
If You Love Me
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15
My animals bring me an great amount of joy and even comfort. I must say that I love my animals, but love is not enough when you have animals. They also take a great deal of attention. We have to feed them twice a day; take the dogs out for walks; clean the cats litter box several times a day; groom them; pet them; play with them; make sure they have plenty of water; and make sure they get their check-ups and shots. I have heard about too many people who see a cute little puppy and they fall in love with it, but after they bring the puppy home they forget to feed it and they don’t want to take the time to train the puppy. This is a little like loving God. It starts out so simple. God loves me, and I love Him, so we can live happily ever after! Not exactly… love comes with certain obligations. Love is not just a warm fuzzy feeling. Love has extremely practical consequences in every life.
“ This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. “ 2 John 1:6
The apostle John said this commandment has been heard since the very beginning. Moses writes:
“…what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” Deut. 10:12
“Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always.” Deut. 11:1
“'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deut. 11:13
We all have heard the sayings, “Walk the talk.” “Practice what you preach.” In 1 John 3:18 we read: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” We are to do more than “lip service”. Love in truth is tangible, practical, and recognizable. Love shows itself in actions.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:21 – 23
The above verse tells us that those who love Him will keep His commandments; and not only that but will have His commandments. We see a wonderful promise too! God will make his home in our hearts!
The tail end of 1 John 5:3 tells us something very comforting: “…and His commandments are not burdensome”. We do not need to feel burdensome by God’s commandments for we should find great comfort because Christ says in Matthew 11:30, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Our lives should be proof of our love for God. “Therefore show to them, and* before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. “ 2 Corinthians 8:24
Being a child of God’s and loving Him does not exempt us from trials and temptations. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12. Obedience often means to refuse to give into temptations and enduring hardship, but the Lord encourages us to hold onto love and hang in there because the rewards will be worth it all. Amen!!
Let us say along with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.
“Love has its intentional side. Our actions demonstrate the love we carry in our hearts. They’re the proof, the evidence, the verification of what we claim. This week, pray for the eyes to see the practical side of love. In your relationship with people and your relationship with God, take note of the things we do because of our love. Make a conscious effort to excel in demonstrating your love in tangible ways.” (Pg.57 Receiving God’s Love, Women of Faith Study Guide Series.)
Dear Heavenly Father, may I walk the walk… live out my faith. My I die to self and allow Christ to live in and through me so others may come to the saving knowledge of Christ. In Jesus name, Amen.
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3 comments:
Great stuff, thanks for sharing.
Oh it is by drawing close to the Lord that we CAN obey because it is His Spirit and not our strength that accomplishes this obedience! Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. Amen to this post...because we are called to obey...I love it though that God has shown me it is not in MY strength that I obey but in His power that is made perfect in my weakness. It requires choice on my part, but mroe importantly it requires a close walk with Him, time with Him to transform my mind and inspire me and renew my strength from on high...for apart from Him I can do nothing! My good works are as filthy rags...and I cannot obey on my own! And that is so freeing because I cannot EARN His love and therefore His love is not dependent on my perfect obedience AND over time, as I draw closer to Him, He will enable me to be more and moe obedient to His calling! Amen!
I never really understood this until I really started watching my kids, and saw myself in their actions and words. They weren't always loving.
I have really made an effort walk "THE" walk, and hope that they will learn the things from me that will make them a blessing to others.
This really hit my heart today to repurpose in myself the need to walk the walk that I want my kids to walk.
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