Living Free - December 14, 2015
Today's Scripture
"You must not have any other god but me." - Exodus 20:3 NLT
Thoughts for Today
The Ten Commandments deal with our relationship with God and with others. The bottom line is love. Each of these commandments holds a great deal of meaning for our lives today.
Today's scripture is the first of the Ten Commandments. It calls for an undivided faithfulness to God. Because we have been created in God's image, this relationship is at the very core of human need and affects everyone.
"Other gods" usually brings to mind a wooden or stone image—or the proclaimed god of another religion. But there are more subtle "other gods." Anything that takes our focus off Christ … anything that we devote more time and attention and allegiance to than Jesus … can become our other god. It might be money or sports. It could be our job, a relationship or even working in a ministry.
Consider this …
It is so easy to get sidetracked, sometimes even doing good things, that we let our personal relationship with the Lord suffer. A periodic reality check can be enlightening. Am I asking God for guidance … or doing my own thing? Am I trusting in my job, or another person, or my own abilities more than I am trusting in the Lord?
If you find that you have wandered off the path, begin to refocus on Jesus.
Lord, forgive me for sometimes getting sidetracked and making other things or people a more important part of my life than you are. Help me to refocus on Jesus. In His name …
These thoughts were drawn from …The Ten Commandments: Applying the Foundations of Living to My Personal Life by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct and ethical decisions is essential for believers surrounded by relativistic values. This guide helps us understand God's boundaries. It shows how the Ten Commandments apply today. It also discusses the biblical laws on which the legal codes of every civilized society are based. This guide is written in a way that helps people see the Ten Commandments in light of today's problems. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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