He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words…

John 14:21, 23-24 (NASB)

It was the last sentence that got me. He who does not love me does not keep My words.

I wanted to love God in the way “the greatest commandment” called for — with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. But how?

Here, in John Chapter 14, Jesus said, not once but three times, “There is only one way to express your love for me, and that is to possess and keep (obey) my words (my will, desires, commands).”

And just to make sure His message was completely clear, Jesus stated it again, in reverse: He who does not love me does not keep My words.

Jesus could not have been more clear. From the moment that pierced my heart, it was the only Scripture that mattered for a long season — long enough to change my life.

From that moment, I read my Bible for more than my original reason, which was to find Scriptures that encouraged and comforted me. That reassured me about God’s love for me.

For the first time, I cared more about discovering how I could show love for God.

Based on what Jesus said, I focused like a laser on discovering exactly what Jesus wanted me to obey. Until then I was mostly concerned, like most Christians, with keeping the Ten Commandments and the more obvious things validated in the New Testament: avoiding sexual sin, debauchery and drunkenness, plus, of course, serving God in the obvious ways, and being kind and generous to others.

As I studied the Word anew — with loving God on my mind — I was now alert for much more than that. I wanted to know, what did Jesus mean by having His commands and keeping His words? What should I obey? What “words” did I need to keep?

What I read verified repeatedly that my obedience should be a response to two things:

1. All the commands, teachings, values and truth Jesus taught His disciples and which others (Paul, Peter, James and John) expounded on in the New Testament.
2. What Jesus would say to me, personally. The Scripture was absolutely clear (via Jesus, Moses, David, Paul, James, Peter, and many others) that God can and will communicate via His Spirit directly to anyone He chooses, but especially to those joined to Him in the New Covenant of His Son. That is me. And you.

The two items above refer to two distinct types of “word”, “command” or “teaching” that God gives us. The first refers to the logos teaching of God, which reveals His values, ways and commands as codified in the Ten Commandments and other laws, about the right way to relate to God and other people.

The second one refers to the rhema teaching that flows directly to God’s child from the Lord himself, as conveyed through the Holy Spirit who personally dwells within each born-again believer.

In our book, Can I Really Hear God?, we explain the difference between these two expressions of God’s words and teaching, and how both are so very important in living a life of obedience to Him. You can read excerpts from the chapter that explains the difference in my post, God’s Word: Logos or Rhema?

If you’re looking for a bottom line about now, here it is: to love God with all your might, you must know, keep and obey His will and commands. Not only the commands and will broadcast for all of humanity, but for YOU.

What Jesus requires, He has also made possible, in giving you His Spirit.

You can know God. You can know His personal direction for your life. And YOU can love God with all your might by discovering and doing what pleases Him, one day at a time.

All that remains is for you to ask: What shall I choose as the highest goal of my life on earth?