By Steve Greene

Thousands of years ago, God gave 10 key values for living a productive life. We call them the Ten Commandments.

These are lasting values that have stood the test of time. In fact, these values form the bedrock of western civilization. They form the foundation upon which our entire judicial and legal system is built. The Ten Commandments are commandments that came from God.

For the next few weeks, we’re going to explore these important values and see how they can make a difference in our lives.

God said, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

God gave these commands to help us. They were not to punish us, but to protect us. When we tell a child, “Don’t touch the hot stove,” we are doing so for their good. Every time God says, “Don’t” in the Bible, it’s always for our good. He has a positive purpose. If you ignore what he says, you do so to your own peril. You will get hurt.

The universe operates according to certain physical laws. One example is the law of gravity. If you ignore the law of gravity, you only hurt yourself. If I decide to jump out a 10-story window, I won’t break the law of gravity. The law of gravity will end up breaking me.

Likewise, God has given us certain spiritual laws. They are the tracks on which we are to run. He didn’t offer 10 suggestions. He gave us the Ten Commandments. They are not optional. They have no expiration date.

God says, “You do these things, and your life will be better.” If you don’t do them, there is a price to pay. You will suffer the consequences when you violate God’s commands.

Psychiatrists tell us that we all need certain boundaries for emotional and mental health. We need to know the line between what’s right and what’s wrong. These parameters are healthy. They are good for us.

It is difficult to live according to these valuable principles if you don’t know for sure what they are. Why don’t you take some time right now to read Exodus 20:1-17. Then next time, we’ll begin a journey to discover how these commands can change our life, our family, our nation and our world.

You may read Steve Greene’s blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or you can email him at [email protected].