Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name
All oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Even before the prophet Micah delivered this message from God, God delivered this message through Moses to God’s people as the primer to learning what justice, mercy, and walking humbly with God truly means.  These words expand the intention of the Ten Commandments with ways to govern each other.

Exodus 23

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, ³ and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. ⁵ If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

⁶ “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.

⁸ “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

⁹ “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Sabbath Laws

¹⁰ “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, ¹¹ but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

¹² “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.

¹³ “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

The Three Annual Festivals

¹⁴ “Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

¹⁵ “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

¹⁶ “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field.

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.

¹⁷ “Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁸ “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.

“The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.

¹⁹ “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. ²¹ Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. ²² If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. ²³ My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. ²⁴ Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. ²⁵ Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, ²⁶ and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.

²⁷ “I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. ²⁸ I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. ²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

³¹ “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. ³² Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. ³³ Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It all began with Moses’ obedience to God. But through the ages, God’s Law was disastrously misinterpreted or completely ignored!  God was forgotten.  The world was in darkness.  Then Jesus, God’s Son entered the dark, lost world with the Light of God’s Love that drove the darkness away for all who saw the Light and believed!

“Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12 

• “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” –Jesus, Matthew 5:21-22
• “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:25-26
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:27-28

Jesus came to show us how to walk humble with God.  Jesus was counter cultural to the religious who took charge over God, His Law, and His People.  Truly God loved us and sent His Son to set the world right again with the offer to reconcile to God through believing in Jesus.  Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins but before laying down His life for ours; He gave Light to the world by telling and explaining the Truth about God’s Law of Love that the religious leaders were so intent on misinterpreting for their own advantage and power. 

God’s Chosen People were given the His Law for their good and His glory first to Moses to a freed from slavery people who were learning what true justice, mercy, and walking with God meant.  But God’s Law was used and abused, ignored, and even added onto by men who wanted to lord it over the people to whom they were appointed to serve.

The Return to the Law of Love

• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:38-42
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:43-48

Only our perfectly Holy God can make us holy through the sacrifice of Jesus, our Savior, who removed our sins.  We cannot do this for ourselves.  We are not perfect in living here on earth, but we are surely perfectly forgiven and made right with God because of Jesus’ work on the cross.  We cannot “be good” just because we desire it; or walk humbly with God without God helping us.  Jesus knew we would need help after ascending back to heaven to the Father.  So, God sent another gift to believers–the power, wisdom, and guidance of God’s own Holy Spirit who takes up residence without our being! Listen to Him!

Christ is the Lord
Oh praise His name forever
His power and glory
Evermore evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore evermore proclaim

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine

Lord,

I believe and I will always sing of your love, mercy, and grace with every breath within me.

In Jesus Name, for Your glory, Amen! Yes!

“Do you solemnly swear that what you are about to say is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”  Still said today, with one hand on the Bible, before witnessing in front of a judge and jury.

Do you ever wondered where the ideas for the laws and judgements of our land come from?  As we read and study The Law of God given to Moses, we see where it all comes from—from the crimes to punishment—all decided by judges in court who decide who did what with punishments of restitution.  The Law described in detail in Exodus clearly gives humanity the outline for law abiding. 

God began their journey with Him by giving His People the Non-Negotiable Ten Commandments as simple statements that cover all that is for humanity’s good while giving God all the glory for being their God of redeeming rescue, provider, healer, and protector.  But what if, even after all God has done, some people break the Law?  God, who knows us well and knows that there will be some who for whatever reason do not adhere to the Law, presents ways to judge offenders with punishments to deter the perpetrators from sinning again.  God knows we need the discipline of law because left on our own we resort to self-preservation tactics.  Our own American history of pioneers moving west where no law was established proves that without the protection of rules of behavior, we become the “wild west of lawlessness” that leads to disastrous outcomes for humanity—whom God loves. We need laws to guide us and keep us honest.

Exodus 22

Protection of Property

“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

² “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; ³ but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. ⁴ If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.

⁵ “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.

⁶ “If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

⁷ “If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. ⁸ But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other.

¹⁰ “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. ¹² But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. ¹³ If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.

¹⁴ “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. ¹⁵ But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.

Social Responsibility

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress to live.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. ²³ If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴ My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. ²⁶ If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

²⁸ “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

²⁹ “Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons. ³⁰ Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.

³¹ “You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Our nation, under God, was established before getting off the ship from England with the writing of the Mayflower Compact.  These rules and procedure began a government “by the people, for the people” as they rebelled against English rules of submission.  There are many reasons for leaving the tyranny of English rule for this new land called America but one thing is for certain, the settlers were led by God. The Word of God would be their guide for establishing a way to live by the Laws of God. 

Our greatest accomplishment as a nation was the establishment of “checks and balances.”  Three branches of our government oversee the adherence to the laws created to protect us and guide our behaviors toward each other. This 3-pronged approach was simple and clearly stated.  I still remember the words taught to me by my government teacher in seventh grade: The Legislative Branch is made up of representatives of the people, write, edit, revise, and pass new laws by a majority vote. The laws are designed to protect all people.  The Judicial Branch was designed to judge the people who broke the law by giving fair verdicts of restitution with punishments.  The Executive Branch was given the responsibility to enforce the law.  Enforcement was also designed for protecting the innocent while watching over those who might do harm, standing ready to intervene under authority of the Law.  When each branch “stays in their lane” of responsibility; our government is a well-oiled machine for the protection and provision of all people who live what we call the UNITED States. When we do not stay in our lanes; we are less than united.

God’s Design of His Law was for the purpose to unite His People—not separate them from each other or from Him.  God’s People are united by God and His Law for their good and His glory.  When we rebel and decide to be our own god, thinking we know what we need better than God and live in ways to please only ourselves we live without His Protection.  We shun God’s Law of Love and the Compassion He has for us that He longs for us to have with each other.  And we wonder why our lives fall apart when we choose anything or anyone other than God!  When we choose disobedience; we are no longer united with God.  In our rebellion, we are disconnected.  I bet you are now realizing with me that God knew the disconnect would happen among people who live in an imperfect world brought on by the rebellion of His first created humans, Adam and Eve, right?  So let’s go there.  We know now that God had a plan that would resolve humanity’s sin problem of rebellion and disconnect—beyond judgements and punishment.  That plan was Jesus who came as “God in flesh” to fulfill every Law given while paying in full the punishment we deserved but spared.

As I decorate to celebrate the reason for Christmas my thoughts go to when God chose a virgin and a devout man to bring Jesus into the world as a helpless infant through her womb.  These God-led people raised him and loved him while living a humbled lifestyle.  Despite all the rumors and gossip, growing up of being born of a virgin; Jesus lived a holy, perfect life without sin.  Jesus learned the Jewish way of life, God’s Law in the local synagogue school, and became the joy and amazement of His teachers.  After a journey in the desert to fast and pray and to battle the Enemy’s temptations; God made Him more than ready to be His spokesperson.  God’s Son who would explain and expand the thinking of everyone who thought they knew the Law with God’s real intent of the Law originally given to Moses! “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” (Matthew 5-7)

But the “Gatekeepers” of the God’s Law, (teachers, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and zealots) added to the Law as they saw fit to appease themselves to create more power for themselves.  These appointed religious leaders used and abused God’s Law for their benefit with the ruse that this was the only way to have peace with the Romans—the oppressive government in their day.  They had a good thing going—until Jesus came, preached, and told the Truth about God’s Law meant for protection His people while showing His people how to love Him back and to love each other.  God’s verdict for the gatekeepers?  “Their hearts are far from me.”

Jesus, Promised Messiah, came down from heaven and moved into the neighborhood of humanity and showed God for who He really is, telling the Truth of God.  The religious hated him and wanted Jesus killed.  The plotted against Him as they showed up at the places where Jesus preached and taught to harass Him.  The disconnected to God could not and would not listen.  But that did not stop the Son of God from God’s mission to seek and to save the lost, to serve all who would come for help, while telling all who would listen the Truth. Jesus embodied Truth.  He became the Only Way to reconnect to God who offered Eternal Life for all who would believe.  But a price had to be paid for this work to be complete.

The night before arrest and judgement, Jesus would pray to God, His Father; “Not my will but Your will be done.”  And it was done—completely. God’s plan for our redemption, in every excruciating detail was accomplished, according to what the prophets foretold centuries earlier.  The will of God, his Father was to give us Jesus, His Son, in exchange for our redemption.  Jesus paid for our sins with His life on a cruel cross.  Jesus, Son of Man, felt the pain of the beatings, humiliation, betrayal from his friends, the grieving of leaving his earthy mother behind for a while, the metal whips tearing away his flesh and then the nails—oh the nails that pierced his flesh—in ways so that his body could hang for hours on cross beams of wood.

Jesus, who knew no sin, paid for the all the sins of the world—yours and mine.  Paid in full—fulfilling the Law by God for us.  So, as believers we look upon the laws of God and the laws of our government differently than non-believers.  Our desire is to please God because of our love for God.  We love Him because He first loved us.  “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Our obedience to Him and the laws of our land are opportunities to show our love for God and others.  We don’t obey to simply avoid the wrath and punishment of disobedience; we obey because of all God did for us through Jesus, His Son!  Jesus unites us to God and to each other! Believing reconnects us to our Father who loved us so much He gave Jesus to save us and set us free from our sins! 

“To obey is better than all sacrifice,” says God to His people. (1 Samuel 15:22) That means to simply obey what God says, which is always for our good and shows our love for Him—more than keeping busy with church work, giving to the poor, and working hard so others will know how hard we work. The good we do must be motivated by our love for God while being led of God.

To daily offer ourselves as an offering is a great way to worship and praise God. (Romans 12) It is also a way to know His good, perfect and pleasing will that deters our temptation of going about life on our own.

Oh Lord,

So many lessons were offered today by the reading of Your Word!  My heart, mind, and soul is full.  I will meditate on Your Word all day long.  Thank you for Your Word and Your Holy Spirit who leads us to understand more and more each day. Lead and help us in all the details of this day given back to you for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen

If you have ever been camping, gone to church camp, or just visited campgrounds for a day to picnic; you know there are rules that are posted for the good and protection of all who come to camp.  The rules might seem odd to people who have never set up tents or RV’s at a campsite so they can live in the “great outdoors” for awhile.  Randy and I took our kids camping many times in their younger years. We know what it is like to “set up and tear down” camp.  We also became accustomed to not only knowing the camp rules but behaving with camp etiquette.  The mantra of camp our kids were taught was, “Always leave the campsite better than the way you found it.” 

Later in life we would direct church camps of all ages.  We were direct and lovingly firm as we taught the campers how to behave with respect for each other’s belongings and bunk area, how to clean up after themselves while helping others, and to leave the rented campgrounds “better than the way we found it.”  It was easy to see how some kids had everything done for them at home and others knew exactly the tasks to be done and did it without thinking or complaining.  When a dispute at camp occurred; all involved were to come to their Counselor or the Camp Director for resolution. No one was to take the matter in their own hands.

Moses is Camp Director along with his faithful brother who is his back up Counselor for hundreds of “campers” in the desert as they journey to the promised land.  After the Ten non-negotiable commandments were given to the campers by God, Himself, the nitty gritty details, occurring when any group of people gather to live in harmony with each other, were explained.  This camp of people were former slaves of the Egyptians.  The culture they came from was difficult and not their own.  God is helping them through Moses to learn a new way of life where brutality will be banned.  The “camp rules” God is giving will seem extremely odd to us today because we are not living as they did with the challenges they had to deal with.  We have our own challenges with rules and addendums to the rules! 

From the descriptions of these new rules; we can readily see and now understand the form of disputes Moses was judging back in Exodus 18 when his father-in-law intervened with the wisdom to form a judging team!  We must not get bogged down by the intense detail of the laws with explicit ways to punish; but instead go deeper in our understanding of who God is as He is providing ways to deter sins that dishonor, maim, and/or kill people who He loves!  God’s goal is to protect His campers for their own good and for His glory.  God is God and no one else.  The campers are beginning to know and live this truth.

Exodus 21

“These are the laws you are to set before them:

Hebrew Servants

² “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. ³ If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. ⁴ If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

⁵ “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ ⁶ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.

⁷ “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. ⁸ If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. ⁹ If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. ¹⁰ If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. ¹¹ If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Personal Injuries

¹² “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. ¹³ However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. ¹⁴ But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.

¹⁵ “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death.

¹⁶ “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

¹⁷ “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

¹⁸ “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, ¹⁹ the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

²⁰ “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, ²¹ but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.

²² “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. ²³ But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

²⁶ “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. ²⁷ And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

²⁸ “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. ²⁹ If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. ³⁰ However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. ³¹ This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. ³² If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

³³ “If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

³⁵ “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. ³⁶ However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Obedience shows our love for God who knows exactly what we need with how to live for Him in ways that show love and honor to Him and to each other. 

These camp rules are only the beginning of how the Ten Commandments will be interpreted in daily living.  After giving the Ten Commandments, God showed his people how to apply them in everyday matters. Chapter 21 begins the discussion about worship, the care of servants and those physically injured, slaves, thieves, property, and morality.  God provides guidelines for his people so their moral life will be pleasing to him.  Holiness doesn’t seek to be odd. Holiness seeks to be like God.

Jesus came to earth later to go over these laws of love and honor again.  He taught us exactly how to think and behave more like God intended. Jesus reminds all of us then and now that all the Laws hangs on the two most important commands—Love God; Love Others.  Hold that thought throughout our study!  Meditate on how we can love each other like God loves us—without conditions!

Paul, a devout Jew when Jesus walked the earth, did not believe what Jesus said made it his life’s goal to rid the world of all who believed in Jesus—until that day after Jesus died and rose again and appeared to then Saul with this transforming indictment of his behavior; “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” That day, Paul not only received name change but a heart transplant.  His encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damacus with orders to maim and kill more believers in hand was blinded from the Law he had learned from childhood to adulthood and given sight to see the Law of Love which translate all the Laws!

Paul’s former enemies became his rescuers and mentors sent by God to help Paul really know Christ (Philippians 3:10) for who He was and was sent to do—save us and set us free from all our sins!  Paul no longer used and abused the Law he knew so well to hate, maim and imprison believers.  Paul now knew Jesus, Son of God, the one who came to not only fulfill the Law, but to teach the intent of the God’s Law and deliver salvation from sin by his death and resurrection!  All accomplished, as the scriptures foretold, so that mankind could have a new, right and holy relationship with our God, our Creator and Father in Heaven!   

Paul, transformed by Jesus, gave his whole being to Jesus who saved him.  He  preaches the words of Jesus to “campers” everywhere who have formed churches of people groups who love Jesus.  Paul wrote without haste to those people groups who were beginning to quarrel with each other, as humans will do, just as they did in the days of Moses.  Here are some of Paul’s holy advice to us today:

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

Why? A peace-filled life leads nonbelievers to respect believers. People are watching the way we act more than they are listening to what we say.  The way we respond to adversity, unfairness of others, disrespect, and other evil ways will show others readily who we truly believe and follow. Yes, our behaviors will indeed reflect who or what we really, truly believe. “Camp” on these thoughts with prayerful reflection.

Lord,

Thank you for these thoughts that transform my thinking and cause me to be more compelled to follow what you say!  Cleanse my heart, renew my mind, transform by responsive behaviors, refresh my soul, and restore the joy and peace that comes from knowing and following you.

In Jesus Name, for our good and Your glory, Amen 

Thank You, Lord.

“Look over contracts and read them carefully because there could be a hidden agenda you will not or cannot abide by later.”  This was the advice of my practical, law-abiding, believers in Jesus, mom and dad.  Every contract has specific stipulations, rules to follow, along with how each party will live up to their commitment.  Contracts are signed and notarized in front of witnesses to make it official and binding.  Contracts are serious business!  Contracts are promises to do what the contract says or the committed signers will be in violation of the covenant between them.  What we fail to remember at times is the contract is meant to protect both parties from being wronged by one or the other.

God gave His People a contract with ten non-negotiables to adhere to for their good and His glory.  The binding contract of commandments begin with who He is and how He must be honored as the one and only God in a culture of many gods made of metal and stone.  With each command, God provides clarity with an explanation.  This is God, Himself, speaking the commands! Observe how His people will respond.

Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: ²³ Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

²⁴ “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

These Ten Commandments are generally the foundation upon which all the laws of our land are based.  But as with all contracts; there will be the rebellious who will tirelessly look for loopholes while trying to get what they want. We will soon learn that the Moses culture will be no different than it is today; for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” in abiding by the non-negotiable commands.  The root cause is self.

God’s Perspective

The Ten are clear guidelines for God’s people to follow so that their relationship with him and with others would be healthy and strong.  God does not watch and wait for us to slip and fall so He can punish us.  God’s delight is in helping us with all the details of our lives as we seek Him.  God’s character is that of a good, loving Father who gives us guidelines to live by for our protection and our good.  If we do this, says God, all will go well for us. This is God’s way of thinking.  Seek God and His wisdom and you’ll find out how He thinks! 

Know God. Trust God.  Obey God. 

Believe in God’s Son Jesus who came to earth to save us from our sins while guiding us back to God’s true intention of the Law, expanding our thinking about abiding by the Law as He fulfilled every aspect of the Law.  “You have heard it say, but I say to you…” says Jesus to begin the next lesson of many.  Jesus spent a great deal of time preaching on a mountainside using the Ten Commandments as a reference point to transform the thinking of believers.  Read Matther 5-7 alongside Exodus and you will see how Jesus explained the Law He came to fulfill and why!

With each explanation followed with examples; Jesus shows how and why we should obey the Law. Jesus expands our minds; which was mind blowing to his listeners on the mountain that day!  Jesus, as a Servant, teaches us how to serve when obeying the Law.  Don’t stop with simple adherence, doing only what is necessary; show the love of God in you when you are given opportunity to go beyond what the Law requires.  The non-negotiables become as way to show who God is to others who do not know Him! 

It’s not about you.  It’s not about me. It’s all about God. God’s goal becomes our purpose:  To become more like Jesus in every way.  Jesus sought God often for direction and guidance. Learn to do the same! Jesus gave knowledge and understanding that caused most to say, “We’ve never heard teaching like this!” This is not surprising as there is no one like Our God who sent Jesus, His Son to save us and set us free!

In C. S. Lewis’s book, “Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C. S. Lewis,” he wrote, “Obedience is the key to all doors.” Don’t think for a second that you can heed the wrong voice, make the wrong choice, and escape the consequences. At the same time, obedience leads to a waterfall of goodness not just for you but for your children, your children’s children, your great-grandchildren, and the children of a thousand generations in the future. See the promise in verse 6!  This is a non-negotiable with God, too!  God’s promises are true and will not be broken, changed, or cast aside by Him.  God cannot lie.  What He says—He will do!  Signed, sealed, and delivered by Jesus Christ, His Son.  Believe it and live it!  Our behaviors will reflect who we believe.

Lord,

Thank you, Jesus for saving my soul and making me whole. Thank you for teaching me a way to live that not only pleases you but is full of wisdom and spiritual health for us.  Thank you for the Help or Your Holy Spirit as our live-in Counselor that guides our steps and tenders our words with your love.

In Jesus Name, For Your glory and our good, Amen