul and with all thy mind, mind and with all thy strength: strength this is the first commandment. ”

At the heart of Worship is Devotion; Pr. 23: 26 “My son, give me thine heart, And at the heart of Devotion is Dedication! and let thine eyes observe my ways. ” Rās â’: to delight in!

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God wants to be loved/worshipped: Mk 12: 30 1. Passionately: “with all thy heart (Kardi’a: thoughts, feelings, center!) and with all thy soul” (psychē’: soul 58 x; life 40 x; mind 3 x; heart 1 x)

God wants to be loved/worshipped: 2. Thoughtfully: “With all thy mind” dian’oia: mind 9 x; understanding 3 x; imagination 1 x from dia’: by, through, because. and nous: intellect, mind, understanding

God wants to be loved/worshipped: 3. Practically: “With all thy strength” (ischys’: force, ability) Mk 12: 30; Lk 10: 27 A. A Practical Love will: 1) Declare itself Ps. 107: 2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. ” Ps 100: 1, 2 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord… come into His presence with singing!”

A Practical Love will: 1) Declare itself Mark 8: 36 -38 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father. ”

A. A Practical Love will: 1) Declare itself Ps 100: 1, 2 2) Demonstrate itself! (through diligent service) Ps 100: 2 “Serve the Lord with Gladness” Jn 14: 15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments. ” Lk 6: 44, 46 “Every tree is known by his own fruit… and Why call ye me Lord, (kyrios: supreme: authority) and do not the things which I say? ”

A. A Practical Love will: 2) Demonstrate itself! John 14: 21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, (tereo: preserves, guards) he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ”

3. Practically: “With all thy strength” (ischys’: force, ability) B. God delights when our devotion is demonstrated through passionate service. Eccl 9: 10 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; ” Col 3: 23 -24 “whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. ”

B. God delights when our devotion is demonstrated through passionate service. 1) That’s why Ro. 12: 1, 2 (Complete dedication) is called our “Reasonable service” (Logikos’ Latrei’a: logical expression of worship) And is followed by a list of gifts (Vs 3 -8) And practical commands (Vs 9 -21)

a) This ties our everyday lives/choices to our worship! (Ro. 12: 9 -13) 9 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; business fervent in spirit; serving the Lord!”

a) This ties our everyday lives/choices to our worship! (Vs 9 -13) 12 “Rejoicing in hope; (elpis: anticipation) patient in tribulation; (thlipsis: pressure) continuing instant (proskartere’ō: earnest, ready) in prayer; ” (Proseuchē’: Worship!)

Conclusion: The Great Commandment is based on Deut. 6: 4, 5 “Hear (shama) O Israel, the LORD our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might!” Meʾōd: Diligence

Deut. 6 goes on to describe what “Diligence” looks like. 6 ”and these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, Shānan’: to sharpen, bring to a point and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. Tefillin or phylacteries And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 9 Mezuzah ”doorpost”

12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, 13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, 14 Ye shall not go after other gods, …round about you; 15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you…)” 17 Ye shall diligently keep (shamar’: guard, preserve) the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. ”

Application: Learning to love God Passionately, Thoughtfully, and Practically is a Process that requires: 1. Faith. Heb. 11: 6 “But Without faith it is impossible to please him…” Anything that challenges / increases your faith (Pain, pressures, problems) is an opportunity to worship! (James 1: 2 -5)

Anything that challenges / increases your faith is an opportunity to worship! 1 Pt : 6, 7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Anything that challenges / increases your faith is an opportunity to worship! 1 Ptr 1: 8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: ” doxaz. ’o: Praise, honor, Worship!

Learning to love God Passionately, Thoughtfully, and Practically is a Process that requires: 1. Faith 2. Focus. A. Most prayer is autopilot “Vain repetition” Mt. 6: 7 B. Worship involves focusing my attention on God! 1) This is at the core of “Mediation”. (Josh. 1: 8) “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. ”

B. Worship involves focusing my attention on God! 2) By Beholding, We Become! 2 Cor 3: 18 “We, with an open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed! Metamorpho’ō: transformed! into the same image, from glory to glory… by the Spirit of the Lord. ”

C. Focus is difficult because we’re easily distracted by Our self-centered natures and a seductive world. Ro 8: 7, 8 “the carnal mind (focus) is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ” 1) Satan seeks to shift our attention away from God’s person, purposes, and Plan! This is the essence of Sin! James 1: 13 -16

D. God wants us to focus on Him Ph. 4: 6 “Be careful (merimnao: anxious, distracted) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer (Proseuchē) (from pros: toward and euchomai: to pray/worship) and supplication (de’ēsis: petition) with thanksgiving (eucharisti’a: gratitude) {From Charis: GRACE!} let your requests be made known unto God. ”

D. God wants us to focus on Him Phil. 4: 7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (phroure’ō: guard) Imagine all the “guards” around God’s Throne! Rev. 4 your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ”

D. God wants us to focus on Him Ps 46: 1, 10 -11 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble… Be still, (rāpâ: feeble, faint) and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah!”

Faithful, Focused Attention is an incredible expression of love. God is faithfully focused on us. (Ps. 139!!!) Ps. 32: 8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. ” What does this require? (Pr. 3: 5, 6)

Faithful, Focused Attention is an incredible expression of love. This is why a daily “Devotional” time is so important. Mt. 6: 6 “when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father”

Psalm 5: 1 -3 “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. ”

I met God in the morning, When my day was at its best And His presence came like sunrise, Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered; All day long He stayed with me; And we sailed in perfect calmness O’er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered, Other ships were sore distressed, But the winds that seemed to drive them Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings, With a keen remorse of mind. When I too had loosed the moorings With the Presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret, Learned from many a troubled way; You must seek Him in the morning If you want Him through the day. Ralph Spaulding Cushman

God doesn’t have your Faith and Focus unless you give (express) it to Him.