Daily Devotional

God wants to give you everything He has promised you; a land of abundance, a land flowing with milk and honey. Oftentimes we get so caught up in the inheritance, though, that we forget the core principle of being a Christian ... to love. 1 Corinthians 13 says that even if I speak with tongues of angels, or can prophesy, and have all knowledge, even if I give all my goods to the poor, and have not love ... it is nothing. It means nothing, profits nothing ... if your actions are not diluted with Gods love.

Even Jesus said, "Love your enemies." The Bible is a book of love. So great is the subject of love that a stern warning is given to the church of Ephesus in Revelation, "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My names sake has laboured, and has not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast lost thy first love."

The church of Ephesus was doing well in mans books — they were walking in Gods purpose and plan for the church, they were defeating the enemy, they were moving forward ... but they lost their first love. And because of this, Jesus says, "Repent, lest I come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of its place."

How do you know if you love God? John 14:15 says that if you love Him, you will keep His commandments. We do not obey God out of fear; we obey God because we love Him. Second, you know that you love God when you desire to do the will of God.

How do you know that you have Gods love abiding in you? Firstly, question your motives, always. Why do you give to the poor? Why do you preach the Word? Is it to find favour with man? Second, know what Gods love is according to 1 Corinthians 13. Always examine your heart. Do not be like the Pharisees that worshiped God with their lips but their hearts were far from Him.