TOPIC: DO YOU REALLY LOVE GOD?
MEMORISE:
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3
READ: John 14:21-24
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
MESSAGE:
God our Father, the creator of the world, always knows what is best for us. He knows how we should conduct ourselves and live a perfect life. In the beginning (after the fall of man in the garden of Eden), man became a free moral agent, doing whatever pleased him. However, because man is a spirit, he began to experience a deep spiritual yearning for his creator whom he lost connection with, due to the fall. The Bible says in Genesis 4:26 that
“...then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” However, due to man’s sinful nature, they could not call upon God effectively on their own terms. To bridge this gap and help man do it right, God gave the ten commandments using the Israelites as the initial recipients. These commandments help us to know the general will of God for us daily. Jesus gave the basic summary of the commandments in Matthew 22:37-40:
“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
According to our memory verse, the commandments of God are not grievous. However, the fallen nature of Man prompts people to do everything against God’s will now and again. Jesus said in John 14:21
“ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
The Bible verse above is a great litmus test. Do you really love God?
You cannot claim to love God if you do not have His commandments in your heart (Psalm 119:11).
You cannot claim to love God if you do not obey His commandments (John 14:15).
If we love God indeed, it will show in our obedience to His commandments which are not grievous, especially when compared to the weight and consequences of sin.
PRAYER POINT:
Lord, help me access the grace to obey Your commandments, in the mighty Name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ephesians 1-6
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
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