Commandments For Abundant Life Series (Part 1)

Commandments?? What Commandments?

Many people today are spiritually restless.  They sense that there is more to life and more to themselves and they yearn to grow.  Many people at this time are changing churches, changing religions or abandoning religion altogether as they pursue their quest of spiritual growth.

Jesus gave us a clear high priority directive, “Seek first the kingdom of God”.  The question for spiritual seekers is, “How?”

The premise of this series, is that within the Gospels is contained not merely a few cryptic clues to the answer of this most important question, but in fact a comprehensive, systematic, and very practical path, which anyone can successfully follow.

The valuable insights and the systematic spiritual transformation process described in this series of posts is the direct result of simply seeking the answers to the questions, “How do we claim the abundant life?”  “How do we find the kingdom of God within us?”

The insights revealed in this series should be valuable to every human being interested in spiritual growth. These insights could be summarized with three simple statements:

1.      The kingdom of God is within us.

2.      It is our responsibility to reclaim it. 

3.      Jesus showed us how through his commandments.

You may be thinking, commandments, what commandments?  Jesus taught the path to peace and abundance through what he himself referred to as his “commandments”.  How important are these commandments?  Look at the multiple exhortations (ten different times) which make it very clear, that   these commandments are essential to peace and abundant life:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”  John 14:21

“If ye continue in my word then you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:31-32

”Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”  John 14:23

“But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.”  John 14:31

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.”  John 15:10

“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”  Mt 5:19

“And ever“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: …” Mt 7:24

“Any one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:…” Mt 7:26

“Go ye therefore and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Mt 28:19-20