Our Blueprint for Living Holy unto God--The Ten Commndments

God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone to give us hearts of flesh. Do you know all of them? Have you obeyed them?

1. Do not have any other gods before me. I am the one True God.
2. Do not make or worship idols. Don't let anything become more important than God.
3. Do not misuse God's name. Only say His name with reverence.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. God worked six days and rested one day. He wants rest for us too.
5. Honor your father and your mother. Show them respect and appreciation.
6. Do not murder. Do not kill another person out of anger or malice.
7. Do not commit adultery. Husbands and wives should not have close relationships with others of the opposite sex.
8. Do not steal. Do not take what is not yours. The cure for stealing is work. Work so you can give to others.
9. Do not lie. Do not say things that are not true.
10. Do not covet. Be content with what you have.

Can you keep all these? The truth is we cannot. Although we may think we haven't disobeyed God, He looks into our hearts and He has a different value system. Jesus said for a person to be angry at another person was the same as murder. He also said for a man to look with desire at another woman besides his wife is adultery. These are hard standards because they are God's ways. We may think that we are better than someone else, but the only person we should compare ourselves with is Jesus because HE is the only perfect one.

Jesus reduced the Ten Commandments to Two:

• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and
• Love your neighbor as yourself.

To be close to God, we cannot have sin in our lives. He knew we would choose our ways instead of His, so He made a way for us to have a relationship with Him. He loved us so much He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sin.  When we admit our need of Jesus in our lives, believe that He died to forgive us, and confess our sin and ask Him into our hearts, we will live with Him forever. He promises He will never leave us but will always be with us, through good times and bad.

When you follow Jesus' ABC plan, He will never leave you but always be with you, to encourage, inspire and comfort you. I hope if you haven't, you will. I'm praying for you.

• Admit
• Believe
• Confess

Lord Jesus, I am praying for the ones reading this post. Give them new hearts to love you. Amen.