Scripture: – “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” – 1 John 2:6
Examination: John writes about the character of a true Christian and how it should manifest itself through love. He goes on to explain that the love of God should flow from us to others, and that if we truly belong to God, we will strive to obey His Word.
Application: Loving others doesn’t come easy for many people, even Christians. The reasons are many, but to God, none of them matter. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus told us, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”. He tells us the reason why in the next verse, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…”
Jesus is our example to follow. As we let Him lead us, we must strive to be like Him. This is exactly what the Father is making us into… the image of His Son. In Romans 8:29, Paul states this about God, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” This is an ongoing process as Philippians 1:6 states, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” God is transforming us into the image of His beloved Son so that we can reflect Him to a lost and dying world. Our reflection needs to be one of godly love.
Jesus told His followers in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” The more we devote ourselves to prayer and Bible study, the more we learn what it means to follow Jesus. However, it doesn’t just happen. It is a decision each one of us must make. As Joshua said, “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve;” (Joshua 24:15)
As January comes to a close, and we look forward to the rest of 2026, let us determine to pray a little more, study the Scriptures a little more, and let God lead a whole lot more! Let’s dedicate the rest of 2026 to be more aligned to the will of God by following Him faithfully, reading His Word, and spending more time on our knees.
Memory Verse: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” – 1 John 4:11
More like the Master I would ever be,
More of His meekness, more humility;
More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,
More consecration for work He bids me do.
Take Thou my heart, I would be Thine alone;
Take Thou my heart and make it all Thine own.
Purge me from sin, O Lord, I now implore,
Wash me and keep me Thine forevermore.
More like the Master I would live and grow;
More of His love to others I would show;
More self-denial, like His in Galilee,
More like the Master I long to ever be.
Take Thou my heart, I would be Thine alone;
Take Thou my heart and make it all Thine own.
Purge me from sin, O Lord, I now implore,
Wash me and keep me Thine forevermore.
(from “More Like the Master” by Chas. H. Gabriel)