Daily Reflections on Ex. 20:1-20 (Do We Have to Keep All Ten Commandments?)

When our growing church needed to expand, we looked at several possibilities. We realized that our facility was limiting our growth and ultimately we had to relocate. Our seven weekend services were too much strain on everyone, including the facilities. Our elders finally decided to purchase several acres of land on the edge of town. Our goal was to build in phases so as to accommodate the needs of our growing congregation without over taxing our resources.

Wise thinking. But God had different plans for us. We had already started to plateau in growth. People would drive onto our lot, not be able to find a parking place and drive off never to return. We really couldn't wait on a ten year plan. It was then God gave us the unique opportunity to purchase an old Wal-Mart building. 60,000 square feet on 7 and a half acres, complete with concrete parking lot, right at the center of the statistical hub of our city. God even sliced the asking price in half for us. After the sale of our properties, the purchase of the Wal-Mart facility cost us only about $125,000.

It's amazing how God works. What seemed impossible odds were relatively nothing for God. As were going through the whole process of relocation, fund raising and transition, I kept coming back to these stories of God at work in Exodus. God did some amazing things for children of Israel when things looked hopeless or impossible. They even heard the voice of God speaking to them. Now that would get your attention.

God struck a covenant with the Children of Israel. He told them he would provide for them and protect them and choose them for His own people if they simply would honor Him and obey His instruction. So God gave them 10 basic commands by which to live. That's it 10. Shouldn't be too hard, right? Well, let's just say they couldn't make it a month.

The Ten Commandments still remain the basis of our relationship with God. It's true that those of us in Christ are under a new covenant that centers on God's grace through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, Redeemer, Lord and friend. However, Jesus said that not one aspect of the law would diminish, that He came to fulfill the law not do away with it. He also said that the law is summed in two basic commands, love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

An interesting thing happened after we purchased that old Wal-Mart building. People used to joke about us being the Wal-Mart Church. You can imagine some of the comments. Some wondered if all our greeters were going to wear blue smocks with yellow smiley face buttons. Some asked if we were going to adopt slogans like, "always low requirements." We got accused of being the "Lite Church." We thought about offering a discount tithe of 8%. We kicked around the idea having only 8 commandments, you get to choose your 8. But then we realized that people were already doing that and less.

Jesus abbreviated the 10 commandments to two simple commandments and yet what I've found is that people can't even keep those two let alone the ten. We have witnessed the incredible power of God's love and grace. We watch His hand continually go forth in our behalf and we can't do the simplest thing of obeying God. It blows my mind, because I'm just as guilty as the next person. I'm just thankful that God is a patient God and that His grace is bigger than my disgrace.

God, you truly are amazing. Words can't describe you. Your power and might are infinite. There is nothing impossible for you. Why do I doubt? Why do I whine? Why do I ignore you? Why do I disobey your truth and wisdom? Forgive me, Father. Fill me again with your wonderment.

Daily Reflections on Acts 1:1-5

Theophilus? Who's Theophilus? Good question. No one knows for sure. But the name means, "friend of God" or "lover of God." Who is a friend or lover of God? I suppose anyone who seeks to put God first in their life, who pursues a relationship with God. A "Theophilus" us more than just a person who wants to know about God, the curious. A "Theophilus" wants to know God personally, intimately, thoroughly.

The only way to know God is through Jesus. Luke penned twenty-four chapters about the life of Jesus. In them he declared Jesus as God's one and only son who lived a perfect life, taught, healed, performed miracles, revealed the true nature of God, died a sacrificial death on a cross for the sins of all mankind for all time, and rose again on the third day.

Is Jesus for real? Did He really raise from the dead? Luke verifies it through numerous witnesses and notes Jesus remained on the earth for forty days before He ascended into heaven.

But becoming intimate with God is more than just knowing Jesus or believing Jesus is God's living son or accepting Jesus' substitutionary death as payment for my sin and making Him Lord of my life. God provided the means for truly knowing Him through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit which He freely gives to every believer. You can know God through nature but limitedly. You can know God's standards through the Law of the 10 Commandments, but limitedly know God. You can catch a glimpse of God studying the life of Jesus. But you can only truly experience God, become intimate with God through the Holy Spirit. God, thank you for Your Holy Spirit living in me so that I can know you, experience you, understand your truths, sense your prodding and direction and correction and power.