1 John 4:15 – Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

The blessing of being indwelt by God Himself is the privilege of all who confess that Jesus is the Son of God. This is a confession that involves the commitment of one’s self to the Lord Jesus Christ. No closer relationship is possible than for a person to abide in God and to have God abiding in him. You must confess that Jesus came in the flesh to be the Savior of the world and you must confess that He is the Son of God. These are the two components that will keep you free of heresy. This is the reason that the Lord Jesus could say, “Whatever God does, I do.” He made this tremendous claim in John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” Jesus is going to raise the dead, and He is going to judge all of the dead. Therefore, He can say to you today that because of who He is, if you will hear His voice and if you will believe in Him, you will be saved.

Challenge:

Confessing Jesus as your Lord and Savior goes beyond merely declaring that with your lips. Confession must also come in the form of your actions and your attitudes. This is made evident by your outward behaviors, proving that you have a strong commitment to Christ. Those that say they are Christian, and yet behave in a manner that is contrary to what Jesus taught and symbolized, are individuals who have not completely surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. Your challenge this week is to conduct yourself in a manner that displays who you are as a true child of God. You accomplish this by showing others the love of God even when they are not treating you in a respectful way. Make the conscious choice to be a joyful person, and notice how others around you will be impacted by your joy. Show your co-worker, your neighbor, or your favorite barista kindness by asking them how they are doing, and expressing a true interest in their answer by inquiring how you might be able to help them in some way. This week, do not just go through the routine motions as you do every other week. Rather, make a conscious effort to display the love that God has shown to you by loving on those around you. May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Have a God centered week,