Meditate on this…if:
You
are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:14
 |
| A tree standing guard over the Land of Israel. Be strong and courageous. |
Jesus claimed
that His friends had to follow His commandments. That instruction to keep the
commandments goes way back in the Old Testament. Jesus was obedient to the
Father…we should follow His example of obedience in our lives.
For I command you this day to love the LORD your God
and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If
you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you
and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Deuteronomy 30:16
The Lord gave
instructions to Joshua when he took over the leadership of the Israelites
before they entered the Promised Land.
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey
all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either
to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you
will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and
succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be
afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:7-9
Obedience and
faithfulness are keys to following Jesus’ commands.
But the love of the LORD remains forever with those
who fear him. His salvation extends to the children's children of those who are
faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! Psalm 103:17-18
You might
ask…What were Jesus’ commands? In this scripture below Jesus was in a
discussion with Sad was Jesus response when asked which was the greatest
commandment.
Jesus replied, "Your mistake is that you don't
know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God. For when the dead
rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they
will be like the angels in heaven. But now, as to whether the dead will be
raised--haven't you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story
of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to
Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' So he
is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error."
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the
debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the
commandments, which is the most important?" Jesus replied, "The
most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God
is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your
heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is
equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is
greater than these." The teacher of religious law replied, "Well
said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God
and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all
my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This
is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices
required in the law." Mark 12:24-33
Are you
listening to Jesus’ instructions and following His commands? Do you consider
yourself a friend of Jesus?
Prayer
~ Lord, open our eyes and ears to hear what you are saying and help us to not
only understand the deep meaning of Your teachings but to apply them to our
lives. As You taught Your disciples from Isaiah 6, I ask that…our hearts not be
hardened, and please let our ears hear, and our eyes be opened—so that we can
understand, and turn to You and You can heal us. In Your mercy Lord—may we be
attentive to Your every word.
Daily
Bible Reading: Matthew 13; Luke 8
© 2019 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers,
Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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