DEVOTIONAL

Prayer : Father, I thank for this new day and a new beginning in my life may everything I do and say bring glory to you. As I read your most holy word, please speak to me, encourage me, and help me to live out your words through Jesus Christ my Lord, through Him and in Him in the unity of the Holy spirit all Honour and Glory be yours today and always. Amen

Invitation to Confession : Father God I come before your throne of grace and mercy, I confess and acknowledge I have sinned against you in thought and deed, today I ask to forgive me and, in your grace, purify my heart, cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. And in your great love lead me and help me to walk in the paths of righteousness, so that I may bring glory to you the one triune God. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. I now receive your forgiveness and mercy in the name of my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ 

Praise and worship : Psalm 108:1-5 “My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth”.                                         

Worship song :  I love you Lord (Laurie Klein)
I love You Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
O my soul rejoice
Take joy my King
In what You hear
May it be a sweet sweet sound
In Your ear

God’s words : John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands”. 

Devotional : Jesus spoke these words to His disciples’ hours before He went to the cross the place of Isolation and suffering, a place where He demonstrated the greatest act of love in the history of the world, His death on the cross where He the lamb of God would take the sin of the world so that I could be forgiven and given a new life and hope. As I reflect on John 14:15, what is Jesus saying to me, what’s he saying to all who believe in Him and have chosen to follow Him? It’s interesting that Jesus begins by saying, “If you love me.” I note that it’s easy to say I love Jesus, but that’s not enough if we truly love Jesus, I need to show that love in all we do and say. If I profess to love Jesus than I will obey and live out and keep His commandments. 

Jesus says the following:-

v21: “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.

v23: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word.”

v24: “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.”

If I keep Jesus commandments it shows that I love Him and why do I love Him? I love Him because of what he did and has done for me on the cross and all that he has done in my life and because of who He is. God didn’t wait for me to love Him before He loved me, He showed His love while I was a sinner. Jesus says in John 14:21 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 

Here I am reminded of something fantastic, the one who loves Jesus will be loved by God. What an amazing and wonderful truth that those who love Je-sus are loved by God. I am loved by God; you are loved by God.  This is something I need to believe deep down in my most inner being, to be loved by God is an assurance that helps me feel secure that He has a purpose and plan for my life and a knowledge that He is fully of mercy and compassion. How does God love me day by day: for me I believe God shows his love through His amazing forgiveness and grace and honours me by using me to be His hands, voice and feet. 

How do I show love Jesus? Is it just about obeying and keeping and living out His commands. Loving Jesus is also about worshipping him and giving Him the glory, He is worthy of. It’s about enjoying His presence and seeing Him as my treasure. Loving Jesus is delighting in who He and what He done. Loving Jesus is also delighting in His commands and shouldn’t be a burden but a joy. What really is encouraging for us is the promises given to His disciples that He will be with them through the Holy spirit is the promise for all those who love and follow Jesus. I love v23 “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” 

Wow what an amazing truth that the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, will be with me forever and to all those that love Him. In my life I want to grow to love Jesus and love His commands not as something burdensome but a delight. I don’t think I have really grasped how much God loves me/us.  It was on the cross God showed his love. Paul said in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. 

Personal Prayers : 

Closing Prayer : Dear Lord Jesus, you said “If you love me, keep my commands”. I confess sometimes I fail to do this, please forgive me and show me mercy. Please will you help to love you more and in the power of the Holy spirt live according to your commandments. Help me to obey you with a joyful heart. Thank you for your love to-wards me that you have shown me on the cross and day by day. “Will you today “Heal my heart and make it clean Open up my eyes to the things unseen Show me how to love like You have loved me Break my heart for what breaks Yours Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause in Jesus name Amen.