Jesus said the greatest commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)
HOW do we love Him with all our mind?
For several years my core goal was to thank Him in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I might have made marginal improvement, but, really, I gave myself a low grade. Another year my goal was to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Really low grades on that goal! This year my core goal is “Rejoice!” How am I doing? Well, not so well. I need to learn HOW.
So, HOW do I love God with all my mind? HOW do we love God with all our minds?
ONE. STUDY GOD’S WORD
We need to regularly study God’s word. Devotional reading is great, but we need to go deeper. We should made daily Bible study our routine.
The Holy Spirit dwells in believers, and He will illuminate to us God’s word. (Pray before you start reading or study.)
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment… (Philippians 1:9)
TWO. MEDITATE ON GOD’S WORD
As we study, certain passages will stand out. These might be doctrine, commands, instruction, application. Meditate on those passages. Consider memorizing them.
You might be more inclined to focus on instruction, but don’t ignore doctrine. Behavior is rooted in belief, and the more we understand God, the more readily we will walk in His way.
Blessed is the man [whose] … delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
Throughout the day, regularly review what you’re reading and meditating on. Repeat the passages you’ve memorized.
By regularly reviewing God’s word, the more He and His word become top of mind. By having His word at our fingertips, the more likely we are to understand our situation (and the world) through His eyes, and the more likely we are to apply His word.
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. (Colossians 3:16)
THREE. SET YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS OF GOD
We have to decide to do this. We have to make up our minds.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2)
FOUR. PRAISE GOD
There are many commands in the Bible to praise God.
Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)
FIVE. KEEP GOD’S COMMANDS
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
Application solidifies learning. The more we walk according to His ways, the more we learn His ways. This is an awesome cycle.
Become controlled by His word.
We become more settled in a Christian world view. Unless we have God’s point of view in mind we cannot rejoice when we suffer for Him (for example). (Acts 5:41, James 1:2)
[Through true knowledge and discernment we] may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.(Philippians 1:10)
I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts.(Psalm 119:100)
Challenge
I developed this list through searching the Scriptures and reading some sermons for HOW to love the Lord with all my heart. Now I am asking the Lord to show me my deficiencies and guide me to implement these steps for His glory. Will you join me?
Prayer
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.(Psalm 19:14)
