TUESDAY, AUGUST 15
Matthew 10:34-40
John 21:15

"Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me more than these?"

A SANCTIFIED SPIRIT (3)

A sanctified spirit will also choose to love the Lord God above all. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment" (Mark 12:30), and "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matt 10:37). This love is not the human love with the feelings or emotions of the soul. This love is the divine love that fills the hearts of obedient children of God. "… the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom 5:5). God’s love will move our spirit and heart to obey and keep God’s Word. "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (1 John 2:5).

A sanctified spirit, once it knows God’s will, will love to do God’s will and will hate any will or opinion that is against God’s. That is why the Lord Jesus said to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matt 16:23). When anyone, even our loved ones, hinders us from doing God’s will to do their own will, we "ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29), and to follow the Lord’s Word. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26). This is full submission to God’s will, even unto death, just as the Lord Jesus said to His Father, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done" (Matt 26:42). What about you?

A sanctified spirit will be filled with God’s love to love others with God’s agape love – the love that "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth" (1 Cor 13:6), the love that desires others to be saved, born again, and sanctified so that they may see the Lord too.

THOUGHT: Do I love God and submit to His will above all?
PRAYER: Lord, help me to love Thee above all with my full submission.