Many Christians live their lives in dormancy, due to their lack of sincere dedication to the Lord. They wander around dumbfounded wondering why they don't feel the presence of Almighty God in their life. They wonder, where are the blessings? Where is my joy? Where is my peace? Where is my contentment? And many wonder if they are even truly saved. Why is this? You might ask. Let me allow God to explain, through the infallible scriptures. We read in God's Word of His mercy, of His grace, of His love and how we are His children. And this is all very evident, but how many experience this divine love in the fullness shown through God's Word? Do you?

First we must come to know and understand that our God is a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 says, "For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." With that I ask you, do you love or care more for anything or anyone more than you do your Saviour? Does your spouse mean more to you than God? Do you love your children more than God? Does your job mean more to you than God? Do you love money? Do any of these scenarios take time, due to your Lord? If you know in your heart that one of these questions have brought on conviction then you must re-prioritize and re-evaluate your life in order to truly know God, to truly receive the fullness of His love. His love is there within you, but if the things of this world are placed before God in your heart, then in a sense you've shoved God in the corner of your heart. May He have mercy on any who are participating in this calamity.

In order to love God, you must seek God, through prayer, through His Word and in deed and truth. I John 3:18 says, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." We've all heard actions speak louder than words and this is the same with what God expects from us. We can say we love God all we want, but is we don't portray our love in deed and in truth, our love is all in vain. The commandment of loving God is the same in the Old Testament as in the New Testament. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, "...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I (God) command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk to them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." To sum all that up, we must strive to love God with all possibilities. As I said, this commandment is also in the New Testament found in Matthew 22:37-38, "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. '"So you see loving the Lord is not only expected, but commanded. You may ask how do I come to love the Lord with my all? You must study His Word, become familiar with it, make it apart of you, spirit, soul and body.

David knew what it was to love God's Word. He says in Psalms 119:140, "Thy Word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it." God's Word is beautiful, yet powerful. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Do you understand what is means when you read and apply God's Word to your life as a whole your carnal or sinful nature will become deadened and your spirit, conscience, and godly personality will come to flourish and overcome your sinful flesh. That's why David says in Psalms 119:11, "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." You see when you begin to apply God's Word to your life, you are loving Him, when prayer and meditation of God's Word are priority one in your life, God will not only dwell richly within you, but He will also dwell mightily upon you in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Glorify God in all you say, in all you think, and in all you do, and by doing all this, His all will be revealed to you. For you will see it's amazing what God can do when we place Him first in our lives, but if you place persons, places or things before Him, you grieve Him and He will surpress His powers in your life, due to your disobedience. Be faithful unto God, as He is for you, strive to love Him as He loves you, be a does of His Word and not only a hearer, be separate from the world, place Him first and foremost in your life and when you enact all these servanthood duties in your life, God will say to you as He says in Matthew 25:21, "...Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, know this, you cannot serve God and Satan, as in Joshua 24:15, "...Choose you this day whom ye will serve..." When you completely surrender your life to God, He will move in and through you in miraculous ways. You must love Him with dedication and perseverance. When you do this you won't ever even ponder this question "Where are you Lord?".

In conclusion let us read II Peter 1:3-11, "According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to you faith virtue: and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love; For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

For you may ask "How do I do all these things? How may I receive such precious blessings?" Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you...Matthew 6:33. You may be wondering where the Lord is, but in reality He is wondering where you are, as He asked Adam in the garden of Eden, "Where are you?" Gen. 3:9. So it's not you, but God asking, "Where are you, my child?"

Serving the Lord this day of March 29, 2000
Jeffrey B. Quante IV