OK...so this is a day late; not late reading just late writing. Yesterday was crazy in this household but I wouldn't have it any other way.
John 14:
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Whoever has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word" (v.15,21,23) When Jesus repeats something so many times in such a short space of time, I think I should take notice.
Some commandments are easy for me to keep - I don't murder, steal, commit adultery - or any those "big" sins. But do I love my enemies? Do I long for things when Jesus has clearly said nope? Do I respond promptly when He commands me to make changes in my life? When I left the church I had been in for 22 or so years, I had known for 2 years that God was asking me to leave. But I was content, serving in several capacities, had lots of friends...but I was disobedient. God's commandment was "Go!" My response was "No!" When I finally left, not knowing where I would end up, God allowed me to be part of something really amazing. I would have missed it, and lots of other God things that have happened, if I had continued to make my own decision about where I would go to church.
Keeping Jesus' commandments is more than running down the list of ten or picking out this verse or that verse and saying yep, I keep those. It is about a lifestyle of obedience in EVERY area of life.
Mark 14:
"And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.' And he broke down and wept." (v.72) When I sin against Jesus, I should always have the response Peter had...brokenness and sorrow.
Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him but His love for Peter never wavered. That should give me great confidence that Jesus will never turn away from me. He longs for His brothers and sisters to be in right relationship with God. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit is active in my life, not so I will feel condemned, but so I will feel loved and know that confession and repentance will bring me back to God and propel me forward to an even better relationship than before.
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