1 John 5
October 18, 2022
“This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.” (v2)
While it’s true that one cannot love God without also loving His children (4:20), it’s also true that we cannot love God’s children without loving God and obeying His commands (v2). This is why I often say that the best gift we can give the people we care about is our obedience to God. Obeying God will always lead to (an eventual) blessing for believers in our sphere of influence. Not that I don’t want to be intentional in looking for ways to love people like they’re seeking to be loved, but this verse simplifies for me the best way I can love them: by loving God and obeying His commands.
Father, You know that it’s my desire to love Your people well: my wife, my children, my family and friends, my church family. And I pray for discernment to know if there are specific ways I can do that. But I also pray that I would lean into this verse. Help me to trust that the best gift I can give the people I care about is my love for You and my obedience to You.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
