Loving God with all your heart and mind and soul is so much more than a nice sentiment. I think of the apostle Paul when he wrote to the believers in Galatia
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
“I no longer live”
It can be an easy thing to say and even think it possible that we might be willing to die for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, especially in times when we aren’t receiving any real persecution. But what about the life we are living, the lifestyle we attempt to maintain in this world. What are we doing? What message are we putting out? Are we trying to ‘fit in’? With the world? Do demons tremble before you? Does the world quake when you start to pray? Do non-believers feel even the slightest twinge of discomfort when you are present? As it stands now the world primarily sees Christianity as a nuisance and continues to back us into a corner, and we let this happen. Complacency is the greatest tool of the devil, persecuting the church in its infancy just helped to spread the Gospel faster and farther as the believers fled and took the Gospel with them. We have to shake off this ‘fast-food’, ‘entertain us’ culture coma we are being lulled into. And stop watching the fear-mongering fake news indoctrination programs, and start looking up to where our help and strength come from…
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
And keep in mind.
John 3:27
A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.
Despite how it might look, God is still in control of this world and always will be, much of what we are seeing is the judgment of God coming on this world. So gird yourself up with the armor God gives.
Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
2Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
It is time to stand firm in the Lord and the power of His might, by laying down our lives(lifestyles) and letting His Holy Spirit work in us first, then through us to continue in the mission He has sent us to do, and that is to take the Gospel of the kingdom to all people, tribes, and nations, to kings and queens, and even presidents, black or white, slave or free.
In Jesus Holy name,
Amen
PS I may have gotten a little off-topic, but the Spirit moved. God bless.