Connecting With Jesus

Devotional message prepared by ND Willie

IF YOU KNOW, YOU’LL OBEY

We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. – 1 John 2:3 NIV

John had heard Jesus say that we can identify the type of tree by the fruit it produces (see Luke 6:43-47). John explained that people who claim to know Christ demonstrate their faith by their obedience in following His commands. If they don’t obey, and if there’s no intent to obey, then we have reason to wonder whether their faith is genuine.

Simply knowing Christ,however, doesn’t guarantee perfect obedience. Only a few verse earlier, John had written that those of us who claim to be without sin “ deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”( 1 John 1:8). Instead, true believers exhibit a general pattern of obedience, looking to Christ for guidance ad often(if not always) doing what He says to do.

One of the evidences of a genuine commitment to Christ is a lifestyle of repentance. When God points out a sin of selfishness, apathy, or defiance, we respond by humby admitting our sin and getting back on track with Him. In this way, the Spirit moves us ahead on our path of following Christ, and we take one step at a time.

Our obedience(or the lack of it) is most often seen by those closest to us, the ones we may take for granted. We may want to show what a fine Christian we are are to those in our community and our church, but those under the same roof know best whether Christ is real to us. Simple acts of love such as helping the dishes, taking out the trash, reading to a child, listening to a story, helping with homework, and countless other seemingly insignificant acts of love are, for some of us, dramatic steps of obedience to God.
Whatever God puts on your heart, follow Him and obey.

What does your level of obedience say about our faith in Christ?
Is there anything God has told you to do that you aren’t doing? If so, when will you start?

Many Christians claim to know Jesus but they do not follow the Lord’s command.
We cannot say we love God if we do not keep his commandments.

1 John 5:3
[3]For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

We abide in God’s love if we keep His commandments

John 15:10
[10]If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Have a wonderful day and be blessed everyone