How To "Do Not"

No one likes a list of “Do NOT’s.”  But we'd all agree on some, right?

Do not steal.
Do not bear false witness.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not covet thy neighbor’s wife.
Do not murder.

Okay, so some are easier to obey than others.  But there are "do not's" that can be challenging for everyone:  Do not be self-seeking.  Do not be gluttonous.  Do not be boastful or proud.  Do not delight in evil.  Do not be easily angered.  Do not, do not, do not....

Yet God tells us over and over how to love Him best: obey His commands.

“If you love Me, obey My commandments.” John 14:15

Here’s what I love about God: He doesn’t leave us to try as hard as we can to “do not” all by ourselves. In fact, He doesn’t leave us all by ourselves at all!

First, if you are a Christian—you’ve confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead—you have God living in you! That in itself is amazing. Nothing we do is all alone and He gives us power that we don’t have ourselves.

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13

Secondly, He commands us to fellowship and worship with other believers. These friends are my lifeline who hold me accountable and encourage me in my faith.

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do,

but encourage one another, especially now that

the day of His return is drawing near.” Heb. 10:25

Finally, psychologists tell us that to get rid of a bad habit, you should replace it with another action. Oh, how God knows our minds (He did create them afterall)! And He gave us all sorts of habits and actions and thought processes to “DO” in place of the “Do NOT’s.”

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, 

and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are 

excellent and worthy of praise.” Phil 4:8

This, I can DO.  How about you?


Grace and peace.