praying effectively: Love the Lord Your God (Deut.)

(Deuteronomy 10:12-14)  “Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it."

(Deuteronomy 11:1)  “You shall therefore love the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments."

(Deuteronomy 26:16-18)  “This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have today declared the Lord to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. 18 The Lord has today declared you to be His people, a treasured possession, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments"

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:
- that we love the Lord our God with our entire being (10:12, 11:1, 26:16-18)
- that we are obedient because we love the Lord our God (10:12-13, 11:1, 26:16-18)
- that we serve only the Lord our God (10:12)
- that we fear the Lord our God only (10:12)

Today's prayer: 

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for treasuring Your children!  Thank You for caring so much that You give us guidelines for a better life with You.  Help us to be obedient in every aspect of our lives, including our thought-life.  Let our love for You come from the inside and show on the outside.  Help our motives to be pure in our obedience, because of our love for You, because of Your deep love for us.  Amen.