1 John 2:5 – But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

The thought here is that God’s love toward you has been brought to its goal when you keep His word. His love accomplishes its aim and reaches its end in producing obedience to Him. When the love of God is perfected in you, it means that you have passed the commandments and you just want to please God. As believers we have the privilege of saying, “Lord, even though I struggle and fall at times, I see the beauty of holiness and the rightness of Your ways, and I desire with all of my heart to do what You say.” If that is your heart, you are in Him. Right at this moment, I ask you to take an inventory of yourself. What is your attitude toward sin? Does sin grieve you? Does sin strain your fellowship with the Lord? Does your sin cause you to cry out, “Oh, God, I’m wrong, and I want to confess the wrong I have done. I want fellowship with You.” On that basis God will restore fellowship with you, and the assurance of salvation comes to your heart. Obedient believers have a deep acquaintance with “God’s love.” Since God is love, to know God intimately is to know His love intimately.

Challenge:

Have you noticed, that there are days that you know you are in God’s will and days that you are not? When you stray from obedience to God’s Word, those are the times when you are not in His will. As a child of God, you not only want to obey the commandments of God, but you also want to obey the Word of God. Because, you want to please the Lord in everything that you do. If you have the Holy Spirit, then He will bring conviction into your heart as an indicator of your disobedience. Conversely, the Spirit places peace in your heart when you are following the Word of God. Your challenge this week is to thank God for the victories of obedience in your life and also confess to Him that you need His help in the areas that you are struggling with most. When the temptation arises to compromise and act in a way contrary to His Word, remember that He is right there to help you make the right choice. When you get angry at someone that hurts you, don’t lash out in response, but respond in a way that brings a peaceful resolution. This week, display your true desire to please Him and obey the Word of God. Be honest and open with the Lord, He wants to help you in your time of need. God bless your week.