"34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." -NIV
" 34-36When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?"
37-40Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." -The Message
---
I love how in one version is says "With all your heart, you soul, your mind," and the other version says "With all your passion, your prayer, and intelligence." Different translations errupt different thought processes, and that's a good thing. It helps you realize what exactly was being said.
I'm reading a book right now (Joyce Meyer "Battlefield of the Mind") and I tell you what... it is a great book, I suggest it to anyone that is much like me and most of the issues in life start in your head because you're such a big thinker. This book is for you, just as it is for me. It talks about HOW you love the Lord with your full mind, doing such things as giving up the need to be in control and worry about issues, or giving up your desire to reason your way out of listening to God's will.
How many times, when he hear God speak loud and clearly and our spirit knows it's the right thing, but once we start thinking about it, we begin to reason with ourselves and before you know it you've talked yourself out of listening to what God specifically told you to do.
I used to do that a lot. I've asked the Holy Spirit to be a gentle reminder to me when I start to act out in these habitual ways so I can start to see it and stop it in it's tracks (if I'm incapable of noticing it myself).
And I have to say, I'm super excited. Once you've won the battlefield of your mind, there is so much victory and I can't WAIT to have it to it's full extent! You don't realize it but your mind gets in the way and robs you of SO MUCH God has for you. I'm ready for THAT to be over!
Lord,
Thank you that you're constantly telling me things that need work because you love me and you want what's absolutely best for me. I trust you. I know that THAT is why you do these things. I ask that you remain with me today, Holy Spirit. Continue to build and work on my character in these every-day little things that I'm learning to do. I love you.
amen.
PS: What are you doing to do for Jesus this Valentine's Day? I'm serious. Plan something out. Have a date. He loves that sort of stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment