When people contact God with their hearts, when their hearts are able to turn to Him entirely, this is the first step in man’s love for God. If you want to love God, you must first be able to turn your heart to Him. What is turning your heart to God? It is when everything that you pursue in your heart is for the sake of loving and gaining God. This shows that you have completely turned your heart to God. Aside from God and His words, there is almost nothing else in your heart (family, wealth, husband, wife, children, etc.). Even if there is, such things cannot occupy your heart, and you do not think of your future prospects but only pursue loving God. At such time you will have completely turned your heart to God. Suppose you are still making plans for yourself in your heart and are always pursuing personal profit, always thinking: “When can I make a small request of God? When will my family become wealthy? How can I get some nice clothing? …” If you are living in that state it shows that your heart has not fully turned to God. If you only have God’s words in your heart and you are able to pray to God and become close to Him at all times—as if He is very close to you, as if God is within you and you are within Him—if you are in that kind of state, it means that your heart is in the presence of God. If you pray to God and eat and drink of His words every day, are always thinking of the work of the church, and if you show consideration for God’s will, use your heart to love Him genuinely and satisfy His heart, then your heart will belong to God. If your heart is occupied by a number of other things, then it is still occupied by Satan and it has not truly turned to God. When someone’s heart has truly turned toward God, they will have genuine, spontaneous love for Him and will be able to consider God’s work. Although they may still have moments of foolishness and unreasonableness, they show concern for the interests of the house of God, His work, and their own change in disposition, and their heart is in the right place. Some people are always claiming that everything they do is for the church when, in fact, they are working to benefit themselves. People like this have the wrong kind of intention. They are crooked and deceitful and most of the things that they do are for their own personal benefit. This kind of person does not pursue love of God; their hearts still belong to Satan and cannot turn toward God. Thus God has no way of obtaining this kind of person.

If you wish to love God truly and to be gained by Him, the first step is to turn your heart toward God entirely. In every single thing that you do, search yourself and ask: “Am I doing this based on a heart of love for God? Are there any personal intentions behind this? What is my actual goal in doing this?” If you want to hand your heart over to God, you must first subdue your own heart, give up on all of your own intentions, and achieve a state of being wholly for God. This is the path to practicing giving your heart to God. What does subduing one’s own heart refer to? It is letting go of the extravagant desires of one’s flesh, not coveting comfort or the blessings of status. It is doing everything to satisfy God, and making one’s heart fully for Him, not for one’s self. This is sufficient.

—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous

I

When everything you pursue in your heart is for loving and gaining God, you’ve turned your heart to Him. You don’t think of the future, of what’s ahead. There’s nothing else in your heart, but God and His words. To turn one’s heart to God is the way to love God and know His disposition. To reach out to God with all your heart, turn your heart entirely to Him, this is the first step of loving God, the first step of loving God.

II

Eat and drink His words, praying daily, consider God’s will and church work, love Him and please His heart, and your heart will belong to Him. When someone gives their true heart to God, their experience of life begins. Their disposition starts to change. Their love and knowledge of God will grow. To reach out to God with all your heart, turn your heart entirely to Him, this is the first step of loving God, the first step of loving God.

III

Turning one’s heart to God is a requirement for loving and understanding Him, for getting onto the right track. It’s what you ought to do. But it does not indicate true love for God, or completion of your duty to love God. Turning your heart to God is the first thing to do, and the only way to truly love Him. To reach out to God with all your heart, turn your heart entirely to Him, this is the first step of loving God, the first step of loving God.

IV

People who love God are those who seek life. They pursue truth and truly want God. They’re enlightened, moved by the Spirit. They can be guided by God. To reach out to God with all your heart, turn your heart entirely to Him, this is the first step of loving God, the first step of loving God. If you want to love God, turn your heart to Him.

Adapted from The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous