CONFIDENCE TOWARD GOD
1 JOHN 3:18-23
1 JOHN 3:18-23 NKJV
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
OBSERVATION:
This is an important passage. How to have confidence toward God and how to receive from Him. The key to both is love.
John is encouraging the believers to not pay lip service to love but to love with actions and truth. No hype or hidden agenda, just an unselfish approach to others that results in positive actions.
But we should not write off this directive or dismiss it as a low-priority item. Walking in this active, visible love is how we assure or persuade our hearts before God.
When our actions are harsh, unkind, ungracious, and self-seeking it takes a toll on our hearts. Our own hearts will condemn us. And if our own heart is condemning us, we know God knows what we have done. When our hearts are giving us a hard time, we have a harder time having confidence toward God.
But if our heart does not condemn us and we are walking in the light we have, then we have a confidence toward God. We are treating God's children right, and that gives us confidence that we are on the right track. And a confident heart helps us walk confidently with God. When we have confidence toward God, we are ready to ask Him for anything that lines up with His will. And this confidence helps us receive from Him. Keeping His commandment to walk in love and doing what is pleasing in His sight is a big key to quality fellowship with the Lord.
APPLICATION:
We will never be able to get away or minimize the importance of walking in love. Jesus commanded it of us, and it's vital to our relationship with the Lord and our Heavenly Father.
But if we view this love walk as weak or too risky, or a heavy burden, we will not make growing in love a high priority. And though it's much easier to live selfishly, the return on that lifestyle is not desirable.
Loving our brother/sister in Christ and doing the things that please God is not the easiest way to live. But when is the easiest way the best way?
What is much more profitable is having a confidence in our hearts and a confidence with God. More challenging, yes, absolutely. But much more rewarding. In this life and the life to come.
PRAYER:
Thank You, Heavenly Father, that I can walk in love and do what pleases You. And thank You I can receive from You in confidence.