“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NASB1995)

These were the words of Moses to the children of Israel in Old Testament times, so they are not specific instructions for Christians today. And yet these words do convey much of the teachings in the New Testament, only worded differently, and perhaps less literally, but more metaphorically, in some cases, such as with regard to physical signs on hands, foreheads, and doorposts. But both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament we are taught that we must love, serve, and obey God and his commandments.

“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.” (1 John 2:3-5 NASB1995) (keep – observe, obey, conform to, follow)

Loving God is to obey him, and obedience to God and to his commands is not omitted nor is it optional under the New Covenant gospel message. For Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross to put our sins to death with him so that, by biblical God-persuaded faith in him, we will now die to sin and live to God in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living – all by the grace of God which is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (Titus 2:11-14).

[1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 5:8-9; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 3:36; John 8:51; John 14:15,21-23; John 15:10; Acts 5:32; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:16; Galatians 5:7; Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-8; 1 John 2:3-5; 1 John 5:2]

Now, the point of our salvation, and the point of our faith is that we now live for the Lord and no longer for the flesh, and that we walk in obedience to his commands and no longer as slaves to sin. And this is to be our lifestyle now. So it should be reflected in our character, in the words that we speak, in the things that we watch and listen to and enjoy, and in what we give out to others on a daily basis, especially to our children and grandchildren, in the way of attitudes, actions, behaviors, words, love, compassion, and kindness.

In other words, who we are, in truth, should be reflected in how we live 24/7, and not just when we are around certain other people. We are not to be hypocrites. We are not to be the double-minded. We should be who we are no matter the circumstances, and no matter who we are with, and we should reflect Jesus Christ and his teachings and his character all the time. And this doesn’t mean we will be perfect, but that this should be who we are in character consistently, and none of us should not be two-faced hypocrites.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Hymn lyrics by William Williams, pub.1745
tr. by Peter Williams, pub.1771
Music by John Hughes, 1907

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more (2X).

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield (2X).

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold.
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer
Sin and Satan and the grave (2X).

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee. Amen (2X).

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When You Walk By the Way
An Original Work / March 5, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love