The cure for being single when nothing else has workedIf You Love Me….
Article by Felton LThompkins
© Copyright 2006 by Felton L.Thompkins
How many times have you heard this verse of Scripturequoted to you: “If you love me, keep my commandments.”John 14:15, and instead of it being an inspiration, it notonly made you cringe, but it also made you feel like you werecondemned of God, and condemned by the person that so graciously quoted it to you?
Well, fret not! We have all been there, and we will probablyend up there again at some point, if we are not exposed tothe truth.
What I would like to address in this article is our ability,or lack of ability, to experience the “true” love of God.This has been a stumbling block for men since thebeginning of the ages. I believe it even started with Adam in the Garden. Furthermore, let me express toyou that I don’t consider myself to have arrived, nor doI count myself to have a monopoly on the subject of the”love of God”. My sincere desire is that we all can grow in the grace and love of our Heavenly Father.
In February, 2006 I was watching, the Christian televisionchannel. It was the week of the Super Bowl, and they whereinterviewing a few of the players who would be playing inthe game that night. Although I can’t remember whichplayer said this or what team he was from, I do rememberthat the guy said this was one of his favorite verses.”If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 Wow! For the first time ever, I heard it right. The Lord communicated to me, that this verse was not saying, that if I keep His commandments, then He will love me. For so many years I had read and heard that verse from a “do-to-be” lovedperspective.
Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Can yousense the passionate plea of our Lord as One talking to Hischildren, knowing that if we would “learn” to take heed ofHis principles and disciplines from a position of love,that then, and only then, can we experience the extraordinaryand abundant way of life and living!
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments:and His commandments are not grievous.” (weighty, burdensome)John 5:3 First and foremost, we must understand that it is “only” the love and grace of God that allow us to keepHis commandments, meaning it’s the unconditional love ofGod, flowing from God to the believer. “Cause me to hearthy loving kindness…” Psa.143:8 The Psalmist expresses his desire to know the love of God, experientially and passionately, not just intellectually, and theologically.Unfortunately, the latter two are the only way most of us have experienced and will ever experience anything of God.
We must learn how, and continue to know and receive the loveof God, not just from a theological or an intellectual position, but rather from a position of knowing His passion for the believer, and learning to share in that passion in a genuine love relationship with our Lord and Saviour.
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It’s funny how at the time of our accepting the Lord Jesusas Saviour we experience, and accept, the unconditional loveof God. Yet, somewhere along the way we have this tendencyto forget that it is His gift to all who will believe.
Well, until you hear from me again, let us all rememberthat it is “by grace that we are saved, through faith andthat not of ourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works,lest any of us should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9
About the Author
Felton L. Thompkins is a native Atlantan, now making his home in Jacksonville,FL. He is a lover of God and of people, his interest include golfing, music, Internet Marketing, and Real Estate Invesment. Felton L. Thompkins, The Newbies Advocate.http://www.Simplyeshop.comhttp://tinyurl.com/yab6aa
