October 19, 2022

Bishop, W. F. Houston, Jr.
Romans 13:9-10 (NLT)
9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
Beloved, what would you do if someone told you that it’s no longer necessary for you to obey the Ten Commandments? Would you consider this person a heretic? Of course, we'll have to follow them to the best of our abilities, but before we do that, let's think this out together. What consequences do people face when they reduce Christianity to a set of rules and regulations, do's and don'ts? They experience feelings of pride when they perform well and feelings of judgment when they don't. Is that accurate regarding you?
The problem is that we start to depend more on ourselves for salvation than on the grace that Jesus provided us. Because of our inability to keep the law on our own, God sent Jesus to earth. Rather than focusing on the "do's and don'ts," concentrate on "loving and being loved." Loving others naturally leads to not committing adultery, murder, or lying. Understanding that God loves you despite your shortcomings will naturally lead to obedience. Because of Jesus, we have the freedom and the power to live a life characterized by love. Amen? Aamen.
Here's Today's Prayer
Good Morning our Beloved Transcendent Father.
Kind and merciful Lord, I praise You for making it possible to come to You. Protect us from making the mistake of falling prey to both pride and self-condemnation. Embrace us with Your love and give us the grace to share it with others. With all sincerity, we pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen and Aaamen.