I am going to ask a seemingly ridiculous question. Do you love God? Yes, really; this is not a rhetorical question! Alright, here’s another one: How about Jesus…do you love Him? Without any stretch of the imagination, I can see y’all enthusiastically nodding your heads! Of course you are…me, too! Oh, how we love Him so!
So then, if/since we do so VERY much love our heavenly Father and our Lord then we will equally affirm that we live out the following statements of our Lord’s…
If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.
John 14:15
If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]….
Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching.
And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine,
but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me.
(verses 23 and 24)
So I ask you, Jesus girl, follower of the Master, fellow-believer, child of God, “Is there any other way to REALLY love Him other than obeying?” The answer—Jesus’ answer—is a simple, decisive, emphatic ‘no.’ Oh, there are other ways to demonstrate our love for Him, such as prayer, praise, worship through song, service to others, love for others, etc.
But loving God = obedience to Him.
There is only one way—His way. We have not been left on our own, to figure out how to obey His commands or even to figure out what His commands are! By the grace of God, we have a ‘ rule book,’ guideline, structure. We have the Bible—His Holy Words! God has never left His people—starting with Adam and his Eve…to Abraham…to Moses and the children of Israel…to David…to Solomon…to the long line of prophets that God used to bring His Words to His people…to John the Baptist…to Jesus’ Apostles…to Paul…to us—without direction, without reminders of His commands, without loving reproof to help them back to the Truth. Our God is a Faithful Father Who is always there to help and guide and correct and lead, so that we can live lives of obedience to His Words.
We know that an intrinsic part of obedience is knowing His Word and keeping, or treasuring, His Word in our hearts and minds.
I have treasured (hid) Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.
Psalms 119:11
I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.
Psalms 40:8
In the epistle of 1st John, Jesus’ words are reiterated by the Apostle John.
But he who keeps (treasures) His Word,
truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected.
chapter 2, verse 5
For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands.
Now His commands are not a burden…
chapter 5, verse 3
I am sure that you, my friend, are just like me—we SO yearn to show our love for our God! We voice our love for Him often and passionately! We sing our love for Him out from the depths of our hearts in songs of praise and worship and adoration! Let us never, ever, not ever forget what comes first…what proves our love for Him…what is the start and finish of our love for Him…is a life lived in obedience to His Words.
Praying for each of you!
♥ coleen
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If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com, or leave a comment below.
