John 15:10 (NIV)
10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my
love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Ananias and Sapphira were disciples of Christ who sold their
land to help fulfill the mission of the early church: None claimed that any of
his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32).
Ananias and Sapphira kept part of the money for themselves and lied about it, claiming
to have given it all. Peter rebuked them saying, You have not lied to men, but
to God. Over the past few weeks, I have been more aware of how easy it is to
stretch the truth to make a point or to avoid the truth so that I do not have
to deal with something. As Christians, we need to be committed to being 100% truthful all of the time! When we are not, we are lying
to God, not just to men.
Obedience to God’s commands, according to John 15:10, has
the benefit of causing us to remain in God’s love. God never stops loving us,
but when we are disobedient, we draw away from His love. We may be ashamed or
our hearts may be hardened, but whatever the reason for our disobedience, it
causes us to be apart from His love.
What has God asked you to do that you are unwilling to do?
Have you disobeyed God and find yourself struggling to know His love? He is
waiting for you to return to Him in obedience. He longs for you to know the
extent of His love. Paul puts it this way: For I am convinced that neither
death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39) If God’s love is
ever present and you are not experiencing that love, ask Him to show you if you
are being disobedient to his commands. If so, return to Him in repentance and
obedience, and you will remain in His love.
Thought for today:
How am I resisting God’s instruction?
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