An Undivided Heart
Basilea Schlink teaches that Jesus desires an undivided, wholehearted love above all else, which leads to deeper joy, selfless love for others, and a transformed relationship with the world.
In this devotional sermon, Basilea Schlink shares a powerful message about the necessity of loving Jesus with an undivided heart. Drawing from personal testimony and Scripture, she reveals how wholehearted love for Christ brings spiritual revival, overcomes the enemy's attempts to divide us, and transforms our relationships with others and the world. Listeners are invited to respond to Jesus' call to exclusive devotion and experience the joy and purity that flow from it.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today. He longs to receive our love. In exchange, He offers us His own love, which is richer, deeper, and more intimate than any human love.
What does it mean to love Him, who is the source of all love? Listen to the answer in today's program by Basilea Schlink, called An Undivided Heart. It happened in Germany at the end of World War II. A great revival swept through our youth group.
Each one of us girls felt the powerful love of the Lord reach out after us, and we were overwhelmed by the wonderful knowledge, Jesus wants me entirely. However, we discovered in the course of time that because love for Jesus is something precious beyond measure, Satan begrudges it and fights against it. He seeks in every way to hinder its expression.
One of his favorite techniques is to apply every possible means to divide our love so that we do not give it to Jesus above all else. The enemy knows that it is just this undivided, uncompromised love which Jesus seeks. Let us take the illustration of a bride.
A bride, when she's truly a bride, gives her whole heart to the bridegroom. She has heart and eye for one alone. This is the kind of love that Jesus looks for in us.
We see this in the Gospels. As Jesus says in Matthew 10 verse 37, he who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. Jesus expects to be loved with an undivided love.
Whatever else may be worthy of love pales beside the glory of his divine person. Jesus does not compete for our love. He knows that he is beyond compare with the most desirable things that earth may offer or that God himself may have given, whether it be father or mother, husband, wife, child, brother, sister, or friend.
It is unthinkable that our love for man should stand on the same footing as our love for Jesus, the Lord and King, the one who loves us. Full of thanksgiving, I can testify for my own life what tremendous wealth and joy comes when we dare to love Jesus with an undivided heart. And I can also testify, if we give Jesus first claim to our hearts, we shall receive a new, purer, selfless, genuine, and fervent love for our neighbor.
Furthermore, we shall acquire an entirely different, quite new relationship to the things of this world. Everything that God gives us we can enjoy with thanksgiving, for everything binds us continually to Jesus instead of separating us from him. So let us hear this offer of Jesus' love today.
My life, my honor, is that brings me pleasure and shows my love. Yes, make me thine. This program by Basilea Schlink has come to you from the little land of Canaan.
If you would like a free leaflet by the same author, please write to GodLivesandWorksToday, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099. That's GodLivesandWorksToday, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85028-4099. God bless you.
Sermon Outline
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I
- God longs to receive our love and offers His own love in return
- The experience of revival and the call to wholehearted love
- Satan's attempts to divide our love away from Jesus
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II
- Jesus desires an undivided love like that of a bride for her bridegroom
- The supremacy of love for Jesus over all earthly relationships
- Biblical foundation: Matthew 10:37 on loving Jesus above family
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III
- The blessings of loving Jesus with an undivided heart
- Receiving a purer, selfless love for neighbors
- A transformed, thankful relationship to worldly things
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IV
- Invitation to accept Jesus’ love fully
- Testimony of joy and wealth in wholehearted devotion
- Encouragement to respond and live out this love daily
Key Quotes
“Jesus wants me entirely.” — Basilea Schlink
“He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.” — Basilea Schlink
“If we give Jesus first claim to our hearts, we shall receive a new, purer, selfless, genuine, and fervent love for our neighbor.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- Examine your heart to ensure Jesus holds first place in your affections above all else.
- Resist distractions and divisions that seek to compromise your love for Christ.
- Allow your wholehearted love for Jesus to deepen your love and service toward others.