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Category: Articles » Self Improvement » Inspirational » Article » Article Code

If You Love Me....

© Copyright 2006 by Felton L.Thompkins How many times have you heard this verse of Scripture quoted to you: "If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15, and instead of it being an inspiration, it not only made you cringe, but it also made you feel like you were condemned of God, and condemned by the person that so graciously quoted it to you? Well, fret not! We have all been there, and we will probably end up there again at some point, if we are not exposed to the truth. ... read more

Article Title:

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How many times have you heard this verse of Scripture
 
quoted to you: "If you love me, keep my commandments."
 
John 14:15, and instead of it being an inspiration, it not
 
only made you cringe, but it also made you feel like you were
 
condemned of God, and condemned by the person that 
 
so graciously quoted it to you?

Well, fret not! We have all been there, and we will probably
 
end up there again at some point, if we are not exposed to
 
the truth.

What I would like to address in this article is our ability,
 
or lack of ability, to experience the "true" love of God.
 
This has been a stumbling block for men since the
 
beginning of the ages. I believe it even started with 
 
Adam in the Garden. Furthermore, let me express to
 
you that I don't consider myself to have arrived, nor do
 
I count myself to have a monopoly on the subject of the
 
"love of God". My sincere desire is that we all can 
 
grow in the grace and love of our Heavenly Father.

In February, 2006 I was watching, the Christian television
 
channel. It was the week of the Super Bowl, and they where
 
interviewing a few of the players who would be playing in
 
the game that night. Although I can't remember which
 
player said this or what team he was from, I do remember
 
that the guy said this was one of his favorite verses.
 
"If you love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15 
 
Wow! For the first time ever, I heard it right. The Lord 
 
communicated to me , that this verse was not saying , that
 
if I keep His commandments, then He will love me. For so many 
 
years I had read and heard that verse from a "do-to-be" loved
 
perspective.

Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Can you
 
sense the passionate plea of our Lord as One talking to His
 
children, knowing that if we would "learn" to take heed of
 
His principles and disciplines from a position of love,
 
that then, and only then, can we experience the extraordinary
 
and abundant way of life and living!

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments:
 
and His commandments are not grievous." (weighty, burdensome)
 
John 5:3 First and foremost, we must understand that it is 
 
"only" the love and grace of God that allow us to keep
 
His commandments, meaning it's the unconditional love of
 
God, flowing from God to the believer. "Cause me to hear
 
thy loving kindness..." Psa.143:8 The Psalmist expresses 
 
his desire to know the love of God, experientially and 
 
passionately, not just intellectually, and theologically.
 
Unfortunately, the latter two are the only way most of us 
 
have experienced and will ever experience anything of God.

We must learn how, and continue to know and receive the love
 
of God, not just from a theological or an intellectual position, 
 
but rather from a position of knowing His passion for the 
 
believer, and learning to share in that passion in a genuine 
 
love relationship with our Lord and Saviour.

------------------------------------------------------------

It's funny how at the time of our accepting the Lord Jesus
 
as Saviour we experience, and accept, the unconditional love
 
of God. Yet, somewhere along the way we have this tendency
 
to forget that it is His gift to all who will believe.

Well, until you hear from me again, let us all remember
 
that it is "by grace that we are saved, through faith and
 
that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works,
 
lest any of us should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9

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