What's love got to do with it?

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God
I John 3:9

I’m getting a little concerned about what I am hearing about “God’s love”. One of my children recently retorted during a time of correction that “God is ALL about love” and not this “rule stuff”. The other day I heard a country DJ tell her audience that “God loves you so much. He doesn’t care what you have done.” True, words cannot describe the depth of God’s love. However, we should be careful not to allow the enemy to twist our thinking on this. The enemy would have us believe God is solely interested in our feelings of love towards Him and that He doesn’t care what we do. This grace/love- heavy message fits well in pulpits seeking to be politically correct. However, the Bible emphatically tells us God is very concerned about what we do. Yes, He tells us over and over He loves us and we know His blood alone covers our sins, but Jesus minced no words when He said “If you love me, obey me” John 14:23. Of course, the enemy seems to work both spectrums of the “obey thing” to try to confuse us. Either we feel like we have to work so hard to earn our way to God or we jump on the “all-love-no-pain train” and believe we can continually practice sin without guilt or repercussions because God is ALL about loving us.

So how should you live? If you have the golden ticket to Heaven, aren’t all your sins (future ones too) forgiven? However, if you can live in sin (not just step in it occasionally), if you can practice sin without the Holy Spirit wearing you out…don’t you wonder if you really love Jesus? Do you have a real, two-way love relationship with Him or do you have a fire-insurance religion that has never changed your life? 1 John 3:9 says “ No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” Yes, yes, we all sin, but there is a difference in sinning and living a life where you deliberately choose to sin. Friend, you can’t walk with the Lord if one foot is stuck in this world. It is time to kick free of all that is holding you back! Jesus is standing with arms wide open. Oh yes, He loves you soooo much but He doesn’t want your devotion to a religion or a cause. He says the number one thing He wants you to do is to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30) and He makes no beans about it… if you love Him obey Him. And by the way, those “rules” – those things He will ask you to do or not do, are His way of guiding you to His wonderful best because He loves you.

Prayer: Oh Father, help me to live in your grace and walk in your truth. Oh, Holy Spirit be loud. Let me hear your voice and show me any sin which is keeping me from all you have for me. Forgive me and strengthen me to turn from that. Help me to love what you love and obey you because I love you. I know you are for me – you died for me. I know your blood and your blood alone covers my sins. I also know you want all of me – my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength. Take it all Jesus. Amen.

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