Obedience out of Love..

"If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

If you love me, let it be evident as you fear, love, and trust in me above all things. If you love me, let it be evident as you use my name to sing my praises rather than using it to curse and swear. If you love me, let it be evident by the way you use the gospel in Word and Sacrament, make it a priority rather than a convenience. If you love me, let it be evident by the way you love and respect your parents and grandparents, pastors and teachers, leaders in the church and leaders in the government. If you love me, let it be evident as you protect and preserve my precious gift of life I’ve given to you and to others and to those yet to be born. If you love me, let it be evident by the way you love and serve your spouse, by living a pure and decent life in thought, word, and action. If you love me, let it be evident by the way you use the physical blessings I’ve given you, storing up treasures in heaven rather than storing up treasures on earth. If you love me, let it be evident by the way you speak up, defend, and protect the good names of others rather than gossiping about them when they’re not around. If you love me, let it be evident by being content with what I’ve given you, knowing you have what I want you to have, rather than spending countless hours coveting the stuff I’ve given to others and want them to have. If you love me, let it be evident by loving and serving others as I have loved and served you, forgiving others as I have forgiven you. And if you love me, let it be evident by caring for the orphans & widows in their distress.

And if you love me, let it be evident that you do not cherish the things that are in this world..the craving for sensual gratification, the greedy longings of the mind and the assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things--these do not come from the Father but are from the world. This world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

“The Holy Spirit will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”