John 14:23

 by David Long

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23).

1. "If a man love me" This is the decision of love. We have a choice, to love Jesus or not, to love God or the devil. 

2. "he will" This is the determination of love. If we choice to love Jesus then we must be determined in that love.  Nothing must separate us from the of God.

3. "keep my words" This is the demonstration of love. How do we show Jesus we love Him? By keeping his commandments (John 14:15). 

4. "and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" This is the dividends of love. When we decide to love Jesus, be determined in that love and demonstrate that love then the dividends will be, God will be in our lives. 

Wise men?

 by David Long

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Rom. 1:22). How true of many "educated" people today. In 2006, Todd Friel asked Dan Barker, one of America's leading atheists, "Do you really believe that something came from nothing?" Barker responded with a simple "Yes." Stephen Hawking stated on national television in 2011, "Nothing caused the Big Bang." And those men are supposed to be "educated"? They profess themselves to be wise and many think they are wise, but they are really fools. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God..." (Psa. 14:1). 

Preached that men should repent

 by David Long

"And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent" (Mk. 6:7-12). The twelve preached that men should repent. That was the message of John (Matt. 3:2). That was the message of Jesus (Matt. 4:17) and that is the message of today (Acts 17:30). If we don't repent we will perish (Lk. 13:3, 5). True then and true now! 

In the middle of the seven churches

 by David Long

"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle" (Rev. 1:13). What are the seven candlesticks? "...the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches" (Rev. 1:20). John saw Jesus in the middle of the seven churches dressed in His High priestly garments. Where do we find Jesus? Jesus in in the midst of His churches in His High Priest position. If you are looking for Jesus, look in the churches of Christ. 

Come after me

 by David Long

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Lk. 9:23).

If a person is going come after Christ they must: (1) deny self (disown self; put aside selfish ambition; Phil. 3:7-8) (2) take up his cross daily (Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 15:31); (3) follow Jesus. 

If a person is not willing to do those things, he cannot be a disciple of Christ. "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Lk. 14:27).

Abstain

 by David Long

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication" (1 Thess. 4:3). 

"abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22). 

"Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul" (1 Pet. 2:11). 

Abstain means "to hold oneself off, i.e. refrain; to keep on avoiding doing something - 'to restrain from, to not do, to avoid doing, to keep from doing."

I stand at the door and knock

 by David Long

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20). Notice Jesus is pictured as standing at the door knocking. He is waiting for you to open the door. He will not force His way in. How do we open the door so Jesus can come in? "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). Do you hear Jesus knocking? Will you love Him and obey His words? If you will then Jesus will gladly make His home with you.