Living to the Power of Ten!

I'm really enjoying a study of the Ten Commandments, both in scripture and in the writings of other men. "Written in Stone: The Ten Commandments and Today's Moral Crisis" by Philip Graham Ryken is particularly insightful.
These simple, straight-forward commands, given in love by God to a nation He was bringing out of bondage into to a new national freedom (the Exodus Story), were designed to help them survive and thrive as a new nation.
Ten Commands! Three about respect and love for God. Six about respect and love for our fellow man. And one about taking care of ourselves - the weekly Sabbath rest!
Living by these foundational principles, is the basis for a happy, uncomplicated life - personally and in community. Everyone longs for it, but so few are willing to develop the disciplines necessary to experience the rewards.
The Ten Commandments show us the way we are to live, and they also show us how desperately incompetent we are to do it! Especially in light of Jesus' teaching where murder isn't just killing another person, but hating them! And adultery isn't just an act but a thought as well! And stealing is measured by our covetous attitude and love of money.
Jesus didn't do away with the Ten Commandments! He raised the bar! We need Jesus to empower us to live His Way! And, this is the way He wants us to live.
I dream of a place where people live - in their hearts and in their behaviors - by these simple loving tenets. This is what we call "Christian Community" or "the Body of Christ." It is the people of God who love, respect, and trust God and each other in every detail of life. This is what we all strive for as Christian leaders.
It really isn't a difficult way to live. That is the real secret we try to get out to people! The world - including that portion of "the world" that lives inside of us - makes it difficult because our sinfulness floods us with tempting opportunities to live and think another way. And when we do, when we follow that path, we pay for it every time - in our personal lives and in our relationships. We have all suffered from breaking the Ten Commandments.
But Jesus offers an alternative. He said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me... for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
The more I study the Ten Commandments in the Old and New Testament, the more I am convinced that "Living to the Power of Ten" is actually the easiest and most rewarding way to live!
And, the example we set is the way to transform the world!