Friday, October 19
1 John 3:21-24
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Devotional:
Reading these verses can be intimidating. Am I keeping God’s commands? Am I loving others the way Jesus loved? It may leave you feeling as though your performance is what keeps God living in us, and us in Him. However, believers of Jesus are commanded to put no confidence in themselves. So what are we to do?
Pray! Remember, we stand by faith.
You may think, “I can’t love people like Jesus.” You’re right, you can’t. However, with prayer and through the power of the Spirit, all things are possible.
Try saying this simple prayer: “God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Your Spirit within me testifies that You live in me. I have a desire to please You by keeping Your commands and by loving others. I can’t do it by myself. Please give me the strength do it. Help me say “yes” to You, Jesus.”
Brad Sobczak