Today's Scripture:
John 14:15-21

Key Verse:
John 14:15

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."

The Point:

A Thriving Heart Loves and Obeys God

Love is more than an emotion; it is a choice that results in action. Obedience is the visible expression of our love for Christ. A heart that has been revived does not see obedience as a burden, but as a joy; the joy of pleasing the One who saved us. Jesus makes this clear in today's Key Verse John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Our obedience is not about earning God's favor or checking spiritual boxes. (1 Samuel 15:22) It is the natural overflow of a heart surrendered to Him. Too often, we say we love God with our lips, yet our actions betray divided loyalties. True revival is not a fleeting passion at the altar but a steady, daily resolve to follow Christ, even though it's difficult. A revived heart doesn't look for loopholes or excuses; it simply asks, "Lord, what would You have me do?" Jesus Himself obeyed the Father even unto death on the cross. (Philippians 2:8) He calls us to walk that same path of surrender, not out of duty, but out of devotion. (James 1:22) Our obedience should reflect the depth of our love for Him, proving with our lives what our lips proclaim in worship.

1 Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

Philippians 2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

Illustration:

Jim Elliot was a missionary who, along with four others, went to the unreached Huaorani people of Ecuador in the 1950s. Many warned him not to go, because it was too dangerous, the tribe was violent, and the mission seemed impossible. Yet Elliot obeyed God's call because he loved Christ more than his own safety.

In 1956, Jim Elliot and his team were killed by the very people they tried to reach. From the world's perspective, that looked like failure. But from heaven's perspective, it was obedience. Years later, through the continued ministry of the missionaries' wives, many in that tribe came to Christ.

Jim Elliot once wrote in his journal: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose."

God will bless a heart of obedience to Him!

Study Today's Scripture (John 14:15-21) and answer these Reflection Questions

1. Begin with honesty before God: What sin do I need to confess today to walk in obedience?
2. Look at the pattern of my daily life: In what areas am I quick to obey God, and where do I tend to hesitate or resist?
3. Consider the decisions I've been delaying: What step of obedience have I been putting off, and what is holding me back?
4. Examine how my love shows itself: How can I demonstrate my love for Jesus through action today, not just words or feelings?