| Abiding in God's Love |
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1 John 4:16-17, Jude 1:21 (GNB)
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. *and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. *and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.
One of the ways to guard our conscience and increase our boldness is to abide in God's love. We abide in God's love by being conscious of it and by showing or reflecting that love unto others. The reason that God loves us is simply because He has chosen to do so. God loves us because He is love. That is His nature and He wants that to be our nature too. Jesus said we should love one another as He loves us, John 13:34. Like God, we should love people not because they deserve it but because love is our nature. God has asked us to love like Him because He has given us the ability to do so.All we need do is allow God's love nature to mature and be perfected in us. Our text above says that as we remain in God's love, we remain in God and God remains in us. While on earth, Jesus spoke a lot about love and our relationship with others. In Matt.5:23-24, Jesus instructed us to make peace with anyone we have an issue with before bringing our gift to God. Similarly, 1Peter 3:7 talks about a man treating his wife well, so his prayers will not be hindered. Not walking in love can hinder our prayers and relationship with God.
You can overcome the negative attitude of others with God's love. See such negative attitudes as opportunities for God's nature of love to develop in you. As we mature in God's love instead of fear and guilt, our consciences will be clear and our boldness will increase. We will then look forward to the rewards of our labour of love.
PRAYER FOCUS: Receive grace from God right now to abide in His love, to see others as equal bearers of the image of God and to love them just the way that God loves you..
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