The Difference: Black vs. White; Lies vs. Truth; Hate vs. Love
“Just as the Father has loved Me,
(The Gospel According to John 15: 9-12 NASB)
I have also loved you;
abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love;
just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be made full.
This is My commandment, that you love one another,
just as I have loved you.”
“Just as the Father has loved Me, . . .”
Consider Jesus’ truth revealed in this statement. We speak all the time how God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to us so that we might (through Jesus) come to know God. However, do we ponder the truth Jesus revealed when He spoke about Father God’s love for Him?
- Jesus is God.
- God is the Son.
- Holy Spirit of God is God.
Holy Spirit of God is Jesus, the Son sent to us!
They are the same, three in One; they are One Being, and so, God sent Himself to us!
Do not miss that truth.
Jesus tells us that the Father loves Him. Then Jesus tells us that He loves us JUST AS THE FATHER LOVES HIM!
“Just as the Father has loved Me,
I have also loved you; . . .” (The Gospel According to John 15: 9a NASB)
Consider the depth of this truth.
Do not run away from this amazing love!
- Embrace it.
- Accept it.
- Cherish it.
- Walk within it.
Abide right there—in the Amazing Love of God!
“Just as the Father has loved Me,
I have also loved you;
abide in My love.” (The Gospel According to John 15: 9 NASB)
If we stop reading John’s Gospel right there—“My love”—then life is good, but you and I live in this flesh-driven world, the sphere where the devil exists, seeking whom he may devour. God knows where we live, where we exist because He is the one who placed us here.
Maybe that is why Jesus states what we must do—
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love;
just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (The Gospel According to John 15: 10 NASB)
Consider the depth of this truth.
- Jesus kept Father God’s commandments.
- Jesus expects us to obey the Father just as He did.
Jesus knows that we need to be reminded—
“If you keep My commandments,
- you will abide in My love;”
Jesus knows that we need His teaching, His guidance, His example—
“just as I have kept My Father’s command
- and abide in His love.” (The Gospel According to John 15: 10 NASB)
WOW!
There is a HUGE DIFFERENCE between Black & White, between Lies & Truth, and between Hate & Love.
We know because the Bible tells us so.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
(The Gospel According to John 10: 10 NASB)
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
I absolutely love how our Father makes His Word so easy to memorize. Truly, what is easier than 10: 10?!!!
We must remember how the devil will always fight against anything that is Good, that is Lovely, that is Beautiful, that is a gift from God.
- Therefore, we must be armored up!
- Therefore, we must be on guard!
- Therefore, we must be Scripture-Ready!
- Therefore, we must walk through our days just as Jesus told us to walk—
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you,
(The Gospel According to John 15: 11-12 NASB)
and that your joy may be made full.
This is My commandment, that you love one another,
just as I have loved you.”
- Whatever relationship is lovely.
- Whatever relationship is good.
- Whatever situation is pure.
- Whatever situation is of a good report.
Wherever in life the Christian is enjoying the bountiful love only Holy God provides—
the destroyer, the deceiver, the liar—is sure to do his very best to kill, steal, and break.
We know because the Bible tells us so.
“He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth
(The Gospel According to John 8: 44b NASB)
because there is no truth in him.
Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Therefore, we are told to be prepared, to be ready, to be alert, to be watchful, to be armored-up, to always be down on our knees praying, interceding, praising, thanking, seeking, asking, rejoicing, and humbling ourselves to the most-giving, most-Holy, most-amazing, & most-loving God.
- We know because God sent His Son.
- We know because the Bible tells us so.
Christ Jesus left the glory of heaven, clothed Himself in human flesh, came as a babe born in a lowly manger, walked on earth as the Man of God, even though He is the Son of God. Jesus did this for us, all because He was obedient to the Father’s commandments.
Christ Jesus humiliated Himself by hanging on Calvary’s cross.
Christ Jesus did this for us!
There is a HUGE Difference between: Black vs White; Lies vs Truth; Hate vs Love!
The Difference: HIS NAME IS JESUS!
We know because the Bible tells us so.
- While we were walking through life still trapped in our sins—Christ Died for Us!
- While we were walking through life still trapped in darkness—Christ Died for Us!
- While we were walking through life still trapped in Satan’s lies—Christ Died for Us!
- While we were walking through life still trapped in Satan’s hate—Christ Died for Us!
This Christmas season as we await the birthday of God’s only begotten Son—
Let us be about our Father’s business as we obey our Father’s commandments (just as Jesus leads us to do through His example).
This Christmas season, as we enjoy the bounty of God’s love—
Let us remember how there are still so many who remain trapped, who remain lost, who remain blind to the light because they are trapped in the dark lies of the devil.
This Christmas season—
Let us love others, just as the Father loves us!
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 5: 8 NASB)
Christ died for us.”