Scripture Reading

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Insight on the Word

Wouldn’t it be great to have God the Father and His son Jesus to be your very best friends. Well, we do not have to dream or imagine; the truth is both the Father and the Son, have promised to abide or live with us! But there are conditions to this promise.

Jesus tells us in this verse we are to do two things: 1) We are to “love” Him, and 2) We are to “keep” His words. Only then do we have the promise of the Father and the Son abiding with us. What does it mean to “love” and “keep” His words?

Moses, a man who was close to God like no other (Deuteronomy 34:10-12), said: “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) That is, God is to be in our heart or in the center of all that we think, say, and do. Our soul (our feelings and emotions) are to be good and loving toward God. All of our might (strength) of our body is to be used for God and His glory.

Jesus also told us we are to “keep” His words. The word “keep” comes from the Greek word “tereo,” and means “to guard, by keeping the eye upon.” We are to keep our eyes upon God’s Words; guarding lest at any time we would let them slip (Hebrews 2:1). To “keep” God’s Word is to give attention to His words; to incline our ear; to keep them in view; and to keep them in our heart. (Proverbs 4:20-27) Simply put to “keep” God’s Word is to be a doer of that word (Matthew 7:24-27; Romans 2:13)!

Today, live your life loving God and keeping His word. Believe the promise of Jesus: “my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Speak the Word — I love God and keep His word; God abides with me! (John 14:23)

Daily Bible Reading — Numbers 31 – 33