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1 John 3 18-19 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

And hereby we knowknow that we are of the Truth, and shall assureassure our hearts before Him.

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We gain the full assurancefull assurance of our salvation as we live our lives in godly lovegodly love.

A whole-hearted willingness to serveserve and care care forfor one another gives us a clear conscienceclear conscience

Before GodBefore God..

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

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If God loves me, certainlycertainly you should too.

Is your standardyour standard higher than God's?

If our conscienceconscience is troubled, then we need to turn to God in humblehumble

repentance.

If we keepIf we keep a good conscience in the matter of lovelove, then our conscience will bewill be approved of God.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His Commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

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A clear conscience will allow us to pray with pray with confidenceconfidence, expecting to receive.

Not a searedseared or callousedcalloused conscience,

But a clear conscience before Godbefore God.

We must never ignorenever ignore our conscience, because, if we do, after a while it will ceasecease to bother us.

That leads to backslidingbacksliding.

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1 Timothy 4 1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience searedconscience seared with a hot iron;

A sensitive consciencesensitive conscience is a tool of the Holy Spirit to lead us in right paths, and avoid wrong paths.

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ListenListen to the voice of God's Spirit in your heart.

Always comparecompare the voice you hear, with the

Word of GodWord of God.

God's Spirit will nevernever speak contrary to His Word.

To pray with confidenceconfidence,, because we are in good fellowship with our Lordwith our Lord,

Is to receivereceive God's best for us.

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NotNot that I feel "good enoughgood enough" that God shouldshould hear and answer my prayer,

But that I have confessedconfessed my sins and repentedrepented, and am in fellowshipin fellowship with Him.

Whenever our prayers are not being answered,

The problem is not with God,

It is on our end.

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23 And this is His Commandment, That we should believebelieve on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one anotherlove one another, as He gave us Commandment.

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We keep allkeep all of God's Commandments when we love Himlove Him whole-heartedly,

And love one anotherone another the same way.

But we are incapableincapable of loving God and His children, until we believeuntil we believe

On the NameOn the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

We must be born againWe must be born again!!

24 And he that keepeth His Commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.

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John is quoting quoting Jesus here.

The evidenceevidence that the Lord is in our heart

Is that His SpiritHis Spirit is at work in us, producingproducing the fruit of God's characterGod's character in us.

John 15 4-5 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the the branch cannot bear fruit of itselfbranch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can yeno more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much much fruitfruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.

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Too many Christians are straining to bearstraining to bear the fruit of God's Spirit to no avail.

We can notcan not bear fruit of ourselves.

Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith to be faithful, meekness, and temperance

Are not human traitsAre not human traits.

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They are the traits of God, and He willHe will produce them in us, as we submitsubmit to His Spirit.

We are God's childrenGod's children, and He wants His children to be like Himlike Him.

Don't resistDon't resist the Spirit of God;

Submit eagerly to His WorkHis Work in you.

John 15 7-8 If ye abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye willask what ye will, and it shallshall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorifiedFather glorified, that ye bear much fruitbear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.

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When we are abiding in Jesusabiding in Jesus, and His WordsHis Words are abiding in our heart,

Then our will is submitted tosubmitted to and in agreement agreement withwith His Will.

We won't be asking for selfish desiresselfish desires.

Our heart's desire will bewill be that God's Will be done.