1 John 4:7

Devotional Thoughts

By David Wilkerson

From the very foundations of the earth, God foresaw a body of believers joined to his Son. Jesus testifies, “I was my Father’s daily delight, the joy of his being. And now all who turn to me in faith are his delight as well” (see these prophetic words of Christ in Proverbs 8:30-31).  

How do we show our love for Jesus? John answers: “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

And what are his commandments? Jesus says, in essence, there are two: “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40).

The first and most important commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. We are to hold back nothing from him. And the second is that we love our neighbor as ourselves. These two simple commands sum up all of God’s law.

Jesus is actually saying here that we cannot walk in God’s glory if we bear a grudge against anyone. Therefore, loving God means loving every brother and sister in the same way we have been loved by the Father.

“If anyone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21). “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (verse 8).

We can praise God with upraised arms, pray to him every day, and spend hours studying his Word, but if we are bitter and unforgiving toward anyone, it is all in vain.

If you are in such a state, tell God you are sorry. But take an added step and be reconciled with that person so you can enjoy true intimacy with the Father.