Proverbs 3:1-2

Devotional Thoughts

By David Wilkerson

Jesus said the only kind of love acceptable to Him is obedience to His every command — obeying His Word in all things and at all times!

"If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love" (John 15:10). "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). Christ could not have made it plainer: Loving Him means obeying His every command!

But what produces a consistent, lasting obedience? I am convinced that godly, loving obedience springs from one source: the fear of the living God!

Obedience birthed by a true and pious fear of God is love perfected. I offer the following Scripture as proof:

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [a]is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him" (1 John 2:3-5).

Simply put, it all boils down to this: If you truly have the fear of God in you, then you will obey His every word. And by doing that, you will be loving Him in the way He says is acceptable to Him.

If you fear the Lord and obey His Word in all things, you won't have to keep examining your heart to see if you truly love Him. You won't keep trying to measure your love by your tears or lack of tears. You can simply rest in His Word — Christ's very own Word — that your obedience to Him is love!