10 "THOU SHALTS" FOR EVERYDAY FAITHFULNESS

One of the most challenging questions is, “What is God’s will for my life?”

The Ten Commandments are great to know what NOT to do, but how do I know exactly what God wants me TO DO on a day-to-day basis?

As I was reading Hebrews 13 yesterday, I realized that the writer had laid out a very specific Ten Commandments for God’s will in my day-to-day life.

Ten Commandments for Every Day

1. Love each other as brothers and sisters

2. Show hospitality to strangers

3. Remember those in prison

4. Remember those being mistreated

5. Honor marriage and be faithful

6. Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have

7. Remember your leaders

8. Don’t be attracted by strange new ideas

9. Do good and share with those in need

10. Obey your spiritual leaders

These are going up on the wall in my office. Mastering all ten should keep me busy for the next 50 years or so, and then I can see if God has another assignment for me.

Here are the Ten Commandments from Hebrews:

Hebrews 13:1–Hebrews 13:17 (NLTSE)

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

Remember your leaders who taught you the Word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food which don’t help those who follow them. We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.

Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.