Ten Commandments – Foundations for Success

1.Ten Commandments
God wants to marry you – leaven and all. No matter what you’ve done, or where you’ve been, God is determined to make it right for you. The OT marriage covenant (and its Hebrew context), are used to understand some things Jesus said about his return, and about the rapture. The 10 commandments is considered from the perspective of a long line of slaves. So we get a day off? You can’t kill me, or take my things, just because you’re stronger than me? My human rights and dignity will be respected in our new culture? That is fantastic!

2. I am the Lord your God
The Ten Commandments starts with Grace, with God giving people something that they did not earn or deserve: ”I am the Lord your God”, who is choosing to bless you with freedom from slavery, not because of anything you’ve done, but because I love you, and want all the people of the world to know that I am a loving God. Welcome to being human again. Anokhi: an offer to increase us, inside the “hedge of praise and submission”

3. Foundations for Your Success
We don’t like spirit, because we can’t control it. It doesn’t obey our rules. Where is God? How big is He? If you want to live a successful life, you’ve got to organise your life to where God is with you all the time; not a statue/idol that’s with you one minute, but not the next. We can’t make God manageable. To have the best relationship with God, don’t make your prayer life about words and needs, He already knows what your needs are. The supply of everything I need, which is as close to me as the air that I’m breathing, I stop and become aware of that.

4. Remember the Sabbath, Keep it Holy
Is God still the creator, even when He’s resting? Am I me, regardless of what I’m producing; or is my entire life and worth defined by the number of bricks I can make? Anything we do around Sabbath that puts people in bondage, instead of bringing relief to a situation, misses the point. The last thing a group of slaves needs is another piece of bondage – and we’re no different. When our worth becomes about bricks, we become machines. Sabbath is a day where you live like your work is done, even if it isn’t – and that is healing. The world goes on, because God is God, and you are not

5. Honour
How do I honour someone who wasn’t honourable? Nobody’s parents are perfect. Honour is not ignoring wrong things, or saying wrong things are right, or having no boundaries. Honour has more to do with what we pass on to the next generation; than how we respond to the previous one. It’s maintaining godliness through our generations. It’s choosing to be honest about the ungodliness, and choosing to break the cycle. Be thankful you’re alive; realise your parents were a part of fallen humanity; give up the urge to take vengeance, and to judge – realise they were wounded too.

6. 11th Commandment
Taking His name in vain is about: don’t sign cheques I wouldn’t sign, don’t put my name to things that aren’t me. As a Christian, you’re actually picking up and carrying (Nasah) the name (Shim) of God around with you. Shawv (in vain) means to live your life in a way that manifests (not disappoints) the hope that rests upon it. The name of God rest upon a person; its a prophetic utterance of character; it sits in a place; a force that provides protection; that has the ability to move with emotion – to fire a place up. It’s a realm of awareness, that we can live in, or outside of; its a force that brings about the best life.The name creates a life so good, it’s worth suffering & dying for. The demonstration of that life is so powerful, it threatens other people. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, then you are blessed. Jesus: I have manifested Your name. God has called Christians to be nice, more than He has called us to be right.