Our Ability to Obey Him

1 John 4:16-18 

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.  God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.  And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.  So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.  Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.  If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

WE KNOW = conviction, truth, and full trust to draw near to him who loves us.

WE HAVE  = we place our lives in his hand/word/will for our lives b/c we trust him.

WE WILL NOT FEAR = we do not fear b/c we have a peaceful/loving relationship with him.  If he is for us and is ultimate judge; who could be against us?

WE CAN = we approach him without hesitation b/c we have consecrated ourselves, set ourselves apart, and lived a life of obedience in response to his love/commands toward us.

But "IF" 

WE ARE AFRAID = we sense punishment coming b/c of our disobedience/sin/choices

WE HAVE NOT = we are not choosing to further our faith and grow in the grace & knowledge of Jesus our Lord; we don't choose to draw near & we display our unbelief (sin).

~ Let us draw near to him each day and get to know him well; he who Loves us - Jesus.  May our response be a life lived for his will, his purposes, & his glory!  I pray this for each one of you who have been gracefully chosen to be loosed from your former chains of darkness and yolk of slavery; consider yourselves dead & crucified to the old man/nature (Galatians 2:20) - For this is Truth, let your life display it and show the world Jesus is who he is!  The Great I AM!  GOD!

Go now!  Act"S"aved!

Marc.