We are in a series entitled All In from the book of Mark and chapter 12:30 where it encourages us to “love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength.”

Yesterday we talked about how we can love the Lord with all our heart and it all came down to what or who we hold the dearest in our heart. Today I want to continue with the title – ‘How to love the Lord with all our soul.’

How to Love the Lord with all our soul!

The soul as we know is the seat of all affections. The soul loves life. The soul loves the good things of life. It wants to keep you running after the good  things of the world. It wants to keep you hooked on pleasure. The soul wants you pursuing the things of the world. The soul has so much love for money, fame, status, and lots of pleasure.

Here is an example from Luke 12:19, 20 of where the soul wants to lead us:

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

Now here is caution in Matthew 16:26 from Jesus to anyone who allows the soul to dominate his/her life:

 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Here is a short story of a very rich young man in the Bible.

The bible tells us that he came to Jesus asking him about what he needed to have eternal life. Jesus told him that if he really wanted to enter into life he should the commandments. Well, he asked Jesus which ones, and upon  getting a list of which commandments, he looked at Jesus and said that he has observed every one of them. So what was it that he needed to be made complete? Jesus than told him that if he wanted to be perfect, he should go and sell what he possessed and give to the poor, than come and follow him. Friends, this is the last time we hear about this young man in scripture. The bible says, he walked away full of sorrow, because he had great possessions and did not want to give it up to follow Jesus.

The point here is not about being rich or poor, rather, it is about the heart of a person that is willing to follow Jesus no matter the cost. It is about the soul still trying to cling to the worldly possessions, still wanting to love life more than love God. That’s what it means to love the Lord with all your soul.

Luke 9:23

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Don’t get me wrong, Jesus is very generous.  He is rich in love and mercy. God provides all our needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. He will answer you when you call for help, healing, blessings. But when it comes down to the heart of the gospel, what matters the most is a person who is willing to give up anything for Jesus. That is how we love God with all our soul.

Here are some other thoughts:

• Fear Him – Matthew 10:28
• Worship Him – Luke 1:46/ Whether we recognize it or not, whatever the soul loves, it becomes an object of worship for us.
• Live a life of generosity – Acts 4:32
• Seek Sanctification – 1 Thess. 5:23; 1 Peter 2:11
• Live Hopeful – Heb. 6:19