How God Measures Our Lives. One word.

What makes one great?

We often think of someone as great, due to the accomplishment of their lives. What did they do? How did they do it? Did they create something? Did they do something? Why should we recognize someone as Great? What measuring stick should we use? Job title? Bank Account? He with the most toys at the end wins? Seriously. What is the formula? How do we determine if one is or was great? How do we strive for Greatness ourselves in our own lives?

Well, if you want to know how God measures our lives, you need only think of one word. Love.

See God doesn't care what you have. Where you came from. God doesn't care about what's IN your Bank Account. Your position in the Company. He doesn't care how big your House is.

Matthew 22:

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 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.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

John 13:

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

See, God does not care about anything else. Did you love? Do you Love? He is not talking about loving your Spouse. He is not talking about loving your Kids. Or others that Love you totally. Jesus also tells us this...

Luke 6:

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

You see, Love is the most powerful force in the Universe. It's the most powerful Gift God gives through the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 13:

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Through Love God created all that is, was, or ever will be. Out of Love, God spared Noah, and the entire Human Race. Through Love God promised Noah to never destroy all of Creation again. Out of Love, God laid down His Godliness and came to Earth to died for us. Out of Love, Jesus suffered many things including torture, and death. He did so even though we were yet Sinners. Even though we rejected Him. Out of Love, we were given Eternal Life.

John 3:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus also put it this way.

John 15:

9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Do you truly Love. If you do, you will do God's Will. You will do His work. You will Love one another and others. You will feed the hungry. You will cloth the naked. You will give sight to the blind. You will give hearing to the deaf. You WILL share the Gospel Of Christ. The Truth. Life itself. If you love, you will NOT Lie, Cheat, and Steal. You will NOT dishonor your Mother and Father. You will NOT covet your neighbor's possessions. You will not commit Murder, nor Adultery. If you love, you will honor God, who IS Love, with all your heart, soul, mind, and body. If you have love, you will truly fear nothing.

1 John 4:

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

In one of his letter to the Believers in Rome, Paul said this...

Romans 5:

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Paul also echoed Jesus when he said this...

Romans 12:

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

So? How will God measure your life, when the time comes, for you to stand before Him? You can say all you have accomplished. You can plead your case. Look at me God. I'm a CEO. Look at me God. I'm a Billionaire. Look at me God. I gave a million dollars to Charities. Look at me God. I built a Children s Hospital. Look at me God. I kept your Commandments and lived a quiet and peaceful life. Look at me God.

What is God going to say to you? Does He have to ask you, "Yes, but where was your Love?" Do you have the love of God in you? Love IS the measuring stick that God will measure your life with. How much love do you have? How do you manifest it in your daily life? First thing you need to make sure of, is that you DO have the Holy Spirit in you. For in Him, is Jesus, in Jesus, God, and all, in you.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord of all!