Title: Order of Love
Contents
The order of love (Isaiah 55:6-9)
Some people today are overly obsessed with pets. Some TV's have taken this issue seriously in the past. A woman's love for her cat was so great that her angry husband threw the cat out of her apartment to death. Then the wife also died following the cat. Loving pets is not a problem in itself. But the real problem is that the order of love, which loves animals more than people, is overturned.
You must not love the same, and you must not love either one more or less when you should love the same.
Augustine exclaims. “Lord, establish the order of love in me.” It's a really good and beautiful word. Today we should pray like this. Let go of the better good and not fall for the less good. Above all else, put aside the eternal God, so that we do not love words and worldly things that are ephemeral. Therefore, we must pray that we may live in undying happiness. What should we do to set the order of love right?
1. Stay away from what you should avoid.
Verse 7: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous from his thoughts, and turn to the Lord.” We can't stop the bad thoughts passing through us moment by moment. But even though you know it's evil, you shouldn't have that thought. You have to let go of it. Romans 8:5-8 “Whoever is after the flesh thinks about the things of the flesh, and he who follows the Spirit thinks about the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. The carnal mind is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” The carnal mind is death, and it becomes an enemy of God. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Therefore, carnal thoughts must be avoided. What is the carnal mind? Galatians 5:19-21 “The works of the flesh are clear: fornication, uncleanness, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, envy, wrath,
Partying, divisions, heresies, envy, drunkenness, debauchery, and the like. As I warned you before, I warn you that those who do these things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
May you stay away from all these things that will not inherit the kingdom of God. James 4:7 “Oppose the devil, and he will flee from you” The devil is walking around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Therefore, the devil is not simply something to be avoided, but rather to be opposed. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “The love of money is the root of all evils.” Not money is the root of all evils, but the love of money is the root of all evils. Therefore, you should avoid the love of money. Money is useful and necessary for us. However, when you love money more than God, the order is broken. It's not that you shouldn't, it's that you can't. Jesus said that we cannot serve God and money at the same time.
2. We must draw close to God.
Neither your failures nor your sorrows can make you unhappy any more as you draw closer to God.
Looking at the history of Israel, the era of drawing closer to God was a time of peace, safety, and abundance. However, when they distanced themselves from God, trials and hardships came to that nation and people. Why did King Saul fall? Because they didn't draw near to God. I did not obey the Word.
The dark ages of life come when we distance ourselves from God. The dark times of history come when we distance ourselves from God. Why did the nation of Israel perish? Because they distanced themselves from God. But how was David able to win? Because he was always close to God. In the days of King Hezekiah and King Josiah, why did Israel become stronger for a short time? Because they drew near to God.
God tells us to love only Him. He says that there must be nothing we love more than God. That is the idol. Why are you saying that? Is it because God is greedy? no. This is because humans can become happy when they draw near to God. James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
If you draw near to God, God will surely draw near to you. Psalm 73:28 “It is a blessing for me to draw near to God” So draw closer to God.
3. What happens when we draw near to God?
The closer you get to God, the more changes will happen in your life. This change is a good change. It is a change of grace. Unhappy people become happy. The sick become healthy. Joy comes to those who are sad. There is vitality and a will to live. People who live without knowing why they live will discover the purpose and reason for living. When a sinner draws near to God, he becomes a righteous person. Do you know why? In this world, sinners are condemned and hated. But when he draws near to God, in verse 7 he finds mercy. God forgives him widely. This forgiveness, this love, is what makes people righteous.
It is not through condemnation and punishment, but rather through forgiveness and love, that the sinner is justified.
Peter, who denied not knowing the Lord three times, eventually became a martyr for the Lord through the forgiveness of love. God's love covers a multitude of sins. And those who experience forgiveness like that bring about amazing life changes. When gang leader Kim Ik-doo draws closer to God
He has been transformed into a great revival instructor. When the killer Dae-Doo Kim met God, he repented and became a new being. When a lowly person draws near to God, he becomes a noble person. When the tax collector Zacchaeus met Jesus, he became a descendant of Abraham. When an unhappy person draws near to God, he or she will find true happiness. When we draw near to God in this way, not only individuals change, but society and the nation change.
Nevertheless, many people today are too close to the world and not to God. They are deceived by the lies of the devil and are chasing after the rainbow in vain. But God tells us to draw near to Him. What keeps us from drawing near to God?
1) Sin - Sin becomes a barrier between God and us. Christ broke down this wall with the cross. Hallelujah!
2) Pride - I am proud that I have learned, have, and have a high status. Pride draws us away from God.
4. What is the secret to drawing closer to God?
8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways. saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Therefore, now we must put aside our thoughts and draw closer to God's thoughts, that is, God's Word. We need to live a life devoted to our prayer life. We must live a life of close fellowship with the saints, the people of God. We must be close to the church, the body of Christ, and serve. When you are far from the church, you are far from God. If you draw closer to the church, you can draw closer to God.
Everyone! Please check your own love order. Am I not loving what I really should love and not loving what I shouldn't love? Do you love more of what you love, and less of what you love less? I want you to stay farther away from what should be kept away. And draw closer to God. I hope you will experience and testify about the changes in your life as you draw closer to God.