IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. 1 John 3;22-24.

C T Studd awakened early, searching the scriptures by candlelight. ‘Whatever are you doing, Charlie, asked his room mate?’ ‘I am checking how many of the Lord’s commandments I obey; and how many I disobey.’ WEC international with 1000 missionaries showed how the Lord had blessed C T Studd‘s faithful following..

This call to obey Christ runs through all Scripture. John claims extraordinarily, ’Whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.’ Prayer’s secret response rests in fulfilling God’s decrees, and pleasing Him in all that is done. Some believers do not know the God who answers their prayer: while others live solely to please their Lord, rather than themselves.

John continued, ‘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.’ (v23)

We fulfil His mandate when we firmly trust in the powerful Name of our Lord Jesus. Then the love of God will be shed abroad in or hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given to us.’ ‘He who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and he in us, by the Spirit He has given us.’ (v24) Possessing the Holy Spirit is God’s evidence of our obedience to Him. Do you treasure His directive?

At the conclusion of a full life, following His Lord, John wrote, ‘This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. ‘He added this special word, ‘His commandments are not grievous.’ (1 John 5:3) The amplified New Testament reads,’ these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous)

God’s discontents often grumble at the unreasonableness, or the weight or hindrance in total obedience to the will of God. The reverse is actually true.

Every home displays this truth, as Dad or Mum tell their children, ’Honour your father and mother that your days shall be long in the Land the Lord gives you: adding Johnny/Suzy, ’If you love me, as you say, you will obey your Daddy and Mummy. God has marvellous promises for you.

The 119^th Psalm of David powerfully illustrates this glorious truth. ‘Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.(v1) God’s law lightens our walk. ‘Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart. (v2) Faithful followers reap a harvest of blessing when they regard His laws or commandments. Stewart resigned his school principalship to become foremost director of an international bible college. God richly endowed him.

‘They walk in His ways’ (v3), teaching us that our daily path should be obedient, while Verse 4 defines how ‘You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently.’ So that ‘if you love me you will surely keep My ways.’

David further cried to God, ‘Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes.’

His heart cry urged compliance with the revealed will of the Lord. How is yours?

He cried again, ‘I will keep your statutes, Oh, do not forsake me utterly.’(v8) An obedient life jealously guards faith in a beloved Lord.

David discusses the integrity of a young man, when he said, ’How can a young man cleanse his way, by taking heed according to your Word.’ (v9) We safely pursue God’s chastity amidst drastic changes in puberty to adulthood.

David saw how easily we can abandon our noblest plans, ‘With my whole heart I have sought you; Oh, let me not wander from your commandments.’(v10) God’s athlete does not deviate from the unswerving track to the tape. Nor should we!

The word of God has been ingrained on the heart of the believer, causing David to write, ‘your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against YOU. (v11) Daily bible reading, meditating and memorisation of that eternal truth is implied in being hidden in the heart. Older saints will tell how the Lord enriches them in daily absorbing the word. Is it your secret delight?

David knew that His commandments are joyful and not irksome or grievous, ‘I will delight myself in your statutes, I will not forget your word.’ (v16) Each saint subscribes to God’s wisdom in keeping His unmistakable direction for life.

God led me from a banking career to a WW11 military hospital, medical training, missionary work in South East Asia, family medicine and bible teaching. Oh, the joy of following our beloved Lord, enjoying sweet fellowship with Him, shared with a beloved wife of 63 years and six beautiful children plus grand children.

Before our Lord turned to the parable of building on the rock foundation or on the sand, HE said, ’ Why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?’ Correct language recognised the Lord, but the heart attitude was off course. Our Saviour did not search for verbal correctness, but for recognising the truth of our Lord. Our living should match our profession of the Lord?

A certain woman from the crowd raised her voice, contending, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you.’ (Luke 11:27) Did she exalt Mary, the mother of our Lord? Our Lord responded, ‘Instead of that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.’ Greater than Mary’s unique privilege was our guarding and cherishing of the precious Word of God. Recently English and native translators completed the Kriol bible for an aboriginal tribe. It was the first complete indigenous bible in our nation’s history. They rejoiced with this precious heritage. We underestimate the worth of our most valued possession, God’s word.

We are commanded to follow our Lord’s example; for having washed His disciples’ feet, HE said ‘I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. If you know these things, happy (blessed) are you, if you do them.’ (John 13:7)