FAITHFUL, LOVING OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD IS WHAT COUNTS

Keeping God’s commands is what counts. —I Corinthians 7:19

Doing what God says is paramount!  Loving obedience indicates our attitude toward God and what He says—

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them…  Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.’” —John 14:21, 23-24

            Do I really love Him?  Am I desirously seeking to keep His Word?  Do I truly seek to put into practice what He says?  Am I a wise or foolish person?

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” —Matthew 7:24-27

            Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).  And what is the Father’s will?  Jesus said, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:44).  And yet Jesus also said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

            Loving obedience gives indication that a person is truly a follower/disciple of Jesus.  But if I am not in His Word, how will I know what He desires.  Recently a person was asked, “Do you have a Bible?”  That person responded saying, “I have many Bibles.”  Then they were asked, “Do you read the Bible?”  That person responded by saying, “I don’t read the Bible.”  Then they were asked, “Are you a Christian?”  That person responded by saying, “Yes, I’m a Christian.”

            Those who claim to be followers of Jesus but have no desire to read what our Lord God Almighty says, how do they know what He desires them to lovingly obey?  If “Keeping God’s commands is what counts,” wouldn’t we like to know what He is saying to us?  A person who has no desire to read His Word puts up a big red flag as to whether they really know the Lord or not— are they a wise builder, applying what He says?  Or, are they a foolish builder, not applying what He says.

Dear Father, may I continually read and heed what You say.  Yes, may I lovingly obey You by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  Yes, may this be so!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUE1MB5iWOQ&list=RDmUE1MB5iWOQ&index=1