Category: Rules for Life

His Laws – An Offer You Shouldn’t Refuse

David knew God’s commands were the secret to a wonderful life. He wrote 176 verses celebrating that truth. Let it encourage you.

Pure Joy!

A lot of blogs offer a free product. Sign-up and you will receive my “12 Secrets to Cure Turkey Neck” or “How to Become a Millionaire Just by Watching Reruns”. Believe me, I’ve been tempted. But what if I offered a product that delivered truth, joy and great peace. It is thoroughly tested and found to be trustworthy and true in every instance. It is sweeter than honey, worth more than gold, fine gold, and has no limits to its use. Wait! There’s more! If you are one of the next 30 subscribers…..

No, but seriously, there is something so wonderful and it’s FREE. The longest chapter in the Bible is a tribute to the wonder of God’s commands. Psalm 119 has 176 verses that proclaim that God’s law was the best thing that had ever happened to David the Psalmist.

“I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.” vs.14

“I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations.” vs.30

“How I delight in your commands! How I love them!” vs.47

Psalm 119

He clearly loved the law. He has written a literature masterpiece where each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each verse begins with that letter also. This took some thought and required lots of words and passion for God’s Word. Give it a try. I got stuck on the first line:

Always truth in every line,
And brings life to its reader.
uhhh......

David continues for 176 verses and shares what only a lover of God’s commandments would know. Here are a few of the benefits of the law that he listed:

  • Gives joy: vs. 1, 2, 35 (Who doesn’t want that?)
  • Guards against sin: vs. 9, 11 (the only guard we have against it)
  • It’s wonderful truth: vs. 18, 160 (for a world without truths)
  • Those who wander from it are cursed: v. 21. (read that one again!)
  • Wise advice: vs. 24
  • Encouraging: vs. 28
  • Gives life: vs. 37, 25, 93, 149 (REAL life)
  • Answers those who taunt: vs. 42
  • My only hope: 43, 114
  • Freedom: v. 45 (it’s interesting that His law brings freedom – most laws don’t)
  • Comfort: v. 55
  • Direction for life: vs. 59, 133 (needed through all the seasons of life)
  • Fair: vs. 75, 137
  • Trustworthy: vs. 86, 138
  • Remains true: vs. 91 (I love laws that stay the same and apply to everyone)
  • Has no limit: vs. 96
  • Constant guide: vs. 98
  • Wisdom: vs. 95-100. (something I long for more and more)
  • Sweeter than honey: vs. 103 (sweet, sweet commandments?)
  • Lamp to my feet: vs. 125 (an old Sunday school favorite)
  • My treasure: vs. 111
  • Is right: vs. 128 (wonder what “the right” thing to do is?)
  • Thoroughly tested: vs. 140 (by millions of believers and unbelievers through the centuries)
  • Perfectly true: vs. 142 (PERFECTLY)
  • Lasts forever: vs. 152, 160
  • Great peace: vs. 165 ( not just regular ol’ peace, but great peace)

Consider this, David was writing this about the Law. At the time David was writing Psalms there were only the books of Moses, creation, and the law. There were prophets in his time, but no prophetic books. There was no encouragement of the New Testament, no forgiveness in Christ, no exhortations by Paul. David was this excited about God’s Old Testament law.

“I rise at midnight to thank you for your regulations.”

Psalm 119:62

When was the last time you got up in the middle of the night to thank God for the Ten Commandments? Maybe we don’t understand their benefits.

“Your laws are my treasure, they are my heart’s delight.” vs. 111

“Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.” vs. 127

“I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.” vs. 131

Psalm 119

As I read these verses, I am forced to compare my passion for God’s commands to David’s panting and longing for the same. I do love God’s word. I dare not start a day without it. I can say “amen” to every one of the descriptions that David offered. At times in life, the words have literally leapt off the pages and saved me all over again. God’s commands are powerful and true.

So, why does Pinterest and YouTube grab my attention when I want a mental break? Why is it that I can try memorizing a recipe but not a scripture? Sometimes I find myself searching for a good devotional instead of the very words of Christ. It’s a battle. Even when I am reading the Bible, I often look for the promises and scan over the rules.

Looking over the list above, I clearly understand why the devil would have us distracted. It serves him. The last thing the devil wants is for you to believe that God’s commands are the best choice. It’s one thing to know that we should be obedient to God. He is God, after all. But it is a whole different level to totally believe that following His commands would deliver those benefits. How much easier to obey rules when we are convinced they are the route to God’s best.

What do you need for victory? It’s found in His commands. David kept his head in the battle by meditating on God’s law.

“Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.”

Psalm 119:95

God’s word helps us stay focused, with right priorities – another blow to satan’s plans.

“Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your Word.”

Psalm 119:37

The world strives for peace and cannot achieve it. We want peace among nations and around kitchen tables. Even peace in our own hearts is often evasive. But His commands bring peace.

“Those who love your instruction have great peace and do not stumble.”

Psalm 119:165

David knew and believed that God’s commands and law were not only true but his only hope. There wasn’t a viable plan B. I want to live my life this way. May God’s commands be the option I believe in. When sin wags its tempting finger, I will not beckon. I know that God’s laws are better.

David says it best:

“Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them!”

Psalm 119:129
Truth, Joy, and Peace laying in her lap.

That’s it. When we are convinced that obedience is good for us, we obey. When we forget that God’s laws are beneficial, we more readily accept another way. Isn’t that how satan tempted in the garden? He told Eve that to disobey God’s commands would make her like God, wise and all knowing. She agreed and at that moment decided God’s commands weren’t for her benefit and sin entered the world. She was wrong and so are we when we disregard the wonderful commands of God.

We have to read and know His commands to appreciate and obey them. I challenge you to up your game in pursuit of God. Are you reading a chapter in the morning? Then add one at night. Find a reading plan that challenges you. Read the Bible all the way through. That’s the only way to understand the whole beautiful story. Study the commands and the promises. Let’s study until our midnight wake up is just to say thanks for His Word.

To All the Single Girls

Here’s the thing. I’m not single. Haven’t been for 32 years. BUT I taught teenagers at church for 16 years and I have seen them grow older and navigate the waters of singledom. Some of them drowned. Others floated aimlessly. A few still sit on the shore and wait for the fish to jump out of the water and sweep them off their sandy feet. Then there were the very few that swam among the sharks, octopi, and bottom feeders and found their “Nemo”.

So, let me see if I can help. Very simply, you are looking for a front seat guy. Let me explain.

The back seat doesn’t offer this view.

I’ve seen a lot of single girls looking for that fun guy who hangs out in the backseat. They find him just so irresistible. I mean girls just wanna have fun, right? And he is Mr. Fun.

Then there is Mr. Front Seat. He’s not so free and unrestricted. He’s got a steering wheel keeping him snug. There are things to do and places to go. He’s in the driver’s seat and that is what he is doing.

Let’s take a closer look.

Where are they going?

The first obvious distinction is where they are going. Front Seat Fellow is going somewhere. He has a plan, a goal, a destination. He’s not letting anyone determine his arrival or route or parking spot. He takes responsibility for his life and knows that all the decisions required to drive will get him where he is going. Front Seat has a plan for life.

Back Seat Boy is just along for the ride. He’s going wherever the crowd is going. He has no plans, no goals, or desired destination. He just enjoys the scenery and hopes against hope that he ends up somewhere “cool”.

Do They Use Directions?

Guys have earned the reputation for driving aimlessly for hours to avoid stopping and asking for directions. My husband will not do that because he knows that he can stop and his shameless wife will go in and ask exactly what town we are presently in. Either way, Front Seat Fellow will have a map, GPS, or navigator before striking out toward their destination. Life requires directions, from beginning to end. The Bible truly is that life map. Walk this way. Avoid this pitfall. Travel lightly here. Front Seat Fellow reads “the map” everyday to make sure they and their riders don’t get lost.

Back Seat Boy poo poos maps, directions, even GPS. Who needs all those restrictions? They know what’s fun and free and that’s their compass. As a matter of fact, they’re riding the backseat of life and rarely even notice the road.

Rules and Restrictions

Speaking of restrictions, Front Seat Fellow, knows the rules. He knows that traffic tickets raise insurance premiums, burning rubber means buying tires, and speeding down the highway means stopping for gas at the next exit. He knows that the choices today come as bills tomorrow. He knows safety is thinking about every rider in the car. He doesn’t consider risking your life, a thrill. Again, he has places to go and he has to live to get there.

Back Seat Boy doesn’t have the wheel, isn’t buying the gas or tires, and considers your life worth a risky ride. He will yell from the back to speed up, take the jump, or squeal some tires. Why not? He hasn’t paid for them and isn’t heading anywhere special. Life’s rules are to be broken and safety is for those who have something to live for.

Hunting for Change in the Back Seat

Then there is the money. There are more divorces over money differences than any other reason. So let’s look at Front Seat and Back Seat wallets.

Front Seat counts the cost. The Bible tells us the smart builder considers the cost before building his house. The smart soldier considers the cost before going to war. Mr. Front Seat will count the cost for his journey. He makes provision for gas, food, and fun. He also plans for the unplanned. Flat tires, brake jobs, and torn windshield wipers are all part of the trip. Life, too, has ups and downs financially and Mr. Front Seat is constantly aware of his present and future needs. He’s not hoping to find a $20 on the way into McDonald’s. He put $200 away last week to enjoy dinners out, even in retirement.

Back Seat Boy had $20 in his pocket until that first stop on the journey. He’s always wanted one of those giant cigarette lighters, so he bought two. Now he is all talk about when his big windfall comes. In the mean time, can you spot him a ten?

Entertainment Gets out of the Car

For the Back Seat Boy, the most important entertainment takes place in the back seat. You know what I mean. It’s how far, how fast, and how daring can those “backseat activities” be. He’s not interested in the great world outside or showing you some of the beauties of your shared community. He will satisfy himself. You will only be part of the entertainment.

Front Seat Fellow wants to enrich your life. “You’ve never eaten at Louie’s? Never seen the ocean? Gone to the top of the monument?” “Then we’re going!”

Front Seat Fellow wants to get out of the car. He will seek to find entertainment that builds relationships by shared experiences. He wants to do with life with you, not just “do you”. Yes, those urges are there, but he will recognize that you are a daughter of God and he will not be found guilty of anything crossing that line.

Front Seat Fun

And finally, Front Seat Fellow will stay awake and alert, offer conversation, and add to the pleasure of the ride. He points out things on the roads of life and enjoys the discussion as much as the drive. He listens too. He knows you have observations, destinations, and navigations to offer as well. You’re in this front seat together.

Back Seat Boy? Well, he is reclining in the back with earbuds and his phone. He didn’t hear the last 3 comments you made because he was too busy with his giant cigarette lighter. As a matter of fact, the last time you looked back, he had a foot sticking out the back window, lighter had fallen to the floorboard, and our back seat boy has fallen asleep.

You’ve all read this scripture:

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  2 Corinthians 6:14
Works best if they are going the same direction.

It’s the truth. We don’t have many oxen treading grain anymore, but one day you will yoke yourself to a man. If he is not going where you are going (church, heaven, a life of peace), not traveling at the same speed (You read your Bible and pray every day. He does on occasion.), and not enjoying the yoke you share (not willing to commit and share the load), then you are unequally yoked.

Seek the Lord and ask Him to find your Front Seat Fellow. He’s the one that will bear the yoke with you. He will follow the Lord’s directions. He will wear the yoke in such a way that you will find it lighter. There will be other oxen frolicking around, but pay no mind, you are yoked to your Front Seat Fellow.

Don’t Skip Leviticus

Trying to find inspiration from Leviticus? Here’s 7 laws that will improve your life.

DO NOT EAT. Just enjoy the ride.

I’ve been wanting and not wanting to do this for two years. I would open the Bible every morning and fill my journal with thoughts, some provoking, some too personal, and occasionally something I really wanted to share. So blogging seemed a good platform and terrifying at the same time. I’m the person who got off facebook because I didn’t even like commenting on other people’s posts much less tossing my own thoughts to the social media madness. But you know, God always pushes us a little beyond our comfortable and snug shell.

I say all that to tell you that now that I have paid the price and have actually begun writing, I am reading Leviticus for my daily reading. This is not exactly the most inspirational book of the Bible. I have read it many times. You know how it goes, you read the Old Testament through, enjoying Genesis and the great Exodus, and then you slam right into the book of the law. It’s like drinking syrup. 

Here's a beautiful example:  "You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you." Leviticus 11:1-4

I don’t know about you, but I feel a shout coming on! This is just the verse I need to face Monday morning. Honestly, after the first sentence my mind is stuck imagining how gross that chewing the cud thing really is. Why, Lord? Do I really need this? Can’t I just skip a few chapters and let the Jews memorize all this dietary law? I mean, when I walk down the grocery store aisle, choosing meat, their cud and hooves are never indicated.

You CAN skip it, only to find yourself in the middle of the laws pertaining to cleaning mildew from your home and what sores need to be shaved and what color hair you should be watching for to be called clean. Not kidding.

Now, I am not, AM NOT, making light of the Word of God. No way. His Word is HIS WORD. Of course, it is perfect. So this morning, I asked the Lord what I needed to take away from this perfect word. Here’s what I got. And actually it’s quite amazing.

  1. All those rules about skin diseases read like a medical journal. So thorough. If it has a white hair, do this. If it is black, do this. Red and runny? This. But never a mention to ask God to heal. What a gift we have in Christ. We take healing for granted.
  2. When you were healed, an offering was to be made. Can you imagine our offerings now? God healed your dad of cancer? Here’s the offering bag. Dig deep. Sore throat healed without antibiotic? Fifty bucks to the Great Physician. Hmm. Makes me a little more appreciative.
  3. In all the talk of Feast Days and Holy Days, two were to be remembered and observed throughout the generations. Firstfruits, when the people would literally bring their first sheaves of grain and wave them in celebration before giving them to God. Second, Feast of Tabernacles, when the Israelites would dwell in tents and enjoy a week of celebrating. God loves a festival. Maybe we should look into some of these festivities too. I think we may be missing out.
  4. God cares about our physical bodies and healthy living. He gives hygiene and dietary rules with great detail and much importance. Even house cleaning is listed among the rules from Mt. Sinai. God deals with mildew and mold better than Lysol and what materials can be disinfected and what needs to be destroyed. I can imagine how much healthier we may have been in past generations if we would have gave more attention to His cleaning methods.
  5. Speaking of healthy lives, God gets down to the nitty gritty, the dos and the don’ts of sexual relations. Despite what Hollywood may tell you, what happens in your bedroom is His business. He has definite and particular rules. You want to sleep with your uncle? Nope, against the law. There’s a lot more information available. Parental guidance suggested.
  6. There are chapters and chapters written about offerings. There’s the guilt offering, burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering, and the fellowship offering. Some people think the offering bag is passed too much today. God taught His people to give. Somehow, we got the idea that Jesus paid the price and offerings are inclusive in the deal. These chapters always challenge my “tithing is good enough” attitude.
  7. And last but not least, especially to the fellow involved, there are rules regarding God’s Holy Name. It happened that the son of an Israelite momma and an Egyptian dad was caught up in a fight. During the fight he blasphemed “the Name”. Witnesses told Moses. Moses sought the Lord as to his punishment. God said he was to be put to death. And he was. Just let that sink in.

Of course, there is much more. These aren’t the Cliff Notes to Leviticus. This is just what the Holy Spirit pointed out to me. Just goes to show you that God’s Word is perfect. If you read any part of it, you’re that much better.

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