Most Beloved Son of God, if I want to be able to say that I know You, I must be willing to obey Your commands. If I choose to resist what You ask of me, I am a liar if I say I know You. When I choose to obey, Your love is made complete and it spills out of me in the things that I say and do. If I claim to live for You, I must be willing to walk as You did. As You become a greater part of my life, darkness must fade away and Your light become brighter. I can no longer harbor resentments toward others and say I am a child of Yours because I am allowing darkness to control me. However, if I choose to let Your light shine in me, I will forgive my brother and the darkness will dissipate. Because You are in my life, I know that I am forgiven … nothing is impossible through faith in You … Your love covers and protects me … I’ve been empowered to overcome sin and evil … and I can dwell in peace.
You have cautioned me to not love the world or become entangled in its ways. If I cling to the things of this world, there will be no room for You in my life. For the things of the world … lying, covetousness, boasting, power and slander … have nothing to do with You and come directly from the pit of Hell. I must not forget that the world and everything in it will come to an end, but the things You stand for will last forever. Anyone who indulges themselves with power, wealth and possessions will find it hard to believe that all of this will fade away, but the things that reside in You will last forever. Knowing this should give me the courage and strength to resist the temptations of sin. Because my human nature is weak, I will have a tendency to fall under the influence of sin. However, when I acknowledge all that You’ve done for me, I must realize that clinging to You is my only chance to avoid sin and attain Heaven.
I sometimes struggle to grasp the length and width and depth of the love You lavish upon me each day. Because of the love Your Father has for me, I now can become a child through the work You did to prepare a way. I do not yet know the full extent of what You have planned for me, but I know it is something good. Since I bear a hope and desire to become more like You, I must be willing to separate myself from sin and dedicate my life to righteous service. Because no sin could be found in You, I must not sin if I want to become more like You. If I do the bidding of sin, I make the Devil my master. You came to destroy the works of the Devil and that’s why I, who have been given newness of life, must no longer be joined together with sin. I am seeing more clearly each day that loving You is all about choosing to be like You. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Matthew 16:24-25 If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.