Many Christians serve and obey Jesus
out of fear and duty. They pray, witness, read the Bible, do charity
and give financial support because they fear not obeying the Lord’s
commandments. Many support churches and pay tithes because they are
told that they are robbing God and they will lose blessings if they
don’t.
and give financial support because they fear not obeying the Lord’s
commandments. Many support churches and pay tithes because they are
told that they are robbing God and they will lose blessings if they
don’t.
Jesus requires that we obey Him out of
love, not out of fear or duty. We read in John 21:15 “Jesus said to
Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more
than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love
You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16He said to him
again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love
Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He
said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17He said to him the third
time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was
grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I
love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
love, not out of fear or duty. We read in John 21:15 “Jesus said to
Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more
than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love
You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16He said to him
again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love
Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He
said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17He said to him the third
time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was
grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I
love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
Many believers love their sin, worldly
friends, fun, entertainment, TV, cellphones, holidays, fleshly
pleasures, hobbies, even their pets, more than Jesus. Their obedience
to Jesus is a burden to them. To pray is a duty. Many fast because
they think they can move God to listen to their prayers by their
sacrifice of food, but they have no desire for Jesus. They do not
fast to take time to pray, meditate and get closer to Jesus. Many
want Jesus to speak to them, but they have no desire for Jesus, they
just want to use Him as a fortune teller to direct them to
prosperity.
friends, fun, entertainment, TV, cellphones, holidays, fleshly
pleasures, hobbies, even their pets, more than Jesus. Their obedience
to Jesus is a burden to them. To pray is a duty. Many fast because
they think they can move God to listen to their prayers by their
sacrifice of food, but they have no desire for Jesus. They do not
fast to take time to pray, meditate and get closer to Jesus. Many
want Jesus to speak to them, but they have no desire for Jesus, they
just want to use Him as a fortune teller to direct them to
prosperity.
Doing charity out of duty is not
pleasing to the Lord. We need to have compassion and really care.
Preachers sometimes pray for people for healing, but they do not
really care for the sick. Jesus felt compassion for the sick and
afflicted. If we do not have real compassion our charity, offerings
and prayers are hollow, meaningless.
pleasing to the Lord. We need to have compassion and really care.
Preachers sometimes pray for people for healing, but they do not
really care for the sick. Jesus felt compassion for the sick and
afflicted. If we do not have real compassion our charity, offerings
and prayers are hollow, meaningless.
If we pray out of duty, without love in
our hearts to Jesus, our prayers are void, selfish and meaningless
and we must not expect to receive anything.
our hearts to Jesus, our prayers are void, selfish and meaningless
and we must not expect to receive anything.
Jesus said that He will disclose
Himself to those who love Him. We read in John 14:21 “He who has My
commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves
Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose
Myself to him.” Obeying the Lords words and commandments, without
love, is in vain.
Himself to those who love Him. We read in John 14:21 “He who has My
commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves
Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose
Myself to him.” Obeying the Lords words and commandments, without
love, is in vain.
Many think they will have eternal life
if they believe in Jesus, and obey the gospel, repent and are
baptized in water. Some even receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
with speaking in tongues, but they do not stay with Jesus and keep on
obeying Him, because they do not love Him.
if they believe in Jesus, and obey the gospel, repent and are
baptized in water. Some even receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
with speaking in tongues, but they do not stay with Jesus and keep on
obeying Him, because they do not love Him.
We can fool ourselves and we can fool
other people, but we cannot fool Jesus. We can say that we love Jesus
but He knows our true feelings. If we really love Jesus, we will
gladly serve Him from our heart, every day. We will pray, wait on
Him, listen to Him, follow and obey Him.
other people, but we cannot fool Jesus. We can say that we love Jesus
but He knows our true feelings. If we really love Jesus, we will
gladly serve Him from our heart, every day. We will pray, wait on
Him, listen to Him, follow and obey Him.
Do we really love Jesus or are we
practicing religion?
practicing religion?
May Jesus bless you.
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