SCRIPTURE 1 John 3:23-24 [Message]
23 Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. 24 As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24[TNIV]
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who keep his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
OBSERVATION
It's more than a prayer: Somewhere we've come to believe that a one time prayer bought us a lifetime / an eternity-time get out of jail pass, and perhaps even a bed of roses. I don't think that SALVATION demands Obedience but FAITH does. Faith demands obedience and SALVATION demands faith. Praying a prayer doesn't get us to "live deeply and surely in him and he lives in
us." Obedience gets us there!
APPLICATION
May the SPIRIT that HE gave us, led us, led me, to OBEDIENCE today. The OBEDIENCE to LOVE the people He puts in my path and in my prayers.
PRAYER
Father,
Believing in Jesus is more than a nod of my head, or a hand raised high. Believing in Jesus is being Jesus for someone today. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see, my heart to react, my mind to obey, and my soul to delight in the "abiding presence" of obedience.
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1 comment:
1 John 3:22-24: Wow, this is a tall order; cf v.16ff, Remember how Jesus laid down his life for his enemies - that is the ultimate love. He asks me to lay down my life for my friends and to love my enemy. Is laying down my life mean dying for someone? Would I be willing to die for my enemy or just my friends? If so, "dying" is also related to showing my love with my resources, actions, and truth - this is how I know when my heart is "set in his presence." Could it be what Jesus taught really works? What if I chose to die for my enemy as opposed to being bent on destroying my enemy?
"God, you know me - thank you that you are greater than my heart!"
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