November 27 – Keeping Commandments

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." John 14:15-21 

Keep my commandments. There are at least 14 verses that tell us to keep God’s commandments. An early one is found in Exodus 20:5-6, “You shall not worship them (idols) or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” What a promise—He will show lovingkindnesss to those who love Him and keep His commandments. Why is it so hard for us humans to do this? Our very nature allows for sin to creep in. We get our eyes off God, onto idols like money, TV, or sports heroes. We might treat our parents poorly—not honoring them as we should or we start “wanting” what someone else has—coveting their stuff. Pretty soon we’ve broken all ten of the commandments—if not actually, then just in our hearts and minds. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that to think about adultery is to commit it—that goes for each of the other nine commandments.  

I know Jesus as my savior, but I need that other Helper—the Holy Spirit to help keep me in line, focused on God’s commandments. The Holy Spirit is the one who prompts me to do right—who checks my thought life and leads me in the path of righteousness—for God’s sake. That is from Psalm 23—once again the Holy Spirit is in action helping me recall some great scripture and applying it to my life. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Psalm 23:3. Does the Holy Spirit do that for you? Have you been “filled” with the Holy Spirit? If not, ask, and you will receive. And your heart will be filled to overflowing with a peace and love that just flows out to others. Amazing and wonderful. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—and all these things will be added to your life. Paraphrase of Matthew 6:33. 

Dear Jesus—I love you and am trying to keep Your commandments. Continue to guide me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I would have Your peace, joy , and love flowing through me to others around me.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).