Matthew 22:37-40 reports that one day Jesus answered a question posed by an expert in the Law of Moses who was there among the assembled Pharisees. The question was this: "Teacher, which is the greatest (strongest or most important) commandment in the Law?" Scripture says that the expert was testing the Lord but Jesus answered Him without hesitating:

(37) "You shall LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. (38) This is the great and foremost commandment. (39) The second is like it, You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself. (40) On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

Jesus answered the expert's question by giving two clearly stated commandments, (1) to love the Lord, and (2) to love other people. Notice that Jesus repeated the word "commandment" in His answer so it was clearly His intention that they be seen as "commandments" instead of just "suggestions" or "guidelines." Indeed, many other verses in the New Testament refer to the "commandments" of Jesus and exhort us to obey them (John 14:15, John 14:21, John 15:10, 1 Corinthians 7:19, 1 John 2:3, 1 John 2:4, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 5:2, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 6, Revelation 12:17, Revelation 14:12 and Revelation 22:14).

Notice also that He referred to only two commandments instead of the ten or 600+ commandments that Jewish folks were used to hearing about. This declared to those assembled there that day that Jesus had been given the authority to "summarize" or "revise" the Law of Moses down to only two issues. The essence of what He said was that you can fulfill the whole Law just by carrying out these two commandments.

The other point to bring out is that Jesus said that all the Law and everything the Prophets had ever said depend on, or are subordinated to, these two commandments. In other words, none of the other Laws of life or conduct in the Kingdom of God will function properly and fully except through LOVE. In fact, the Bible confirms that even our FAITH won't work if it doesn't come out of love (1 Corinthians 13:2). If our FAITH won't work, how can we please God (Hebrews 11:6)? If our FAITH is not working, then we will manifest FEAR which is the opposite of FAITH. And the way to get rid of FEAR is by submitting to the perfecting of our LOVE (1 John 4:18) and by hearing the Word of God so our FAITH will be strengthened (Romans 10:17).

Friend, Matthew 22:40 says clearly to those who have ears to hear today that the Laws of successfully PURSUING VICTORY in HARD TIMES won't work if they don't come through LOVE. Therefore, if victory has been elusive so far, you should consider where you are in your love-walk.

A good place to start your self examination is to come to grips with any of life's areas where love is regularly missing. Instead of continuing to just ignore them, shouldn't we begin to focus our attention on those areas so we can receive correction from the Holy Spirit? Following are some of the main examples of loveless conduct that happen frequently in the lives of many Believers:

• Failure to spend time daily with the Lord and His Word
• Grumbling and complaining
• Selfishness
• Compulsive competitiveness
• Impatience
• Gossiping and slander
• Pride
• Anger and strife
• Resentment and bitterness
• Unforgiveness

The flesh wants us to put ourselves first in everything instead of trusting God. As a result we're easily drawn into the types of conduct you see listed. It's not possible to involve oneself in one or more of these areas and at the same time manifest LOVE. But it IS possible to choose to live life by the spirit, to override the flesh and manifest LOVE.

If you conclude today that any of these areas have been blocking the manifestation of your VICTORY, you don't have to continue in the same way. If you're a Believer, by the Holy Spirit God has given you power over your flesh and you don't have to continue to walk in defeat. Jesus won VICTORY over HARD TIMES for you at the Cross of Calvary and He wants you to have and enjoy it.

When many Christians read today's scriptures from Matthew 22, there's a tendency to gloss over the message and go on to something else that's more relevant and possible for real life. But Jesus stated and restated them as "commandments" which He wouldn't have done if they were impossible to keep or if they weren't important. Jesus would never set us up for failure by giving out "commandments" we can't keep. The truth is God is serious about having us obey these "commandments."

Moreover, Jesus said, "If you keep My "commandments," you will abide in My love" (John15:10). When it says that you'll abide in His love, it means that you'll actually dwell together with God because God is love (1 John 4:16). This is an important revelation in the context of today's topic because Jesus also said that "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). In sum then, in order to dwell with Christ and receive the benefits of His LOVE, we MUST try to keep His commandments. In other words, if we're sincere about wanting to experience victory over HARD TIMES, we must abide in Christ which requires that we keep His commandments. It won't happen any other way.

For many Believers it's time to slow down and study these scriptures a little more closely and seriously. By nature we don't love others easily, whether God or man, because we're too concerned about ourselves. Frankly, we LOVE ourselves more than any body else. Nevertheless, when someone in authority has commanded us to do something, he's expecting us to carry out his orders. In fact, in this case the Lord is waiting patiently for them to be carried out so we can manifest the victory. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit is working with each of us to overcome our selfish flesh and bring about perfected love in our lives so that by faith we can actually do what has been commanded. And when finally we do submit to the love commandments of Christ, we should soon after begin to OVERTAKE the victory.

The Bible says that Believers are to be grounded in LOVE (Ephesians 3:17). In other words, the very foundation of New Testament life is the LOVE of God and for one another. That LOVE is supposed to be sincere, without hypocrisy (Romans 12:9) and we're to abound in LOVE (1 Thessalonians 3:12); we're to LOVE fervently and with a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22). In fact, by our LOVE others will know we belong to Christ (John 13:35).

And friend, by LOVE victory over HARD TIMES is sure to manifest. Work on your LOVE WALK: don't just sit around waiting on God to do something and being irritable with everyone while you're waiting. PURSUE your victory until you OVERTAKE it and when you DO overtake it, God will be glorified. Praise the LORD!

Thanks for reading PLN today and we'll be looking for you again in three weeks on Friday, October 30. In the meantime, may God overwhelm you with the fullness of His love and spiritual blessing! Enjoy your victory over HARD TIMES!

If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can do so today just by saying the following simple prayer:

Jesus I believe in you and I believe that God raised you from the dead. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I ask you to come into my life today. I receive you as my Lord and Savior.

If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

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