God's Prescription for a Better Life

Follow @MoniceSharde Today, I was thinking about the commandments that the Lord left for His people to follow. I will address, in detail, the 10 commandments in an upcoming blog but right now I want to stick to just a few he left us that many believe are too difficult to keep. In Deuteronomy 5:33, the Lord says “Ye shall walk in all the ways of the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.” Now, I’m aware that He was speaking to the children of Israel that He freed from Egypt’s bondage. However, wouldn’t these same words apply to us? Has the anatomy of man changed from then until now? Doesn’t man still face the same challenges from that time up to present day? Was God the same then, now and forever- holding the same love and concerns for us?

If you have answered yes to the following questions, then I’d like for you to continue on this journey of vindicating God’s character…

In 1Peter 2:9, Peter refers to followers of Christ as “peculiar people” and if you have ever declined to engage in particular behavior or activities as others that do not follow the ways of Christ, you have probably experienced the ridicule that comes with staying true to Christ’s Will for our lives (If you have not given your life to Christ yet and therefore, have not experienced this, I can assure that once you do, it will be easy to see and feel the separation of you and those that do not follow His Will). Peter said this to offer comfort to those that have felt ostracized from the world because they are different due to their obedience of the commandments of God, as Christ offered comfort to him and the other apostles when He told them (in John 15:18&19) -

18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Moreover, it is understood that there is a separation of those that follow Christ and those that do not.

But WHY does God say this separation is needed? Well, let us look around throughout just the United States and see all of the avoidable illnesses that people have. Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes (type 2), migraines-headaches, stress and  insomnia are just to name a few. Ask any doctor and he/she will tell you that by keeping a proper diet, getting enough rest/do not over exert oneself, follow a consistent schedule and avoid “stress triggers” you can live a long and healthy life.

But wait! The bible instructs us to do the same things!

Deuteronomy 14 instructs us of what we should and should not eat. It also tells us not to over-indulge in anything and that when we do, it is replacing God (Galatians 15:16-21). The Lord gives us a very specific day of rest so that we can be away from the world and spend time with our family and commune with Him (Exodus 20:8-11). The bible also teaches us to be with like-minded people & avoid relationships with those that refuse His Will (Amos 3:3, Romans 12:10, Hebrews 3:13, Psalms 1:1 Matthew 7:6). Christ tells us that worrying changes nothing (Matthew 6:27).

In closing, I pray that the commandments of God are implemented daily and that you see the Lord is not trying to make life harder on you- but rather, make it easier for you. When a parent instructs their child to do certain things, the child may not understand why at the time but if they love their parent, they are willing to do it, in knowing their parent loves them and is trying to keep them from harm. Well, the same goes for our Heavenly Father. He instructs us to do certain things so that we are protected and can live happy, healthy and peaceful lives. Yes, many will look at us as “peculiar” but we know that the things God asks of us are only to help. It is alright if the world does not understand His way… The importance is obedience to His Will and he promises you will see the reward that comes from doing so, not only on earth but in Heaven!