Desire GOD's WORD above all and LOVE one another

I John 4: 16 GOD is LOVE. 20 If anyone says, `I love God', and he hates his brother, he is telling a lie. If he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

BUT why such a Loving GOD is so strict in regards to Obedience. It is true Mercy reigns over sacrifice Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. However Obedience is something which GOD expects from us. I Samuel 15:22 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Most challenging scripture for all of us, no matter what denomination we associate ourselves with. According to Matthew 7:21, 22,23 ²¹ Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It’s high time we need to revisit our belief systems. Why do we believe what we believe?

At the beginning of human history, in the Garden of Eden, God made it clear: Eat from this tree and you live; eat from that tree and you will die (see Gen. 2:15-17). His words to Adam and Eve were not suggestions or ideas; they were the difference between life and death. When God called Abram to leave his father’s house, his response determined whether or not he would experience eternal separation from God. His life was dependent on his response to the call of God (see Gen. 12:1-3). In the wilderness, God made it clear to the children of Israel that the only way to inherit the promises given to their forefather Abraham was through learning to live by every word that came from the mouth of God (see Deut. 8:3). The Word of God isn’t casual and it isn’t an option. It is everything.

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it (Jeremiah 6:10).

God has always been looking for those to whom He can speak, those who will hear Him and live. When Jeremiah wrote these words, Jerusalem was on the brink of destruction. The Babylonian invasion was around the corner, yet the people of the day were blind to their peril. A century earlier the northern tribes of Israel were defeated and dispersed in a season of judgment, but Judah was miraculously spared. Because of this previous divine intervention, the people were convinced that God would spare them again. They were confident in their nationalistic pride while the religious leaders of the day bolstered their confidence further by declaring that God would defend His Temple.

Let us Desire God’s WORD more than anything. We have not seen Jesus in physical form. His word and JESUS are same. If we say we have desire for GOD and do not desire his WORD ,respect and honor GOD’s WORD above all and everything  then we are in trouble. Let the LOVE of GOD help us to rise up and create an hunger and thirst for HIS everlasting WORD.