The Old Testament’s Ten Commandments (found in Exodus, chapter 20) outline the negative things that destroy faith, real success and happiness–idolatry, dishonesty, envy, murder, adultery. Our Lord Jesus sums up living positively with two rules: “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).
Of course, if we love God with everything we have, we won’t disobey him. And if we love our neighbors, we won’t steal from them, lie to them, or do any of the other negative things that can destroy their happiness and peace of mind (and ours!). However, none of us is perfect, and the Scriptures warn God’s people over and over against the ungodly, negative behavior that it’s so easy to fall into.
But how can you and I avoid such behavior and live more positively? The answer is faith. We can never live as we should in our own strength. All of us sin and come short of God’s desire for us (Romans 3:23). “Without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]” (Hebrews 11:6). If you want to keep your faith alive and active, do these three things every day:
1. Read your Bible.
It’s your roadmap for how to get where you want to go on the road of life. And the better you know it, the easier it will be for you to stay out of ditches and disasters! “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).
2. Pray.
You can never maintain a close relationship with God unless you spend time with him. Talk to him. Listen to him. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
3. Be obedient.
God is your heavenly father; he knows what is best for you. Work hard to follow his commandments, to seek to be like Christ, to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).
Today we can live as we should by “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
