Say it with me by heart, but make sure to emphasize the word “will.”
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jn 14:15 ESV
And because we do love Jesus, and are focused on this growing relationship, we are able to discern His leading and follow Him so that everyone is blessed. I say this often but here it is again: everyone wins when we follow Jesus: God is glorified, others are blessed and we sense a more fulfilling life. Others are blessed because we are choosing to be a blessing to them. Instead of holding a grudge, we quickly let it go and love them instead. This in no way means what they did wrong is ok, whether it was intentionally or not. But what it does mean is that we are choosing to follow Jesus, and forgive everyone their trespasses.
You know we pray that wonderful prayer we call “the Lord’s Prayer” all the time, but do we realize what we are saying? “Lord, forgive me my trespasses AS I FORGIVE THOSE who trespass against me.” As I forgive…that means in the same way I forgive them, please forgive me. Yikes! If we do not choose to follow Jesus and forgive others, are we asking God to not forgive us either? Do we see that? Thank God, He doesn’t always answer all our prayers the way we say them. He loves us too much for that!
My Friends, IF you love Jesus, then be assured that you WILL follow Him, more and more. What’s required is that we display this love by coming to Him, learning from Him, and then allowing Him to help us grow up to be more and more like Him, so that we can live out the Abundant Life He desires us to have, enjoy and share.
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
26- Jas 2:19
27- Dt 31:8
28- Jn 14:15
<>< Peace, Diane
