Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."¹

"The Bible has changed the lives of more persons than any other book," said W. Clement Stone. "It has helped countless thousands to develop physical, mental and moral health."

At least here in America, the ever increasing and accelerating moral decline, the tearing down of marriage, the promotion of homosexuality as a normal alternative lifestyle, unthinkable abortion practices, the never ending bombardment from online pornographers and pornographic pedophiles, etc., etc., are, without question, directly related to the ever increasing attacks against the Bible, Christianity, the Ten Commandments, and the laws prohibiting prayer and the display of Christian symbols in public places.

Every rule, every law, every principle in God's Word, the Bible, is there, not because God is a kill-joy, but for our protection and the total physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the individual, the family, the community, and the nation as a whole.

God's moral law is as much a universal law as is the law of gravity. We know better than to try and break this law. In fact, we can't break the law of gravity. If we try to, it breaks us. Or rather, we break ourselves by disregarding it. This law holds the physical universe together, keeps the planets in their orbit, and the earth revolving around the sun. It also keeps our feet on good old mother earth. Without it life could not exist on earth.

Likewise, God's moral law holds the moral universe together. It, too, is for our protection and total well-being. We can't break it any more than we can break the law of gravity. When we try to it breaks us. Or rather, in our disregard of it, we break and destroy ourselves.

In this sense it's not God who judges us for our disregard of his laws. We bring the judgment or the natural consequences upon ourselves. Obeying God's Word leads to life. Disregarding it and going our own way leads, not only to disaster in this life, but also to eternal death in the after-life—which is not the cessation of life but eternal separation from God, the author of all love and life.

In other words, God's laws are to protect us from hell—hell on earth and hell in life-after-life. We disregard God's laws to our own peril and end up unhappily destroying ourselves.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that you have given us the words of life—and that you have given us all the laws we need to live wholesome, fulfilling, and satisfying lives. Give me a love and great respect for Your laws and help me to live in harmony with them. And please grant a great spiritual awakening throughout our nation so we will embrace Your laws and your ways, so that we will save our land for our children and our children's children. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 119:105 (NIV).

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