ON THE SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME.....RULES

Psalms 119:165 "Great peace have those who love you law, and nothing causes them to stumble."

God's law is simply God's rules.  How many times growing up, we just hated the "rules".  We wanted to experience things for ourselves, rationalizing things with "well, our parents did this and they are okay".  Or, our big brother or sister did this or that and we wanted to do it also.  Not bothering to find out if they were happy because they did this, or did it work out okay. We just wanted to by step the rules and do it our way.

I want you to know, I grew up on God's rules.  I learned the Ten Commandments by the time I was eight. I knew them by heart.

1) You shall have no other gods before Me.   My Lord, there is no other god I desire except for you, My King. You have my total love, my respect for your authority over me.
2) You shall not make for yourself a carved image.  Father, You have carved your words upon my heart, engraving Your love into my soul.
3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.  My God, as you have purified my heart, you have made my lips to only sing praises to Your Name.
4) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Lord, I rejoice when Sunday comes, knowing I can go into Your house to worship You in unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ, to lift up Your Holy Name.
5) Honor your father and mother.  My Lord, it has been twenty five years since You took my parents home to You, and I thank You Lord for the comfort and peace I have knowing they are with You.
6) You shall not murder.  Father, remind me always of the deadly power of the tongue. Keep my mouth filled with only words that uplift and encourage others.
7) You shall not commit adultery.  Father, I ask you shield my mind from the things that would enter and defy my relationship with You, You are my true love and I keep myself wholly unto You.
8) You shall not steal.  My God, I know what belongs to You. The first fruits of what ever I have are Yours. These first fruits are not mine and I will always put what is Yours first, offering them to You with thanksgiving as You have blessed me greatly.
9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  Lord, let me go to my neighbor if I find them doing something I do not understand, let them explain it. If finding fault with it, I will talk to them, pray with them and then let You take care of the matter. It is Your judgment, not mine to repeat or cause them to fall out of fellowship with the body.
10) You shall not covet.  How, oh Lord, could I wish for something that someone else has. You have given me so much, so many blessings, so many gifts. I am content, Father, with all You have given me. You are all I want more of, and that is available to everyone, to the extend that they desire of You.  I desire Your presence always.

These rules, Lord, as a child and growing up I did not always obey. When You drew me near to you and whispered your love and rules to me once again, I listened.  It became so important that there be nothing in me that was displeasing to You. I saw that the rules were given to all for guidance, well being and a good life. These rules guide us in Your path of righteousness, besides keeping us out of trouble on earth.  They are meant for our well being, as following the rules, give us happiness and peace.  They provide for a good life, as they are a key to what You ask of us.  This is the behavior You expect of us.

Then, Father, two more rules were added. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" and "You shall love your neighbor as yourself".  Love became the greatest rule of all.  WE MUST LOVE. First we must love You, my God. This is so precious Father, to love You  so easy, as You first loved me so much. I love You, Lord, with all my heart, all my soul.  Love my neighbor. Father, I found that if I love someone else in You, with Your love, it makes all the difference. Sometimes, it is not is us at the beginning to love without knowing them, but to love in You, to give them Your love, so easy, then it becomes our love through You also. Loving through You, that is all you ask of us. It is Your love that is so pure, so beautiful, so unconditional.

So, my sixth gift, Your rules.  Life blessing rules, rules for my safety, my happiness, my peace and my life.  You would not have me go through life wondering what is required of me. Father, you laid the foundation for each step I take with Your rules.  You love me so much, every breath of my life is thought out and planned for me.  I worship You my Father, my God in whom I place my faith and my trust.  I thank you my precious Lord, for Your wonderful gift of Rules, this 18th day of December, 2010.