Text: Heb 12:8-12, Rev 3:19
Yesterday, we learned that there are 4 levels of the test of our love for God. Passion, commitment, pleasure, and sacrifice.
We looked at the passion and understood that passion means our pursuit of God. Today, we will continue with the remaining levels.
2. Commitment
This means the willingness to give your time, energy, resources, etc., to someone or something. It is the staying power that is based on the fact that you believe. It is a state of being dedicated. It is an engagement or obligation to someone or something that restricts freedom of action.
When we say we love God, how committed are we? How committed are we to the assignment placed in our hands? Are we lackadaisical about it? How many responsibilities have we taken upon ourselves? Jesus said in John 14:15 that if you love me, obey my commandments. That’s been consistent with our obedience.
3. Pleasure
This is the delight and gratification of a person. It is an invitation to make God happy, there must be relaxation in love. Many of us get this concept wrong because of how society and the media have painted it. When we say our pleasure is towards God we mean that our desires have been conditioned to bring Him delight, worship, praise, and Glory. {Psalm 103:21, 35:27, 147:11, 149:4}
4. Sacrifice
There is no index to measure sacrifice. A true shepherd lays down his life. It’s not convenient to sacrifice both to God and men. It is the highest and noblest expression of love.
This is where our motives for loving God will be pruned. At this point of our lives, is a life laid down without strife because of the love that has been shed abroad in our hearts. This is where we lay it down not just in words but in actions. This is where we lose our lives to find it in Christ. We lay down our reputations, ego, pride, obvious achievements, and praises of men.
This is where we will be tested with everything and anything by God, to see if we mean what we profess. Mind you, it’s not just an anyhow sacrifice, this is the kind of sacrifice that will demand every fiber of your being consistent For Jesus. Just as God gave everything up to prove that He loved us {Philip 2:1-11} Listen! THE PRICE FOR ALL OF GOD IS ALL OF YOU! There are no two ways about it.
SELAH!
