No Other Commandment Is Greater

The secret to a successful ministry in Christ is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we love God will all our heart, we will be faithful. If we love God with all our soul, we will pray. If we love God with all our mind, we will read His Word, and if we love God will all our strength, we will serve Him. And as equally important, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.

"And you must love the Lord your God

with all your heart, all your soul,

all your mind, and all your strength.

The second is equally important:

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

No other commandment is greater than these."

Mark 12:30-31 (NLT)

In other words, for the church to succeed, we must put God and people first. But as I watch and listen, I hear stories of the sick in the congregation never being phoned or visited, condemning words spoken about those who don't tithe ten percent to the church, stories of the poor being turned away who dare to ask the church for financial help, and too much talk about fund raising and tithing, instead of trusting. As a result, what I don't hear is testimonies of people being saved, healed or delivered. Why? Because we have not obeyed God's greatest and foremost commandment---to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. Instead, love of money has taken root in many church leaders' hearts.