| Friendship With Jesus |
Friendship with Jesus
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
— John 15
How do we show our friendship for Jesus? How do we show our love
for Him? In John 15:14, Jesus points out three things we can do to show
our friendship with God.
First, true friends of Jesus will obey Him. Quite simply, we will do what
He says. If we don't, then we have no right to call ourselves His friends.
Next, this friendship with Jesus, this obedience that results from it, is an
active obedience. Some people think it's enough if they avoid what He
forbids. And certainly being a Christian means ceasing to do certain
things. But it also means starting to do certain things. It is not merely
avoiding the wrong, but it is doing the right.
How do we find out what God wants us to do? By reading the Bible, by
becoming familiar with its content. The more we know of this Book, the
more we will know of God. The more we know of this Book, the more
we will know about what He requires of us and what friendship with Him
actually is.
Lastly, true friends of Jesus obey Him continually. In other words, we are
constantly obedient—not perfect, but trying. And if we fail, then we
repent and get up and try again.
This obedience should not be too hard because of whom we are
obedient to. This is Jesus asking for our obedience. That changes
everything, because we love Him. When we are in love with God,
obedience will not be a duty; it will be a delight. And if our Christian life
has become drudgery, merely consisting of rules and regulations, then
we are missing out on what friendship with God is all about.
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
— John 15
How do we show our friendship for Jesus? How do we show our love
for Him? In John 15:14, Jesus points out three things we can do to show
our friendship with God.
First, true friends of Jesus will obey Him. Quite simply, we will do what
He says. If we don't, then we have no right to call ourselves His friends.
Next, this friendship with Jesus, this obedience that results from it, is an
active obedience. Some people think it's enough if they avoid what He
forbids. And certainly being a Christian means ceasing to do certain
things. But it also means starting to do certain things. It is not merely
avoiding the wrong, but it is doing the right.
How do we find out what God wants us to do? By reading the Bible, by
becoming familiar with its content. The more we know of this Book, the
more we will know of God. The more we know of this Book, the more
we will know about what He requires of us and what friendship with Him
actually is.
Lastly, true friends of Jesus obey Him continually. In other words, we are
constantly obedient—not perfect, but trying. And if we fail, then we
repent and get up and try again.
This obedience should not be too hard because of whom we are
obedient to. This is Jesus asking for our obedience. That changes
everything, because we love Him. When we are in love with God,
obedience will not be a duty; it will be a delight. And if our Christian life
has become drudgery, merely consisting of rules and regulations, then
we are missing out on what friendship with God is all about.
| C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside , CA 92514 |