DAILY DEVOTIONAL: TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2020
SCRIPTURE READING
John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Earlier in this chapter, Jesus said we would abide in His love if we keep His commands. Then, here in this verse, Jesus said we would be His friends if we keep His commands. So obeying Jesus means we abide in His love and we are His friends.
Why would we want to be Jesus’ friend?
It’s a great honor to be called the friend of God. The Bible tells us three times that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23; Isaiah 41:8; 2Chronicles 20:7). What an honor for Abraham!
Would you like to be Jesus’ friend?
We are Jesus’ friend if we do everything He commands, and the best way to do everything He commands is to love Him. It’s just like our Daddy and Mommy. We love them by obeying them and we obey them by loving them. To love is to obey and to obey is to love. This is what John, the disciple Jesus loved, tells us about loving God:
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1John 5:3).
John says to love God is to keep His commandments, and keeping God’s commands is no heavy burden for us.
Little children, don’t think of obeying God as a punishment Christians have to put up with. Obeying God is a privilege for us.
What’s really a pain to endure is disobeying God. Many boys and girls suffer many difficult things because their Daddies and Mommies never tell them God’s commands and never remind them to obey God. In fact, many Daddies and Mommies hurt their sons and daughters by never telling them to love God at all.
Can you imagine growing up in a home where you are never taught God’s commands and never told the stories of Jesus life and never told of Jesus’ death for sinners? Wouldn’t this be sad?
Lots of times adults will ask you what you want to be when you grow up?
Tell them you want to be a godly man who loves Jesus and obeys everything He commands.
What happiness there is when we are the friends of God!
Scripture: John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
QUESTIONS
- Who are Jesus’ friends?
- Can you name one of Jesus’ commands?
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
SONG OF THE WEEK
Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus! Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son!
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s Glory, Joy, and Crown!
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight
And all the twinkling starry host:
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be Thine!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
I thank You, Father, that there is in Jesus a friend who sticks closer than a brother; closer even than any friend I could ever hope for on earth. Wicked men, thinking to mock Jesus, referred to Him as “a friend of sinners.” But this was to His glory, for He is indeed the sinner’s friend. Much more than a friend; He is to those Who know Him the source of eternal life! O Father, help me to trust completely in the friendship of Jesus, finding my whole joy and salvation in knowing Him. Amen.
SCRIPTURE MEMORY THIS WEEK
John 15:9-10 (KJV)
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
