1 Samuel 30:6 – “David strengthened himself in the LORD.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I began to have something unfold that will require a great deal of time to unravel fully.  I will share excerpts and hope they resonate.

In 1 Samuel 30:6, it says, “David strengthened (va-yit-chazek) himself in the LORD.”   God identified David as being a man after His own heart.  David trusted God completely.  That’s why he could refrain from retaliation against Saul, Absalom, and others who wronged him.   Love was a motivator.

In 1 John, the apostle John reveals the key to assurance of salvation.   Through the years, I have observed things inconsistent with the heart of Jesus in people.  One of the pieces of evidence of salvation is love.  Not just loving God but actively loving people.   That is a sticking point for many.  Biblical love demonstrated!

John gives several identifying marks of Christianity.   One is obedience to Jesus’ commands.   In 1 John 2:6, he reminds us that if we claim to be a Christian, we are to live in the same manner as Jesus.   That certainly includes how we respond to others.

Hate and salvation are incompatible.  I have heard more justifications than I can remember, and none of them pass the biblical smell test.   If we hate, we do not love, and if we do not love others, we cannot claim to love God.  1 John 2:9-10 reveals the true condition of our hearts.

1 John 3:17-22 is challenging on many levels.   If we see a need, have the ability to help, and remain unmotivated and ignore it, is that love?  It’s not our profession, but our actions, which reveal our true spiritual condition.   Love gives us confidence of our salvation.

1 John 3:14-15 provides a means to have settled assurance of our salvation.   Love for others.  Just because you responded to an altar call does not give assurance, but love (genuine, active love does).   1 John 3:17-24 reveals how we can know we are saved.   True compassion and generosity that compels us.

Benevolence alone is not the key, but the heart that is so filled with love that it acts.  1 John 4:17 is powerful, “By this, has love been perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world.”

Then, verse 18 has a two-fold application.  If we are filled with love (active love), there is no place for fear.    Perfected love eliminates fear.

Through love, we are free to love actively.  God’s love flowing to us and through us is both evidence of our salvation for us and a witness to the world.

We have no justification to hate.  People do bad things because of bad hearts, so we should not hate them, but hate the motivator for them to act as they do.   Jesus never hated people.  He identified evil and exposed sin, but NEVER hated people.

1 John 3:23 won’t leave my thoughts.  “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, AND (we bypass that part) love one another, JUST AS He gave a commandment to us.” Therefore, love is not optional.

My continual prayer is, “Lord, help me to genuinely love with an active love.”

May this day be a day of incredible victory for each of you!