Memorizing an Easier Version of the Ten Commandments

The following 10 commandments were written "in verse" by Isaac Watts, an early 1700 Christian theologian, author of many hymns and books, one being "The Book of Logic" published in 1724. He wrote the ten commandments down in verse for young people to be able to memorize them easier.

1.        Thou shalt have no other Gods but Me.

2.                                       Before no idol bow thy knee

3.                                       Take not the name of God in vain

     4.         Nor dare the Sabbath day profane
     5.         Give both parents honor due

6.                                      Take heed that thou no murder do

7.              Abstain from words and deeds unclean

8.                                      Nor steal, though thou art poor and mean

9.                                      Nor make a willful lie, nor love it

10.                                What is thy neighbor's, dare not covet

As Christians, we understand some key things about the law of God.

•         The law is holy and perfect – Rom. 7:12; Ps 19:7.

•         The law reflected the glory of God - 2 Cor. 3:9.

•         The Lord was a "tutor" to lead us to Christ - Gal. 3:24.

•         We are not saved by the law but through faith alone -
Eph. 2:8-9.

•         Now that we are saved through faith alone, we are to
keep the moral law in the power of the Spirit to bring
pleasure to God, the object of our utmost affection and
joy – Rom. 8:4.

The Importance of Seeking Through Prayer Grace for Today's Needs

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusted in Thee." Is 26:3      E. M, Bounds wrote,

"When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," we are, in a measure, shutting tomorrow out of our prayer. We do not live in tomorrow but in today. We do not seek tomorrow's grace or tomorrow's bread. They thrive best, and get most out of life, who live in the living present. They pray best who pray for today's needs, not for tomorrow's, which may render our prayers unnecessary and redundant by not existing at all!
 

"True prayers are born of present trials and present needs. Bread, for today, is bread enough. Bread given for today is the strongest sort of pledge that there will be bread tomorrow. Victory today, is the assurance of victory tomorrow. Our prayers need to be focused upon the present. We must trust God today, and leave the morrow entirely with Him. The present is ours; the future belongs to God. Prayer is the task and duty of each recurring day - daily prayer for daily needs.
 

"As every day demands its bread, so every day demands its prayer. No amount of praying, done today, will suffice for tomorrow's praying. On the other hand, no praying for tomorrow is of any great value to us today. Today's manna is what we need; tomorrow God will see that our needs are supplied. This is the faith which God seeks to inspire. So leave tomorrow, with its cares, its needs, its troubles, in God's hands. There is no storing tomorrow's grace or tomorrow's praying; neither is there any laying up of today's grace, to meet tomorrow's necessities. We cannot have tomorrow's grace, we cannot eat tomorrow's bread, we cannot do tomorrow's praying. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." and, most assuredly, if we possess faith, sufficient also will be the good."

* The Necessity of Prayer by E. M. Bounds

Community Church of the Santa Ynez Valley
240 E. Highway 246
Buellton, CA 93427