Living in the Love of God

I read from 1 John and Jude two nights ago. While reading through 1 John, I got to some spots in the book that really hit a soft spot in my heart because it brought me to tears. [I have found that I am getting more and more emotional about the Lord and his perfect love for me]. 1 John chapter 2 talks about Christ as our advocate and not loving the world. As I was reading through this passage, I got stuck on one particular part of verse 14 which says "I write to you, young people, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. John is writing to all ages in this verse, but he writes to the young people to specifically encourage them by saying they are strong because they know the Word, and by knowing it, they overcame the temptation of sin. My study bible says it this way, "As children learn about Christ, they grow in their ability to win battles with temptation. As young adults move from victory to victory, they grow in their RELATIONSHIP with Christ. Older adults, having known Christ for years, have developed the wisdom needed to teach young people and start the cycle all over again." How incredible is that! Each time that we stand strong in the Lord, we grow a little closer to Him. That is such a refreshing thought to motivate us through our future trials.

Along with Chapter 2, Chapter 3 talks about the children of God loving one another. Verse 6 says, " No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." Wow... Major soft spot for me. With the sins I struggle with being more of habitual things, this really opens my eyes to see that my sin not only keeps me distracted from the Lord, but makes it so that I don't even know him. I have been praying for the strength to tackle a few struggles, and I'm starting to see my prayers answered.

There is a verse from Jude that I absolutely adore. It says, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on you most holy faith, PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life." (v 20-21). The Lord has done it again. He has led me to a scripture which is perfect for the situation I'm in. Jude is such a small book, but so powerful when talking about keeping ourselves in the love of God, which means to live close to God and his people. I want to keep myself in the love of the Lord. I feel that the closer I get to Him and the closer I get to my friends and family, the more I am succeeding in living in God's love.