Tag Archives: Obedience

FORGIVENESS

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This year, 2026, is the time to seek forgiveness.

I encourage everyone to not only ask for forgiveness from the Lord for our sins but also to forgive others for any harm they may have caused.

Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT:

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, and all kinds of evil behavior. Instead, be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness:

1 John 1:5-9 NIV:

“This is the message we heard from him and declare: God is light; in him there is no darkness. If we claim to have fellowship with him but walk in darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When we consider how God forgives us, we see that forgiveness goes beyond our understanding—it also involves forgetting. God forgives and forgets, and He wants us to do the same. I have been guilty of forgiving and then bringing up the past. I suspect you might have done the same.

True forgiveness means you no longer accusingly mention the past. When you truly forgive, unforgiveness no longer controls you or hampers your spiritual growth. Forgiveness is not only for the one you forgive; it is for your spiritual development.

Let 2026 be a year of intentional forgiveness releasing ourselves from the chains of vindictiveness. In doing so, we move from darkness into light. Our bonds as a family/community are rooted not just in our relationships with each other but also in our relationship with God. Fellowship is not only with God; it is also with family and community.

One of my mother’s famous quotes was, “There’s no time like now.”

Seek God’s forgiveness and forgive others—this process goes hand– in–hand. You cannot expect God’s forgiveness if you have not forgiven others.

Join me, 2026 is our time for restoration and greater spiritual growth. It is ours for the taking, God is waiting.

Bidding Farewell to 2025

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Warning this is a long post.

Today is the last day of 2025. Where do we go from here? Typically, we rehash the year, with little thought to what aspects of ourselves we should leave behind and what we should carry forward. We get caught up in New Year resolutions, which do not focus on how we intend to become a more mature Christian, one who surrenders and intentionally becomes more obedient, leaving the old person behind and redefining who we are in Christ. The main focus is not just to review the past year, but to intentionally decide which aspects of ourselves to leave behind and which to strengthen, especially in our spiritual walk as Christians. The emphasis is on becoming more mature in faith, surrendering old habits, and redefining ourselves in Christ.

Relinquishing Self: The Word or the World

The world feels like the Stranger Things series – we are lodged in the upside-down place, which is in opposition to the Word of God. Our upside-down world is a world that opposes the Word of God. Chaos reigns, and our leaders are deciphering the Word to support their world of greed and influence. It feels as if we cannot stop the onslaught of destruction; that is exactly what Satan wants us to believe. He not only wants to dim the light, but He wants us to think that darkness is our preferred choice. This is one of the most deceptive lies that darkness cannot be extinguished. We are to live according to biblical principles rather than worldly values. John 1:5 NLT unveils the truth: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 

As active Christians, we can stop the dimming. We can stand up to the evil around us. It requires that we commit ourselves to the Word differently than we have in the past. Our New Year’s resolution is not about losing weight, exercising more regularly, or sleeping undisturbed for eight hours. It is about reading the Bible, staying in the Word, and checking daily to ensure we are following the Word, not the world. It means we must put on all the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) every day. We must be aligned with the sword of the Spirit and be ready to wield it as needed. Francis Frangipane (The Power of Covenant Prayer) reminds us that “His Word is the eternal sword we raise against wickedness.” We must become a house of prayer and act according to the Word. It means we must pray throughout the day and night. It does not require lengthy prayer but simple, continuous communication with our Lord. We must also seek to help others in greater ways than donating money. It means we must care for the elderly, poor, sick, widows, and children.

Becoming Warriors through Renewed Strength

Life as a Christian is a responsibility. We are responsible for what goes on in the world. God has given us the titles of ambassadors, disciples, and teachers. These are active roles; no one possessing these titles sits and pontificates about the challenges that lie ahead. The positions require action.

What should we do as Christians? There are so many things going on in the world, do we succumb to the chaos of the day and by doing so contribute to the darkness it is producing, or do we spread the light through the world through the Word of God, expressed through our actions, intentions, and deeds?

Looking forward to the intentions of an actively committed Christian requires some thought. I’m certain there are parts of you that you would like to leave behind and parts that you would like to continue to develop.

An easy way to keep track of your transition is to make a chart and list the parts of your character that you wish to eliminate, leave behind, and those elements you wish to strengthen to deepen your faith. This will become a daily reference point to ensure that you are leaving the old you behind and actively developing the new.

Chart This

Things I want to leave behind …

Things I want to strengthen…

…a haughty heart.

Learn to maintain a humble heart before the Lord.

…focusing on self and the things of this world.

Focus on the Word and how it applies to daily living.

Action Items for Closing Out 2025

1. Reflect and Chart Your Growth

  • Make a chart with two columns: “Things I want to leave behind” and “Things I want to strengthen.” Use this as a daily reference to track your spiritual growth and personal development.

2. Prioritize Spiritual Commitment

  • Focus your New Year’s resolutions on deepening your faith, not just on typical goals like fitness or sleep. Commit to becoming a more mature Christian by intentionally leaving behind old habits and embracing new ones.

3. Stay Rooted in the Word

  • Read the Bible regularly and ensure your actions align with its teachings. Make daily checks to confirm you are following the Word, not the world.

4. Equip Yourself Spiritually

  • Put on the “armor of God” every day. Be ready to use the “sword of the Spirit”—the Word of God—to stand against negativity and evil.

5. Maintain Continuous Prayer

  • Pray throughout the day and night. Focus on simple, ongoing communication with God rather than lengthy prayers.

6. Serve Others Actively

  • Go beyond financial donations. Actively care for the elderly, poor, sick, widows, and children in your community.

7. Accept Responsibility

  • Recognize your role as an ambassador, disciple, and teacher. Take active steps to address challenges and spread light through your actions, intentions, and deeds.

8. Relinquish Self

  • Identify parts of yourself to leave behind and areas to develop further. Use your chart as a daily tool for self-assessment and growth.

Shema: Hear and Obey Devotional, Day Four Devotional, YouVersion App

I awoke this morning, and when I opened my YouVersion App, this is what appeared. Shema: Hear and Obey, day four devotional.

Luke 12:32 may be one of the most breathtaking verses in all of scripture. Jesus looks at His followers—fragile, fearful, unsure—and says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” God doesn’t just allow us into His Kingdom—He delights to entrust it to us. The phrase “good pleasure” carries the weight of resolve. This isn’t a reluctant gesture. It’s a determined one.

So why do so few of us live like heirs? We’ve confused our kingdoms with His. We chase influence, clarity, and comfort—mistaking them for Kingdom. But Romans 14:17 tells us the Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These aren’t casual, manufactured virtues—they are costly, Spirit-wrought realities shaped in surrendered lives.

Trust roots us in Kingdom life, though it rarely grows in certainty. Many know the promises but miss the Person behind them. We crave plans and answers, but obedience rarely provides that kind of certainty. It often feels like walking blindfolded. That tension isn’t a flaw—it’s part of the formation process. God isn’t making us comfortable. He’s making us new. Ephesians 4 says the life He leads us into means a new mind and new self.

This is the battleground of real faith. John Kavanaugh, a Catholic priest and ethicist, once traveled to Calcutta to work with Mother Teresa, hoping to gain perspective on where his life with God was headed. When he asked her to pray for him, she replied, “What do you want me to pray for?” “Clarity,” he said. “No,” she answered. “Clarity is the last thing you’re clinging to—and you must let go of it.” When he asked why, she smiled and said, “I’ve never had clarity. What I’ve always had is trust. So, I will pray that you trust God.”

Mother Theresa’s message is that trust is more important than certainty, and that God is forming us through faith, not comfort. Christians are encouraged to let go of the need for charity and instead trust God’s guidance.

Scripture tells us, “The eyes of the Lord run throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is fully His”(2 Chronicles 16:9). He’s not scanning for perfection. He is looking for a Shema *heart. One that is soft enough to listen, brave enough to obey. When He finds it, something happens…

He moves. And the Kingdom moves with Him.

In closing, I wish you well, knowing that the Kingdom belongs to all of us. Strengthening our Christian resolve to become more like Christ, to hold back the darkness and spread God’s love, is not just our resolution for 2026, but our resolution that grows stronger until we reach life eternal.

Romans 14:17 NLT ensures us that living a life of goodness and peace and joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit: For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Shema is a Hebrew word meaning here and listen, and it refers to Judaism’s most central prayer, ‘O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One’ (Deuteronomy 6: 2). More than just hearing, the Shema implies deep understanding, heeding, and active obedience to God. Hearing and listening in the literal sense are deeper than just hearing and listening. It means hearkening and internalizing. Fundamentally, it is truly hearing God’s voice in His commands, encompassing love, teaching, and remembrance. The Shema is a powerful call to holistic devotion. Uniting, hearing, understanding, and acting in loving and serving our God. (AI Overview)

This is the season to internalize the church that is in you because the Holy Spirit resides in you. Daily prayer and communication with God, the direction of the Holy Spirit, whose voice becomes more recognizable as you study, pray, and listen will lead to the gift of the Kingdom in you will be a prevailer of light that cannot be quenched by darkness, rather you serve to break up the darkness and usher in the light of God that replaces wickedness.

In closing, consider leaving behind your haughty heart, focusing on self and worldly things. And, strengthening and maintaining a humble heart before the Lord, focusing on the Word and its daily application.

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” ~2 Peter 3:18, ESV

Focus on Peace

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LAB PHOTOS

Good morning, day or evening🌞

Focus on the PEACE Christ provides and not the chaos of the day. One empowers and the other steals your strength.

Stolen strength feeds evil. Evil seems to be emboldened days. If we all take back our strength and abide in the peace of Christ, following his laws, we can overcome the evil of the day. We are all part of one body, let us focus on the peace of Christ.

Vanilla Purpose

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A Short Story, by Lisa Blair

Once, there was a young man entrusted with the creation of a special mixture—an inherited family recipe—vital for launching the town’s beloved bicycle race. One day, as he diligently mixed the ingredients for the highly anticipated Hillside Mountain Race, the bell above his shop door chimed, announcing the arrival of a customer. Distracted by the arrival of the customer, he paused his work to help them. Sometime later, returning to his task, he was unaware that his brief interruption had caused him to miss adding a key ingredient.

This family recipe, which was handed down was not written down, it was in their hearts and was no ordinary recipe. It was crucial that the process be completed without interruption, ensuring every ingredient was carefully measured and blended. The mixture, placed in a balloon, would be ignited at the start of the race, releasing an explosion of fragrance and sound that signaled the beginning of the thrilling event.

That evening, the young man felt a vague sense of unease. Something did not sit well. He knew he overlooked something but exhaustion got the better of him. He decided not to revisit his work and went to bed, promising himself he would wake up early the next morning.

 As he drifted into sleep, his dreams transported him back to the shop. He was mixing the ingredients again, but something felt off—just as it had during the day. In his dream, the scene replayed over and over until, with a start, he realized what was missing: the potent vanilla extract, the heart of the mixture. It was this ingredient that created the iconic scent everyone associated with the race.

The realization startled him awake. As he lay in bed, he prayed for clarity, asking God to confirm his suspicion. Deep down, he knew the omission wasn’t just an oversight; it was a metaphor for something greater in his life.

The young man hadn’t always wanted to continue his family’s work. He longed to leave his small town, explore the world, and find something more exciting. The apothecary shop felt like a burden, a tether keeping him from adventure. Yet, that night, he began to see his inheritance in a new light.

 The next morning, as the race day buzz filled the town, he rushed to the shop. He opened the vial of the prepared mixture, sniffed it, and confirmed his fear—the vanilla extract had been forgotten. Quickly, he added the missing drops, carefully blending them in until the mixture was perfect.

At that moment, he realized something profound: this simple task, which had once felt mundane, carried significance far beyond what he’d imagined. Without it, the race wouldn’t begin with the same joy, excitement, and tradition the town cherished. His family’s recipe wasn’t just about starting a race—it was about creating a moment of unity and anticipation for everyone.

This realization shifted his perspective. His work wasn’t just a job; it was part of a legacy, a purpose handed down to him. He thought of Christ, who embraced His purpose as a servant, conducting His Father’s work. Just as Christ’s purpose was part of a greater plan, so too was his own role in the small but vital task of carrying on his family’s tradition.

In our lives, we often overlook the importance of the everyday tasks we perform. We get distracted, searching for something more spectacular, and fail to see the significance of what’s right in front of us. Like the young man, we may initially see our work as burdensome, but these very things are often tied to our purpose.

God has given each of us a unique purpose, woven into the fabric of His plan. It might not always feel grand or exciting, but it is essential. Christ lived His life as a servant, following the recipe given to Him by the Father. In the same way, our purpose is a gift from God, even if it feels small or ordinary.

If you find yourself dissatisfied with where you are, ask God for clarity and direction. Trust that He is weaving your story, preparing you for the next chapter. Sometimes, He reveals our full purpose all at once. Other times, He matures us through the smaller, unrelated moments of our lives, building the character and resilience we need for what’s to come.

The young man’s realization transformed the way he approached his work. He saw it not as a burden but as a calling. His family’s legacy now felt like a gift, and his contribution—though small in the grand scheme—played a vital role in bringing joy to others.

In the same way, our daily efforts, no matter how insignificant they seem, are part of a larger story. Each task, each challenge, and each moment of faithfulness contributes to God’s greater plan. When we embrace our purpose, even in the ordinary, we become part of something extraordinary.

The race began that day with the familiar pop of the balloon and the rush of fragrant excitement in the air. The young man watched with pride, knowing he had played a part in creating that moment.

And so, it is with us. Our purpose, no matter how small it seems, is a thread in the tapestry of God’s work in the world.

The Bible is the story of Christ and consequently the story of us. Several scriptures prove that God created our lives before time began.

Jeremiah 1:4-5, Now the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born.”

Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord…

Psalm 139:15-16, my frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Here I saw my unformed substance; In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

1 Peter 1:20, He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you. Ephesians 1:11, in him we have obtained an inheritance comma having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

God created us and knew us before we entered the womb. Part of his creation was to give each of us a purpose. The purpose is our inheritance. Our inheritance is the gift of advancing God’s Word. God created all of us, some with exciting careers and futures others with essential jobs that are the cogs in the wheel. God has also given us free will to choose and change our direction. This story confirms that whatever your purpose is, do it for the glory of God. Like the young man, change your thinking from that of being burdened to that of advancing and protecting your inheritance. As you grow in the Word, your inheritance may evolve into something new having given you all to the development of earlier stages of your inheritance. For most, life is governed by God’s timeline and purpose. Always seek His direction, and wisdom, and plan for your future as you process through this life.

Remember these keywords: purpose and inheritance. Rick Warren authored the book, Purpose Driven Life. We should seek our purpose in life and live it accordingly. God’s inheritance is our gift. We are the object of God’s love and desire for us is reflected in all He does for us. We experience life through Him. He works on our behalf in ways we can see and in ways only known to Him. While He doesn’t promise an easy road, we may find ourselves on the one less traveled road. He doesn’t promise an easy life but is always with us. In all things, He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He is always with us.He will lead us into our future and guide us to our purpose, which is our inheritance from Him.

Scriptures – Bible.com

Photo – Free Google Images

 

 

Obedience vs. Rebellion: Learning from Abraham and Saul – Bible Reflection

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The Bible teaches us that we are to be faithful and obedient. Most of us think we are faithful and obedient because we follow the Word of God in the most general of ways. However, God is not looking for general adherence to the Word. He looks at how we listen and interpret His commands.

When God told Abraham (Genesis 22) to sacrifice his son, Issac, he did not deliberate, he did not weigh the loss of a son, he, in faith, knew God had a reason he wanted him to sacrifice his son Isaac. He believed God’s commands had purpose and the outcome depended upon his response and love for the Lord. In this case, because of his obedience the angel, in verse 12, told him not to lay a hand on the boy.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” ~Genesis 22:12 NIV, Biblegateway.com

Sometimes God tests our faith and sometimes He instructs us in which way to go. The angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time to convey God’s declaration to him.

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you… ~Genesis 22:15-16 NIV, BibleGateway.com

All scripture, that means every word in the Bible is God-breathed. He uses the Word to teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness.

 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV, Biblegateway.com

The NLT version says that it teaches us what is true to help us realize what is wrong in our lives. The Word teaches us to do what is right.

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT, Biblegateway.com

We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 ESV, openbible.info

Abraham clearly chose to listen and follow God’s command. He was 100% in. He did as instructed. How often do we follow God’s instructions for our lives?

There was a time when God instructed me to stop spending. I thought, I was not overspending and interpreted His message as being more of a request and not a command. God knows the path to our destiny. He is the great architect. I had prayed for Him to reveal the next stage in my life to do His good work. Little did I realize that overspending was a lesson I needed to follow to get to the next stage. I did not follow His command like Abraham. I scaled back, like Saul who interpreted the commandment to meet his own needs.

To borrow a quote from Radical.net, God help us. Help us to give to you in worship what you have asked, the obedience of our hearts. God help us to hear your Word, and to obey your Word; hear your voice, and obey your voice. We pray that you would be glorified in our obeying your voice. ~Obedience of Sacrifice,1 Samuel 15:22 ESV.

God knows us. He created us and He knows how we will respond. The money was not the issue. My heart was the issue. Jesus said to Peter, if you love me obey my commands (John 14:15 KJV, Biblegateway.com), meaning follow my Word. He commands each of us to do the same thing, “obey/follow my commands.”

We pray that you would be glorified in our obeying your voice. God, we pray you would keep all of us, from at any point, getting caught up in practicing religion, and going to church, and taking part in this or that activity, while disobeying you and your word in our lives. ~Obedience of Sacrifice,1 Samuel 15:22 ESV, Radical.net.

In looking back, I now see where I strayed. I did not immediately follow His commands. I did not curtail my spending. I, like Saul, who told Samuel, that he did kill all the Amalekites as commanded, added I brought back Agag their King. I thought I followed God’s command to stop spending, however, like Saul, I left one thing out.  I slowed my spending down. As a sidebar, I felt guilty each time I did, but that did not stop me. How often do we fail to listen to the quiet voice telling us we are in the wrong yet forge ahead anyway? My decision to follow God’s command my way was a form of rebellion.

Samuel told Saul: 3 When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!”14 “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.15 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Listen to what the Lord told me last night! “What did he tell you?” Saul asked.17 And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? 19 Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? 20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols!” ~1 Samuel 15 NIV, Web.mit.edu

Like Saul, I heard what I wanted to hear. I interpreted what I was commanded to do in a way that satisfied me. I did not obey the Lord as Abraham did. As followers of Christ, we must train ourselves to be obedient in all things, not just some things. God listens to our voice and watches our actions that demonstrate either our obedience or our act of rebellion.

We reap the consequences of self-love/rebellion, following our own interpretation of what God commands. In my case, our finances spiraled downward. If I had listened to His command, I would not have been in the position to have to rebuild financial solvency, and Saul would have been the King of Israel.

26But Samuel said to him, “…You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as the king of Israel!” ~1 Samuel 15 NIV, Web.mit.edu

All scripture is God-breathed. The Word is not open to interpretation that satisfies our pride. It requires complete obedience. Obedience is defined as an act or practice of obeying, dutiful or submissive compliance. ~ Online Dictionary.

Our actions are judged through the lens of obedience or rebellion. As Christians, we are being observed by many. Our actions speak louder than words. If we tell others to submit to the Word and be disciplined, we must first practice what we preach. As doers of the Word, we must learn to be obedient. God, through the Holy Spirit, reinforces His Word and His Will for our lives.  We are rebuked as needed, trained, and corrected in righteousness. God continually prunes the dead and withering branches in our lives to strengthen our dedication and submission to Him.

This article is purposeless if we do not examine our motives and submission to the Word of God. Ask yourself:

  • Am I an Abraham or a Saul?
  • What have you learned about yourself from this study?
  • Do you obey God’s commands like Abraham, operating in the spiritual realm being obedient and specifically following God’s commands and instruction for your life?

or

  • Do you operate in the carnal realm of rebellion like Saul?
  • What are your plans to fully submit?

Our life is a journey. We will stray from the straight and narrow path more than once during our lifetime. Our mission is to learn from each mistake, apply it to our lives, submit to God, work to eliminate rebellion and serve our God by sharing the Good News with all within our scope of influence.

We must always work to be faithful and obedient understanding that God’s way is not our way and stop interpreting His Will for us using our finite scope of understanding to forge our own path.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ Isaiah 55:8-9 NIv, biblegateway.com

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all of your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. ~Proverbs 4:26-27 NIV, biblestudytools.com

Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ~Isaiah 30:21NIV, biblehub.com

Photos: Google.com, free images

What Proves Salvation?

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THOUGHT – Something that stood out to me in the BSF Study of the Book of John, Lesson 19. “Jesus taught that love for God motivates obedience, not that obedience is the method of salvation. A believer’s obedience does not contribute to his or her salvation but proves it.” Question – Why does obedience prove one’s salvation? (p.p. 269)

If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved (salvation). Acts 16:30-31

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (salvation). John 3:16

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (salvation). Romans 10:9-10

If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, He cannot live in you, and you do not belong to Him (no salvation). If you receive Christ is your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in you. If the Spirit lives in you, He is your advocate, comforter, counselor, and teacher (salvation).

When we receive Christ, He enters our being in the form of the Holy Spirit who begins to change our lives. We move away from carnal desires and habits and exchange them for Jesus’ commands. Our new life reflects Christ’s command to Love God and obey His commands (salvation). (Romans 8)

For by grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works (salvation). Ephesians 2:8

When we receive Christ, we are motivated, not by works, but through faith to obey the Word of God. Our behavior changes as we demonstrate the love of God. This demonstration drives our desire to obey the Lord’s commands and live them out in our daily lives.

God motivates our obedience. Our obedience proves our salvation.

Image: LAB Photos

Scriptures: Biblegateway.com