| Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
God’s commands are for our benefit. But how often do we consider them a list of do’s and don’ts? We are missing God’s heart, which is that His commands are to help us live lives that are pleasing to God.
Why do we resist and rebel against God’s commands? We think we know what is best for us and want to do what we want.
In Exodus 20: 14-16, God commands, “You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.”
- You shall not commit adultery. Remember, this is written to God’s people. Adultery is a sin! Adultery is being sexually intimate and connected to another person that is not your spouse. It may be accepted and applauded in our culture today, but it is a sin!
- You shall not steal. Stealing is taking something that is not yours. We see this in our culture today: people walk into a store and take whatever they want, and employees are told not to stop them. Our actions have no consequences, and we wonder why we are in a mess as a nation.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
These may sound outdated and not be a big deal today, but for Jesus’s followers, they are God’s commands for our lives.
I cannot change anyone else, but I must choose to follow God’s commands for my life. As parents, we must clearly state: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Lord, help me to know your heart for me! You know what is best for my life! So, I surrender my will to Your will today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pastor Ronald Squibb has been the International Christian Church (ICC) Lead Senior Pastor at Staten Island, New York, since 2011. He draws many experiences from his over 40 years as a pastor and significant emotional life experiences.
His new book, Following the Journey with Jesus, which he co-authored with Daniel McNaughton, was recently published and is getting rave reviews. His daily devotional appears in this publication.
