ONLY THOSE WHO “LOVE” GOD WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM!!!

Not those who claim to be “Christians,” or have recited “The Sinner’s Prayer,” or those who attend worship services on Sundays, or those who give their tithes religiously, etc., etc…

BUT ONLY THOSE WHO “LOVE” GOD!

                                                                                                                                      

[(JAMES 2:5)

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?]

For the simple reason that only those who “LOVE GOD” in their actions, not in words only, are true Christians.

Do we love God?

If we do, we are surely doing something for Him daily.

Be sure we love God, for if not, we will not enter His kingdom.

++++++++++++

BUT HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN LOVE GOD?

According to the Written Word of God, the Bible, there are two ways by which a Christian can show his love for the Lord:

1) To KEEP and obey His commands

2) To love the brethren, God’s people, the church

Firstly, only those who possess and know and keep/obey the commandments of God (God’s children/Christians), which are communicated through the Bible, can obey them. It simply goes to say that if you are not spending time in the Word, I seriously doubt if you know what God commands His children to do.

How, then, can we love the brethren, thus showing our love for God?

We love God’s people by sharing our food with our DESERVING brethren who are hungry (not those who are hungry because they are lazy); by showing hospitality and opening our homes to them; by giving clothes to brethren who need them; by visiting and taking care of them when they are sick; by visiting those brethren who are in prison for their faith.

If we are not doing these things, even if we claim to be Christians and are performing the outward ceremonies of religion, sorry to say, but before God we are not.

KEEPS (G5083) tereo: a watch; to guard (from loss or injury); keeping an eye upon

++++++++++++

(Mark 12:30)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

(Romans 8:28-29)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

(Ephesians 1:4-5)
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

(John 14:21)
Whoever has my commands and KEEPS them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

(Hebrews 6:10)
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

(1 John 5:2-3)
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

(Matthew 25:31-40)
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

DELIGHT THYSELF IN THE LORD AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART? (PSA. 37:4)

What does this statement mean, really?

Does this mean that if we would just “rejoice in the Lord that He would give us whatever we want”?

No, that is not what this verse means.

According to the Written Word of God, the Bible, “DELIGHT” means to be soft or pliable before God, being trainable before Him, seeking His will, finding our happiness/joy in God, in His perfections, His words, His commandments and statutes.

And what would be the desires of our hearts BUT TO SEEK HIS PERFECT WILL FOR OUR LIVES!

This would come as God molds us to become more and more like the Lord Jesus, whose desire while He was on earth was not to do His will, but to accomplish the Father’s will.

Are we ready and willing to be molded by the Lord?

++++++++++++

(Psalm 37:4)
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

THE LORD JESUS WILL REVEAL HIMSELF ONLY TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, NOT TO ALL WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS

[(John 14:21)

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”]

God is the God who reveals Himself; He cannot be known or searched by mere study.

And the only ones who can know Him are those who love Him.

It goes without saying that only those who know the Lord Jesus are true Christians;

Not all so-called Christians.

Ergo, only these will enter the kingdom.

Amen.

BUT HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN LOVE GOD?

According to the Written Word of God, the Bible, there are two ways by which a Christian can show his love for the Lord:

1) To KEEP and obey His commands

2) To love the brethren, God’s people, the church

Firstly, only those who possess and know the commandments of God (God’s children/Christians), which are communicated through the Bible, can obey them. It simply goes to say that if you are not spending time in the Word, I seriously doubt if you know what God commands His children to do.

How, then, can we love the brethren, thus showing our love for God?

We love God’s people by sharing our food with our DESERVING brethren who are hungry (not those who are hungry because they are lazy); by showing hospitality and opening our homes to them; by giving clothes to brethren who need them; by visiting and taking care of them when they are sick; by visiting those brethren who are in prison for their faith.

If we are not doing these things, even if we claim to be Christians and are performing the outward ceremonies of religion, sorry to say, but before God we are not.

KEEPS (G5083) tereo: a watch; to guard (from loss or injury); keeping an eye upon

SHOW: to exhibit (in person) or disclose (by words): - appear, declare (plainly), inform, (will) manifest, shew, signify.

++++++++++++

[(John 14:15-24)

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.]

[(Mark 12:30)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’]

[(Romans 8:28-29)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.]

[(Ephesians 1:4-5)

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—]

[(Hebrews 6:10)

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.]

[(1 John 5:2-3)

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,]

[(Matthew 25:31-40)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’]

SUFFERINGS OF JOB

Do we have any complaints in life?

Job was a man “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job1:8), and yet he suffered.

And who are we, although confessed believers in the Lord Jesus, not to suffer for righteousness’ sake?

  

1)    Painful sores from head to feet

2)    Misery; bitterness of soul; sighing as daily food; groaning

3)    No peace, no quietness, no rest; only turmoil

4)    Dismay, discouragement

5)    Anguish, misery, loss of appetite

6)    Unrelenting pain

7)    Sleeplessness; body clothed with worms and scabs; broken and festering skin

8)    Anguish of spirit; bitterness of soul

9)    Frightening dreams; terrifying visions

10)  Terrified

11)  Loathing for life; bitterness of soul

12)  Shamed; drowning in affliction

13)  Frightened with terrors

14)  Tormented

15)  Wasting away; rotting

16)  Pain is not relieved; pain that won’t go away; worn out; shriveled and gaunt; loss of family, property, wealth; shattered; crushed; gauntness; jeered at; dark shadows around the eyes; struck in the cheek and scorned

17)  Broken; surrounded by mockers

18)  Spit upon by passersby; dimming eyesight

19)  Near death

20)  Crushed, humiliated; bad breath; reduced to skin and bones; no response from God; alienated from family; shunned by servants; scorned by little boys; detested by intimate friends; loathsome to own family; detested by those who used to love him

21)  Mocked; gnawing pain that never rests; terrors

22)  Churning inside him never stops; skin grows black and peels; high fever; mourning

23)  Incurable wound

++++++++++++

[(2:7)

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.]

[(3:20-24)

²⁰ “Why is light given to those in misery,
    and life to the bitter of soul,
²¹ to those who long for death that does not come,
    who search for it more than for hidden treasure,
²² who are filled with gladness
    and rejoice when they reach the grave?
²³ Why is life given to a man
    whose way is hidden,
    whom God has hedged in?
²⁴ For sighing has become my daily food;
    my groans pour out like water.]

[(3:26)

²⁶ I have no peace, no quietness;
    I have no rest, but only turmoil.”]

[(4:5)

But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;
    it strikes you, and you are dismayed.]

[(6:2-7)

² “If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!
³ It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.
⁴ The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
    my spirit drinks in their poison;
    God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
⁵ Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
    or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
⁶ Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow?
⁷ I refuse to touch it;
    such food makes me ill.]

[(6:10)

Then I would still have this consolation—
    my joy in unrelenting pain—
    that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.]

[(7:3-5)

³ so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.
⁴ When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’
    The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
⁵ My body is clothed with worms and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.]

[(7:11)

“Therefore I will not keep silent;
    I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit,
    I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.]

[(7:13-16)

¹³ When I think my bed will comfort me
    and my couch will ease my complaint,
¹⁴ even then you frighten me with dreams
    and terrify me with visions,
¹⁵ so that I prefer strangling and death,
    rather than this body of mine.
¹⁶ I despise my life; I would not live forever.
    Let me alone; my days have no meaning.]

[(9:34)

someone to remove God’s rod from me,
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.]

[(10:1)

“I loathe my very life;
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.]

[(10:15-17)

¹⁵ If I am guilty—woe to me!
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in my affliction.
¹⁶ If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion
    and again display your awesome power against me.
¹⁷ You bring new witnesses against me
    and increase your anger toward me;
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.]

[(13:21)

Withdraw your hand far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.]

[(13:25)

Will you torment a windblown leaf?
    Will you chase after dry chaff?]

[(13:27,28)

²⁷ You fasten my feet in shackles;
    you keep close watch on all my paths
    by putting marks on the soles of my feet.

²⁸ “So man wastes away like something rotten,
    like a garment eaten by moths.]

[(16:6-16)

⁶ “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
    and if I refrain, it does not go away.
⁷ Surely, God, you have worn me out;
    you have devastated my entire household.
⁸ You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness;
    my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.
⁹ God assails me and tears me in his anger
    and gnashes his teeth at me;
    my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.
¹⁰ People open their mouths to jeer at me;
    they strike my cheek in scorn
    and unite together against me.
¹¹ God has turned me over to the ungodly
    and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.
¹² All was well with me, but he shattered me;
    he seized me by the neck and crushed me.
He has made me his target;
¹³     his archers surround me.
Without pity, he pierces my kidneys
    and spills my gall on the ground.
¹⁴ Again and again he bursts upon me;
    he rushes at me like a warrior.

¹⁵ “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin
    and buried my brow in the dust.
¹⁶ My face is red with weeping,
    dark shadows ring my eyes;]

[(17:1,2)

¹ My spirit is broken,
    my days are cut short,
    the grave awaits me.
² Surely mockers surround me;
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.]

[(17:6,7)

⁶ “God has made me a byword to everyone,
    a man in whose face people spit.
⁷ My eyes have grown dim with grief;
    my whole frame is but a shadow.]

[(17:13-16)

¹³ If the only home I hope for is the grave,
    if I spread out my bed in the realm of darkness,
¹⁴ if I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’
    and to the worm, ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
¹⁵ where then is my hope—
    who can see any hope for me?
¹⁶ Will it go down to the gates of death?
    Will we descend together into the dust?”]

[(19:1-20)

Then Job replied:

² “How long will you torment me
    and crush me with words?
³ Ten times now you have reproached me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
⁴ If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error remains my concern alone.
⁵ If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
    and use my humiliation against me,
⁶ then know that God has wronged me
    and drawn his net around me.

⁷ “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;
    though I call for help, there is no justice.
⁸ He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
⁹ He has stripped me of my honor
    and removed the crown from my head.
¹⁰ He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope like a tree.
¹¹ His anger burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.
¹² His troops advance in force;
    they build a siege ramp against me
    and encamp around my tent.

¹³ “He has alienated my family from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
¹⁴ My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends have forgotten me.
¹⁵ My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
¹⁶ I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
¹⁷ My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome to my own family.
¹⁸ Even the little boys scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.
¹⁹ All my intimate friends detest me;
    those I love have turned against me.
²⁰ I am nothing but skin and bones;
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.]

[(30:1-23)

“But now they mock me,
    men younger than I,
whose fathers I would have disdained
    to put with my sheep dogs.
² Of what use was the strength of their hands to me,
    since their vigor had gone from them?
³ Haggard from want and hunger,
    they roamed the parched land
    in desolate wastelands at night.
⁴ In the brush they gathered salt herbs,
    and their food was the root of the broom bush.
⁵ They were banished from human society,
    shouted at as if they were thieves.
⁶ They were forced to live in the dry stream beds,
    among the rocks and in holes in the ground.
⁷ They brayed among the bushes
    and huddled in the undergrowth.
⁸ A base and nameless brood,
    they were driven out of the land.

⁹ “And now those young men mock me in song;
    I have become a byword among them.
¹⁰ They detest me and keep their distance;
    they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
¹¹ Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me,
    they throw off restraint in my presence.
¹² On my right the tribe attacks;
    they lay snares for my feet,
    they build their siege ramps against me.
¹³ They break up my road;
    they succeed in destroying me.
    ‘No one can help him,’ they say.
¹⁴ They advance as through a gaping breach;
    amid the ruins they come rolling in.
¹⁵ Terrors overwhelm me;
    my dignity is driven away as by the wind,
    my safety vanishes like a cloud.

¹⁶ “And now my life ebbs away;
    days of suffering grip me.
¹⁷ Night pierces my bones;
    my gnawing pains never rest.
¹⁸ In his great power God becomes like clothing to me;
    he binds me like the neck of my garment.
¹⁹ He throws me into the mud,
    and I am reduced to dust and ashes.

²⁰ “I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;
    I stand up, but you merely look at me.
²¹ You turn on me ruthlessly;
    with the might of your hand you attack me.
²² You snatch me up and drive me before the wind;
    you toss me about in the storm.
²³ I know you will bring me down to death,
    to the place appointed for all the living.]

[(30:27-31)

²⁷ The churning inside me never stops;
    days of suffering confront me.
²⁸ I go about blackened, but not by the sun;
    I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.
²⁹ I have become a brother of jackals,
    a companion of owls.
³⁰ My skin grows black and peels;
    my body burns with fever.
³¹ My lyre is tuned to mourning,
    and my pipe to the sound of wailing.]

[(34:6)

⁶ Although I am right,
    I am considered a liar;
although I am guiltless,
    his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’]