Thoughts for the Quiet Hour - June 18
The secret to walking closely with Christ and working successfully for Him is to fully realize and believe God's love for us.
D.L. Moody emphasizes the profound impact of understanding God's love for us, which is essential for walking closely with Christ and serving Him effectively. He illustrates how recognizing that we are God's beloved can transform our hearts, igniting a passionate response of love and faith. This realization fosters a deep trust in God's promises and turns our sacrifices into joyful acts of love. Moody highlights that this understanding was the key to John's spirit and encourages believers to embrace this truth for a life of enthusiastic service. Ultimately, knowing and believing in God's love empowers us to overcome discouragement and live out His highest will.
Text
We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. --1 John 4:16
The secret of walking closely with Christ, and working successfully for Him, is to fully realize that we are His beloved. Let us but feel that He has set His heart upon us, that He is watching us from those heavens with tender interest, that He is working out the mystery of our lives with solicitude and fondness, that He is following us day by day as a mother follows her babe in his first attempt to walk alone, that He has set His love upon us, and, in spite of ourselves, is working out for us His highest will and blessing, as far as we will let Him, and then nothing can discourage us. Our hearts will glow with responsive love.
Our faith will spring to meet His mighty promises, and our sacrifices shall become the very luxuries of love for one so dear. This was the secret of John's spirit. "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us." And the heart that has fully learned this has found the secret of unbounded faith and enthusiastic service. --A. B. Simpson
Sermon Outline
- The Secret of Walking Closely with Christ
- Fully Realizing God's Love
- Feeling God's Tender Interest
- Understanding God's Solicitude and Fondness
Key Quotes
“The secret of walking closely with Christ, and working successfully for Him, is to fully realize that we are His beloved.” — D.L. Moody
“Our hearts will glow with responsive love. Our faith will spring to meet His mighty promises, and our sacrifices shall become the very luxuries of love for one so dear.” — D.L. Moody
Application Points
- We can have unbounded faith and enthusiastic service by fully learning and believing God's love for us.
- Our hearts will glow with responsive love when we fully realize God's love and tender interest in our lives.
- By allowing God to work out His highest will and blessing in our lives, we can work successfully for Him.