The 6th Commandment

Good Morning!! The sixth commandment focuses on the sanctity of human life. It is designed to protect us, in our relationship with others. Many in our world today have less and less regard for God,..or the life He has given us all. Along with that decline comes a lessening of the value of life. This decline is apparent in the growing number of mass shootings, and other acts of murder. Every life is important to God,...even the poor, the elderly, the sick,...and the unborn. Everyone. And He calls us to value and protect every life.

"You shall not murder."—Exodus 20:13 (NIV)

You might say; "I really don't have to be concerned about this commandment,...I'd never kill anyone." But it goes beyond the actual crime of murder. It includes the condition of our heart,...that lack of love.  Jesus said, "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder." (Matthew 5:21, 22) Hidden emotions in the form of anger, malice, rage revenge, and yes, indifference, are all in violation of the sixth commandment. If you are holding on to anger or bitterness toward someone,...ask God to help you let go. If you are witness to someone's unfair or mistreatment,...ask God for the courage to speak up and out.

We must not let anger build and fester. Just as Jesus, in his love, paid the price on the cross for our sins, he calls us to show the same kind of love and forgiveness to others.

Father in Heaven, forgive us, for any unforgiveness or anger in our hearts. Forgive us, for turning a blind eye to injustice, and the pain of others. Help us to let go, and to demonstrate Your love, compassion and courage to all people, in all situations. In Jesus' name. Amen.

"Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct, and ethical decisions, is essential for every believers life."

The 5th Commandment

Good Morning!! This is the fifth of the Ten Commandments, and it may be considered the centerpiece of all the commandments. The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God and the last six focus on social relationships. This one serves as a bridge from our focus on God, to our focus on interpersonal relationships. Honoring one's father and mother is a model to respect God,...and others. Honor is learned in the home and flows into other areas of respect for various kinds of authority. Children are to obey and honor their parents.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."—Exodus 20:12 (NIV)

Even though we are no longer called to obey after we enter adulthood and are living out on our own, our responsibility to honor them never ceases. If they treat us badly, we don't need to honor the wrong things they do, but we still need to honor them as our parents,...and show them respect. As they age, we can continue to honor our parents by checking on them regularly, by seeing that they are lovingly cared for, by visiting them, talking to them, and especially by listening to them. It is easy to get so busy with job, friends and other family and even church that we begin to neglect our parents. It is important to guard against that.

Even as we move through the various cycles of life, we have a duty to honor our parents,...with our time, our care, our prayers, and our love. 

Father God, we thank You for our parents. Help us to always honor them in our thoughts,...as well as our words and actions. In Jesus' name. Amen.

"Knowing that there are absolutes that define moral conduct, and ethical decisions, is essential for every believers life."

The 4th Commandment

Good Morning!! The fourth commandment focuses on setting aside a time for rest and worship,...and clearly shows that God is concerned about our time. In this day and age, time seems to be a real issue for most people. We have time management courses, and an unending stream of electronic devices to help us organize, schedule and remember. God wants us to balance work with rest and worship.

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."—Exodus 20:8 (NIV)

Even God set aside a day of rest,...after six days of creation. Jesus set aside times to rest away from the crowds. And so we need to learn to balance all our busy activities, with rest and worship. Sabbath means rest. God told us to set aside this time because He loves us, and knows we need it. Without a special time to rest and worship, our focus on God will become dimmer. Without rest, we tend to stress more, and start to suffer physically and emotionally,...as well as spiritually.

The Sabbath is a time to regroup for the coming days,...a time to focus on God.
It's a time to enjoy our family, and to experience rest and recreation.

God has given us this gift,...let's enjoy it!

Lord, thank You for the Sabbath, for this special time for rest and worship. Help us learn to better balance our time and activities,...and not neglect the Sabbath. Amen.

 

"Make sure that there is a witness in your spirit, so that you will know you're on the right track."  

The 3rd Commandment

Good Morning!! This is the third of the Ten Commandments and emphasizes right thinking regarding the name of the Lord. Most of us want our names to be spoken correctly and with honor and respect. God, whose name is above every name, desires,...and deserves,...his name to be used with the greatest respect and honor. Although this commandment is often and correctly, viewed as prohibiting profanity and blasphemy,...it means more than that.

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name."—Exodus 20:7 (NIV)

It also means we are never to take the Lord's reputation lightly. If we call ourselves Christian, we are privileged to use His name. And we dishonor His precious name every time we say or do, something that does not show honor or respect for Him,...like when we hurt or condemn, rather than showing love to others. We should be careful not to take God's name frivolously in conversation,...or lightly in worship. We should avoid movies and TV programs that use His name in profanity, or show other signs of disrespect.

 Let us use the Lord's name with reverence, and honor Him in all we say, in all we do,...and in all that we are. 

Father, help us to honor Your Holy name, not only in our speech, but in every thought,...in our attitudes and in every thing that we do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 "Make sure that there is a witness in your spirit, so that you will know you're on the right track."

The 2nd Commandment

Good Morning!! This is the second of the Ten Commandments and shows that we are to worship only God. God forbids us to worship or use created things or even creation itself as an approach to him. Not trees, or flowers, or land. Not statues, monuments,...not even traditions. Only God. We should have no God-substitutes.

"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below."—Exodus 20:4 (NIV)

When we look to anyone or anything other than God as our primary source of meaning, self-worth, comfort or fulfillment, we are in danger of having an idol in our lives. An idol is anything that we depend on for solutions that only God can provide. Three common types of idols are substances, behaviors and relationships that control our lives.

God doesn't want us to serve idols, because He loves us, and knows what's best for us. Let us come before Him daily, seeking His will and His plan for our lives.

Lord, forgive us for trying to find comfort, solutions, and happiness in things, activities or relationships. Although You may use some of these things or people, to enrich our lives and to help us,...I know that You are the source of all good things. Holy Spirit help us to stop depending on weak substitutes. Amen.

 

"Make sure that there is a witness in your spirit, so that you will know you're on the right track."

 

The 1st Commandment

Good Morning!! The Ten Commandments deal with our relationship with God and with others. The bottom line is love. Each of these commandments holds a great deal of meaning for our lives today. One of the more prevalent "other gods" in our society today is the New Age Movement. Today's scripture is the first of the Ten Commandments. It calls for an undivided faithfulness to God.

" You shall have no other gods before Me."—Exodus 20:3 (NIV)

Because we have been created in God's image, this relationship is at the very core of human need,...and affects everyone. "Other gods" usually brings to mind wooden or stone figures,...or the proclaimed god, of another religion. But there are more subtle "other gods." Anything that takes our focus off Christ,...anything that we devote more time, attention and allegiance to, than Jesus, can become our other god. It might be money, sports, or sex. It could even be our job, a relationship,...it can even be our working in a ministry.

It's good to do a periodic reality check: Am I asking God for guidance,...or doing my own thing. Am I trusting in my job, another person, or my own abilities more than I'm trusting in the Lord?

Father God, forgive us for sometimes getting sidetracked, and allowing other things or people, to become more important in our life than You. Holy Spirit help us to refocus on Jesus. Amen.

"Make sure that there is a witness in your spirit, so that you will know you're on the right track."  

The Father Speaks, Are You Listening?

Good Morning, It's a Marvelous Monday!!...And I Started It Off By Praying For Enough Of God's Grace, Mercy, Wisdom, And Strength To See Us All Through. It's important that we always keep an open, and listening, heart toward God. We may have devotions for weeks, without feeling as though God has spoken to us. We may worship and pray faithfully, and nothing special seems happen. We may even wonder if God hears us at all,...but God does listen, and speak to us,...in His time, not ours.

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;....Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.—Proverbs 2:3, 5 (KJV)

One day we're reading the Bible and a wonderful, new insight comes to us that helps us see our situation differently. Or we're worshiping and an awesome sense of the presence of God unexpectedly floods over us. Or we are praying much as we always do, only this time a veil lifts and we are aware that we are in the very presence of God! We do not control God with our devotions, our worship or our prayers. These we offer to Him because we need to give them and because He is worthy. But they do keep us ready for the occasions when God speaks a personal word to us.

 We can't know or even anticipate when God will speak a personal word to us. But we can be listening when He does!

 The more time we spend with the Father and His Word, the more opportunity we have to hear Him speak. Amen.

"Make sure that there is a witness in your spirit, so that you will know you're on the right track."