As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must surrender to the will of God. Now, let's be honest, it is not easy to follow Christ and commit to a life contrary to what we are accustomed to, especially as habitual creatures, not to mention being in a world full of temptations. But, with a transformation and renewal of the mind, we can fight the desires of the flesh to establish a forever connection with our Father.
Furthermore, becoming and being a follower of Jesus doesn’t require you to be perfect. If you read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (which I highly recommend you read if you are a new follower of Christ) you know that the disciples of Jesus were men like you and I. They were believers in the Almighty God and received the gift of the Holy Spirit because of their faith and commitment to God’s words. Therefore, becoming a follower of Jesus is all about obedience to our Father. In John 14:6 Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”
The 10 commitments:
Pray every day. Jeremiah 19:12-13 "Then shall he call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I shall hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart" Our connection to God begins with prayer. Talk to him constantly about EVERYTHING. Ephesians 6:18 says "Pray about everything, make requests and pray for others". We can derive many blessings from spending time with our Father in prayer.
Put God first and trust him. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path". God loves us unconditionally, there is nothing that can tamper with God's love for us. He is merciful to our unrighteousness. Have faith in him and all of your ways acknowledge him and he will never leave you. In Matthew 9:21-22 There was a woman with an ongoing illness, and because of her unfaltering faith in God, she touched only the garment of Jesus Christ and was healed. Matthew 17:20 states that "Nothing shall be impossible unto you if you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed". We must have faith to experience the miracles of God.
Follow Jesus. To become a disciple of Christ you must give up everything to gain it all. In Luke 14:26-35 Jesus said if you are not willing to give up a life of sin and walk with him then you can not be his disciple. Matthew 6:33 states "Seek he first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will be added to you". When we are living a life devoted and committed to God, not a single thing can intrude on his plans for us and through Jesus we will lack nothing. Deuteronomy 28 reveals the blessings that God will bestow upon us when we first seek the kingdom of heaven (the spirit of God in you). Follow Christ and become the recipient of great blessings.
Read the Bible. In Matthew 4:4 When the devil tried to tempt Jesus, Jesus said to him “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. We are of flesh and can easily be led astray by this world, so reading your Bible is key to staying close to God. Matthew 24:4 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you". If you know the words of our Father who can mislead you?
Be kind to your fellow human beings. Again, God loves every one of us unconditionally, nothing can interfere with his love for us. When we are kind to each other we are showing devotion to God. 1 John 3:17 closely states, How can God's love abide in us when we close our heart to our brothers and sisters in need? When you are confronted with a situation concerning your enemies, rebuke any negativity they send your way in the name of Jesus, pray for them and allow God to do the rest. Romans 12:19 "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord". When we worry about the works of our enemies, we are exhibiting an absence of faith in our Father. Trust that he's working for your greater good.
Love God with all your heart. How do we love god with all of our hearts? Follow ALL of his commandments and live a life devoted to serving him and him only. In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus said "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength and the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these". Second Corinthians 3:16 explains that God can not be fully with us while we are living in sin, so for him to lift the veil(a barrier between us and God) from our faces we must open our hearts to him, resulting in a higher level of understanding with a love for God and each other. In John 8:29 Jesus said "My father never leave me because I do the things that please him" Ask the Lord for help to fulfill his commandments, Matthew 7:7 states "Ask and it shall be given"
Keep the Sabbath holy. God rested on the 7th day after creating the heaven and the earth, a day he called the sabbath. Commandment #4 in Exodus 20:8 says "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy" The Sabbath is a holy day of rest and worship, a day to celebrate God's creation. On this blessed day, from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, we forget about all the cares of the world to focus on a special communion with our creator. Ezekiel 20:20 says "And hallow my Sabbath; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God" Jesus and his disciples preached the gospel and worshipped our Father every sabbath to honor him. Isaiah 58:14 says "If we refrain from our pleasure and honor our God on the Sabbath we will ride upon high places of the earth".
Preach the Gospel. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must teach obedience to our Father and his laws. Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Is your church teaching obedience to God's commandments and laws? There’s no one way to communicate God’s words. Spread the gospel in your way, whether through music, writing, ministry or simply posting on social media.
Take care of your temple. Your body is a temple that belongs to God. For that reason, we are to honor him by taking care of our bodies and refrain from all sexual immortalities including adultery, pornography and sex outside of marriage. God wants us to enjoy sex and be sexually fulfilled, within the context of marriage. Galatians 5:19-21 and Leviticus 15:16-17 named all the immortalities that not only displeased our Father but also caused us to sin against our bodies. Galatians 5:16 says "Walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh"
And last but certainly not least, Baptism. Baptism is the submersion of the body underwater to be cleansed of our sins. In Marks 1:4-5 John the Baptist preached the gospel to the people of Jerusalem calling them to repent and baptizing them in the Jordan River. When we baptize we are choosing to free ourselves from the bondage of sin to start anew, follow Christ and live according to God's laws. Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus told his disciples “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost”. We must be baptized to be saved, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and have everlasting life. Deuteronomy 28 Elaborates on the blessings that will come upon you and your loved ones once you are baptized and rewarded with the Holy Spirit (God’s spirit in you). God wants us to live in peace and to attain all that we desire (with the understanding that it is of god) so when we decide to live according to his laws, the rewards are great. Noah's family and the animals were saved by HIS commitment to God.
Luke 15:7 "All of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents"
Many many blessings to you!