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John 14:15 from the Holy Bible lovingly instructs all those who read these words “If you love Me, keep My commandments". Did you know if you break even one commandment, then you break them all? This was news to me after my conversion and it made sense, much like the fact that we are all guilty of the death of Jesus Christ. Yet my thoughts without God's Holy Spirit were such that "well I wasn't there some 2,000 years ago so not guilty!" We are all guilty whether we understand this or not, whether we accept this or not, or even do not care. Some think only the Jews are guilty, and they are too, but not just them. Matthew 27:25 reveals from those present at Christ's crucifixion "And all the people answered and said, 'His blood be on us and on our children' ". They said it and foolishly took upon themselves and their descendants full ownership of guilt. Upon keeping my first Passover, that knowledge and realisation was a very bitter pill to swallow indeed. What counteracted that was the incredible knowledge that God had forgiven me upon repentance just prior to Passover when my baptism occurred.
March 12 is the annual anniversary of being willing wholeheartedly to be buried in a watery grave and 2023 marks 16 years of discovering as much as possible to date in this human form about God, myself, and His great purpose not only for those called out of the world but for all of humanity…this means you too! The thing is, whether I am blessed with 7 days or another 7 years to achieve the ripe age of 70, the rest of my physical life will be dedicated to God and the learning with excellent instruction from our great Teacher. This discipleship is never boring or stagnant if we continue on in our quest to be like Christ. Each day we soak up more as we allow His Holy Spirit, The Helper to lead and direct us. Talk about living a more abundant life as it is written in John 10:10!
Only God can write 7 words which inspire and contain so much wisdom in order to give us His direction in all that we should think, speak, and do. It is up to each individual to endeavour to understand and meditate upon the 10 commandments in order to love God as He requests. This definitely means not how we think He should be loved. Contrary to popular belief, we do not get to make up what sounds good to us because our carnal human nature will always get it wrong — just look at what happened thousands of years ago to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. When thinking about the 10 commandments (not suggestions) the first scriptural reference that comes to mind is in Exodus 20:1-17 where all ten are listed in numerical order. Then we see the commandments replicated as an important reminder in Deuteronomy 5:6-21. It is written in John 14:21 that "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him". Psalm 112:1 reveals "Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments". Those amongst us have most gratefully come to realise that God's 10 commandments have been given to us as a beautiful and very loving blessing in order to protect us, guide us, help us, sustain us, and deliver us from our enemies.
Additionally, Proverbs 3:5-8 gives valuable guidance and instruction with "My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favour and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones". Therefore we are in the process of developing healthy fear of God which translates into deep respect and awe. The more we nurture and increase in our relationship with God, the more we come to know that God does everything in love and for our benefit, just as so many of God's faithful came to understand throughout the pages of our manual for life — the greatest book ever written — The Bible.
Then we have the wonderful and summarily meaningful words found in Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all". Therefore we need to keep God's 10 commandments and have them safely tucked close in our hearts each and every day in order to truly love God first and then all others. Seven words in John 14:15 have so much to impart and are to be cherished and savoured just like David wrote and expounded upon when divulging how much he delighted in God's law within Psalm 119:97-104 "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way,