Rules for Success

In the wilderness, the Israelites had been isolated from many temptations. But God knew they would face a series of new challenges when they entered Canaan. He warned them not to live like the people living in that land, no matter how tempting this might seem. They were to remember that He had given His people different standards that were to shape and govern their lives.

He also gave them the key to success. What was the key? Keeping His statutes and judgments. This meant they had to know His Word. They could not be conformed to the world, but they were to live by His rules! God even promised that whoever lived His way “will find life” (v. 5 NLT). Finding life is the guarantee for all who obey God and His Word.

These same principles are true today. In our culture, we can find it easy to copy the people around us and adopt their values. But just as He did for the Israelites, God warns us not to allow their rules to govern our lives. We must know God’s ways and follow them.

Be alert for temptations and traps. Don’t be conformed to the world or let its rules govern your life. Renew your dedication to God and His Kingdom. Fill your mind with His Word, so you can know it. And base your life on His rules.