Good morning people who live according to God’s Word

Sometimes the most powerful instructions from God are the simple ones; the ones that are so clearly stated. Here is one that is worth meditating on and living today:

John 14:15 (NIV) If you love Me, keep My commands.

Some people try to focus on grace to the exclusion of obedience. Some equate ‘doing what God says’ as legalistic and under the law. This thinking is based on ignorance of the truth of God’s Word and is always damaging to the life of those who live according to it.

Permit me to say it clearly and strongly today: The evidence of the Lordship of Jesus in your life is your obedience. This is also the evidence to people of your love for Him.

Now obedience to what God has said requires grace. That’s right, it requires grace.

Grace is not just the ‘unmerited favour of God’, but it is also ‘empowerment to live godly lives’. Grace is much more powerful than many realise and it takes grace to keep God’s commands. Grace is the ‘divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life’. Grace is the ‘merciful kindness by which God turns people to Christ, keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection and empowers them to the exercise of the Christian virtues; obeying God’s commands’. Grace is powerful and obedience to God’s Word is impossible without it.

“So how is your obedience to God’s Word? How well do you draw upon and live from the grace of God?”