CHRIST-DAILY
DEVOTIONS
 January 20th

CONFIDENCE

"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God" (I John 3:21).

Our Father is a God full of love for each of us.  Our Father's eternal plan was to have sons who would love Him and let Christ flow through each of them with His love-for-others Spirit and nature.  If we are of truly Spirit birthed of God, we should be seeing His love and righteousness expressed toward one another in and through us (I John 3:10). John states, "this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (I John 3:11).   John declares that, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren" (John 3:14a).  Let us not kid ourselves, John clearly did not make this an option for believers.  John says, "He who does not love his brother abides in death" (John 3:14b).  John tells us whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (John 3:15).  Brothers and sisters, John gave a strong word to us.  We should take it to heart.  We know the agape love of God, because Christ laid down His life for us.  In turn, we should also lay our lives down in agape love for our brothers (I John 3:16).  John implores, that if one should have this world's goods and sees our brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how then does the agape love abide in him? (I John 3:17).

Even though we have focused and discussed agape love, this is the very root source and laid the baseline for true confidence.  John encourages us not just to talk about agape love, but let agape love be expressed in genuine truth (I John 3:18).  When we see the genuine truth of agape love expressed in and through us by Christ in us as us, then the very Christ expression shall assure our hearts before our Father (I John 3:19). Even if our heart should condemn us, we know that God is greater than our heart.  God and His genuine truth of Christ expressing His agape love through us as us is the living reality of His life in us (I John 3:20).  If we see Christ living in us as us, we know that we are living and abiding in His agape love and genuine truth.  Therefore, we can have true confidence toward our Father (I John 3:21).

When we let Christ's agape love flow in genuine truth for others, we start asking for things centered in His agape love, and receive from our Father whatsoever we ask (I John 3:22).  Wow, what genuine confidence we will have in God.  What rapid receiving from God's hand will result from abiding and living in His agape love and will.  Receiving is a result of living in the agape love flow and will of our Father.  Confidence is a result of letting Christ live His life of agape love through us for others!  V

Written by Dwight Davis
Christ-Ministries
 

                                               

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