Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Our LOVE is proven by our WILL!

I once heard a well-known and respected radio preacher say this sobering sentence (and I paraphrase): The reason we don't obey God is sadly because we love sin more than we love Him.

In John 14:15, Jesus said: "If you LOVE me, you WILL obey what I command."

I believe that if we passionately LOVE Jesus we WILL obey Him out of unconscious devotion, not out of conscious carefulness. (His Spirit within us makes this our reality. Read 1 John 4:4.)

Unless we love Jesus, we will obey the commands of God for all the wrong reasons -- out of religious requirements (fear/I have to) rather than relational responses (love/I want to).

1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

When we as "the saints of God/those who are exclusively God's" say, "I fear God," it really means "I know God," and/or "I love God."

That's why I tell my loved ones: Please Love Jesus Passionately! Indeed, to know Him wonderfully is to LOVE Him WILLingly.

ALL JOY!
Grateful

2 comments:

Martin LaBar said...

That preacher was correct, unfortunately.

i am Grateful... Kerry i am. said...

Thanks Martin for your good faithful comments. ALL JOY!