John 14:15, 16 - THE PASSION TO OBEY!
John 14:15, 16 (KJV) If ye love me, keep my
commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide
with you forever;
COMMENTARY PEARL
I am convinced that one of the worst
things happening in our culture is the way love has
been redefined. We don't understand how to love
people because for too long we have misunderstood
what it means to love God. We have forfeited the
real meaning of love for an emotionally-focused
but powerless substitute, while God has tied the
idea of love directly to obedience.
In John 14:15-31 Jesus didn't say, "If
you love me, say so," or, "If you love me,
perform some great feat." What He said was, "If you
love Me, keep my commandments."
When we truly love Jesus, it shows in the
smallest choices we make. And while God owes us
nothing, He does promise to bring benefits to us when
we love obediently.
God involves Himself in our everyday
lives because He really does love us! God
understands our needs so much that He sent His Spirit to
accompany us in our everyday lives. Too often we treat
God as if we only need Him in tough times,
thinking we can handle the ordinary things that come
our way. Friend, if we have been given the very
Spirit of God to accompany us, we are wise when we
offer every moment to Him whether large or small.
I could go on and on about the many ways
God blesses. The passage in John says God not
only sends us a Helper. In addition, He promises
to reveal Himself to us, to abide with us, and
He also gives us peace.
When we live obediently we are promised
special access to God. Why settle for less? Micheal
Woods; Executive Director of the Western Carolina
Rescue Ministries
COMMENTARY
For a sermon I gave several years ago, I
jotted down a list and titled it "The Evolution of
a Passion to Obey God." That passion doesn't
just spring up, full-blown at salvation. We do
enter our new life in Christ with a desire to
please Him, and that does include obeying Him. But
an intensely determined pursuit of His will
develops more slowly.
In fact, the first stage - fear of the
consequences of disobedience - barely qualifies as
reverence for God. But as we progress in our faith and
form a commitment to obey the Lord, we eventually
reach the final stage, which is love and devotion
to Christ. Wouldn't you rather follow Him out
of love than out of fear?
Getting from the first stage to the last
begins with what you might expect - an increasing
knowledge of Jesus Christ. As we dig into God's Word
to see how He provided for the saints, we
develop a desire for His best. Men like Moses,
David, and Paul weren't satisfied with what the
world had to offer, and we won't be either when we
witness His work in the lives of His followers. So
we test out obedience and discover that God's
promised blessings are real. As we acquire a record
of consistent rewards for doing His will, we
recognize the wisdom of obedience.
Can you find yourself on the spectrum
between fear and devotion? It is my hope that you
have committed to obeying God and that you are
reading His Word daily to learn how to keep your
promise. God wants your best - your passionate
pursuit of His will - because He is giving His best
to you. [In Touch Daily Devotional by Charles
Stanley at www.intouch.org]
Have you ever wished you had a 911 number
that rang in heaven whenever you had a need?
Well, I have good news for believers. We all have
divine assistance thats even closer than a phone
call: our Helper dwells within us. But if we are
unaware of Him, well miss many opportunities to
benefit from the greatest asset in our Christian
life - the Holy Spirits presence.
Christ knew that when He left the earth,
His disciples would be totally inadequate for
the task He was giving them - to evangelize the
world. Though theyd spent three years with
Jesus, all they had seen and learned would still
not sufficiently equip them for what lay ahead.
They needed supernatural help, and so do we -
someone who will come to our aid, empower our
service, and transform us from the inside out.
The Holy Spirit is the only one who can
achieve all this. Consider His qualifications:
1. He is a personal Helper, not some
inanimate force. Gods Spirit is a member of the
Trinity and coequal with both the Father and Jesus
Christ.
2. He is a practical Helper who involves
Himself in every aspect of our lives.
3. He is an adequate Helper because
Hes omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
4. He is an available Helper who
permanently lives within us.
Do you have any need that requires more
power than omnipotence? Are you facing a decision
that requires more knowledge than omniscience?
Nothing we encounter is bigger than the omnipresent
One who lives within us. Be calm and confident.
No matter what challenges you face, He can
help. [In Touch Daily Devotional by Charles
Stanley at www.intouch.org]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20150526-1519.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090223-2102.html
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
