DO YOU LOVE ME?
Monday – November 25, 2019, Cheshvan 27, 5780
Greetings dear friends and partners of this Ministry and welcome back to these powerful and in-depth Bible teachings as we go through the Book of John. If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to give us feedback and expand the reach of the gospel. This is Thanksgiving week and we hope this is indeed a joyous week filled with thanksgiving for all. When we look for it, the Lord has done marvelous things in every one of our lives. Some of the photos this week are of the coast of Maine taken by Donna’s sister Lynn. The Friday photo will be of Donna and me as usual and was taken at the Church of God International Headquarters in Cleveland Tennessee. Now, let’s turn our attention to our Bible Study and the primary text for today.
John 14:15-21 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
As you will recall we spent all of last week on the fifteenth verse. If we don’t implement this verse the whole of the rest of the Bible will only be information or literature for us. When I say implement, I mean if we are not doing this, we are only playing Christian, playing Church. Love is the power of faith and nothing happens in the Kingdom of God without faith.
Galatians 5:6 (KJV)
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Without faith we cannot please God! Do you suppose He does things for and through people with whom He is not pleased?
Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
To be in rebellion against the commandments or a commandment of God is prima facia evidence we do not love (agape) God. We can say we love God; we love Jesus until the cows come home but as they say the proofs is in the pudding. This would be like getting married and then doing little to nothing to please our spouse or comply with their wishes. In our verse the word “if” is critical and sets the rest of the verse up for us. “If” is a conditional particle meaning; in case that, provided that, according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
Now, let’s take a moment and deal with the word translated to English as “keep” in our target verse. To keep means to set a watch, to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon); according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. In order to keep something, we must have it in the first place. The only way to have it in the first place is diligent study. Let’s meditate on the following verses as we finish for today.
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Once we have the instruction of the Word then what do we do with it?
Joshua 1:8 (KJV)
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
We must not only know the command but we must know how to comply with the command. Keeping the commandments of God, the Word of God, is THE marker for love (agape) towards God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Remember that agape (love) is the God kind of love, the love that He has towards us. This is the highest level of love one person can have towards another. This love is selfless, it is doing towards others as Scripture dictates, and abiding by Blood Covenant.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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