MAY 6, 2024
I PLEAD THE FIFTH
HONOR for Fathers and Mothers is an essential Building Block for the stability and health of all Society. If the younger generations are constantly at war with the older generations, the Foundations of Society will be destroyed or in the least made UNSTABLE.
Ephesians 6:1 Children, OBEY your parents IN THE LORD: for this is right.
Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Ephesians 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The Apostle Paul, repeated the 5th Commandment in Ephesians, emphasizing the promise of the Original: (that your days may be long upon the land). Rebellion is costly! Many have paid a high price for rebellion (against their parents or parents in rebellion against the Lord)!
We see that Paul added another element to the thought and that is ‘IN THE LORD’ and for the Fathers to be an example ‘IN THE LORD.’ Paul alerts, and warns the Children that are asked to do EVIL, to be aware, because that is NOT what the 5th Commandment is about. There are EVIL people that do abuse such Commands! Oh, dear Parent, DO NOT be that person!
NOTICE THE ORIGINAL WORDING AGAIN:
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exodus 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, out of the house of bondage.
SKIP DOWN TO THE 5TH COMMANDMENT
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon THE LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE.
In Exodus 20:1,2 (the preface to the commandments), God BRINGING THEM OUT of Egypt was a reason for their Obedience. In the beginning of the second table (starting with the 5th Commandment) God mentions HIS BRINGING THEM INTO Canaan as another reason to OBEY. Here long life, in that good land, is promised to the OBEDIENT CHILDREN.
Those that do their duty to their parents (Show Honor) are most likely to have the comfort of that which their parents gather for them and leave to them (Inheritance); those that support their Parents shall find that God, the common Father, will support them and BLESS THEM.
Those who, in conscience towards God, keep this and the rest of God’s commandments, may be sure that it shall be well with them, and that they shall live as long on earth as Infinite Wisdom sees good for them, and that what they may seem to be cut short of on earth shall be abundantly made up in eternal life, the heavenly Canaan which God will give them. (Matthew Henry)
If those in Society ask WHY are you HONORING your parents?
Just say:
I PLEAD THE FIFTH (The 5th Commandment that is!)
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MAY 5, 2024
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
As a Pastor, speaking to a young lady, that’s looking to marry that special young man – I would certainly try to invoke her thinking processes with the following considerations:
The Fifth Commandment:
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
With that Commandment in mind, I would ask these questions, – How does he treat his own Mother? – Is he kind to her? – Is he Respectful to her? – Is he Considerate of her? – Does he Value her Opinions and Wishes? – Does he YELL at her? – Does he Disrespect her Demands? (Son you must do this to get the privilege to do that) – Is he Disobedient? – Is he a Gentleman or a Jerk?
How that young lady answers those questions is very important. If that young man does not treat his own Mother with dignity – Mark my word! – He will not treat the young lady any better!
The 10 Commandments in a sense is a VETTING TOOL of Character.
The answers to the above questions are not given by writing the correct answers down. The True Answers are given by LIVING them. The Observer (by being Truthful and Unbiased) will know simply by the Actions of the one being observed. It certainly would benefit the young lady to be honest with her answers concerning these questions. It sure could save her a lot of grief and heartache.
The Second Tablet (The Last SIX COMMANDMENTS) deals with our Relationship and Interaction with Humanity. They deal with such Topics as the Respect Toward One’s Immediate Family, The Dignity of Life, Faithfulness in Relationships, Honesty, The Value of Other’s Property, Telling the Truth, and The Motives Behind Our Own Personal Wants and Desires. They are certainly ‘Dash-board Warning Lights’ for ‘Engine (Heart) Problems.’
The 10 Commandments exercise what some call ‘Our Sixth Sense,’ which is ‘COMMON SENSE!’
A Common sense God – gives Common Sense PRINCIPLES – to people who value Common Sense – Period.
These PRINCIPLES will STABILIZE our Society, Make mankind a better people, and the Commandments work because God is the Author of them!
As religion towards God is an essential branch of universal righteousness, so righteousness towards men is an essential branch of true religion. Godliness and honesty must go together. (Matthew Henry)
When it comes to how People treat People . . . Or how that boy will treat the girl . . .
I suppose you could say:
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
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MAY 4, 2024
TAKE TWO TABLETS FOR THE REMEDY
We know that God gave to Moses the 10 Commandments and that those Commandments were to be shared with the people. The 10 Commandments were written by the finger of God. They were written on two separate tablets or two tables of stones. They were not SUGGESTIONS as some have SUGGESTED — They were COMMANDMENTS that God COMMANDED. (I know the obvious is obvious but I like the sound of how those sentences sound – just saying 🙂 )
Exodus 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, TWO TABLES OF TESTIMONY, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
You may or may not know that the FIRST TABLET or table had the First Four Commandments on them. The First Four Commandments all deal with our RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. The SECOND TABLET or table of stone had the last Six Commandments which all deal with our RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW MAN.
Jesus very wisely brought clarity to this point by reducing the 10 Commandments down to 2 MAIN COMMANDMENTS and by doing so He still referenced BOTH TABLETS:
TABLET #1 OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD
TABLET #2 OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR FELLOW MAN
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF ALL?
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The FIRST of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mark 12:30 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: this is the first commandment.
Mark 12:31 And the SECOND is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Jesus told the scribe that he was not far from the kingdom of God. People that are SINCERE and HONEST will never try to deceive God – their fellow man – or themselves with insincere external religion.
To cure your bad relationship with God and man just:
TAKE TWO TABLETS FOR THE REMEDY
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MAY 3, 2024
KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING
The word ‘REMEMBER’ that is mentioned in the 4th Commandment is an interesting word. It is a verb meaning to recall, to think about, to think on, to be remembered, to acknowledge, to mention, to make known, and to rehearse. The basic meaning indicates a process of mentioning or recalling either silently, verbally, or by means of a MEMORIAL SIGN or SYMBOL.
Exodus 20:8 REMEMBER the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Matthew Henry, brilliantly describes The Sabbath in the following way:
‘It is designed for A MEMORIAL of the CREATION OF THE WORLD, and therefore to be observed to the GLORY of the CREATOR, as an engagement upon ourselves to serve him and an encouragement to us to TRUST IN HIM who made heaven and earth. By the sanctification of the Sabbath, the Jews declared that they WORSHIPPED the God that MADE THE WORLD, and so distinguished themselves from all other nations, who worshipped gods which they themselves made.’
AVOIDING LEGALISM AND DISCOVERING THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH:
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, OR OF THE SABBATH DAYS:
Colossians 2:17 Which are A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME; but the body is of Christ. (Old Testament Law meets New Testament Grace / emphasis mine)
The most important purpose of the Sabbath was to serve as a SHADOW (Symbolic) of the REST we have in Jesus. The Sabbath began in the Finishing of the Work of Creation, so will the Everlasting Sabbath (HEAVEN) in the Finishing of the Work of Redemption.
I realize that there are a lot of Legalities and Technicalities when discussing the Sabbath.
Yes, Saturday is the Sabbath Day . . .
Yes, Sunday is the First Day of the Week.
Jesus arose on Sunday and I Worship on that Day to Commemorate His Resurrection. Yet, I know some that Love Jesus and worship on Saturday.
The Main thing – is to – WORSHIP HIM!
Without being – DETOURED from GOD’S PURPOSE – can we just admit that we need to take time for the Worship of The LORD?
Can I (or YOU) give more TIME to HIM?
Can we Pray a little more?
Study a little more?
Think upon HIM a little more?
Give a little more?
GOD SAYS:
Isaiah 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from THE SABBATH, from doing thy pleasure on my HOLY DAY; and call THE SABBATH a delight, the HOLY OF THE LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isaiah 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Guaranteed Blessings)
My note: When it comes to the Sabbath please:
KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING
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MAY 2, 2024
COME APART AND REST OR YOU WILL COME APART
My Granddaughter, Miss Madelyn (a Toddler when this was written), will point at her eye and say, ‘EYE!’ Her Father (Ben) is in the Medical Field and he has studied anatomy in such a way that he points at the ‘EYE’ and says things that are so detailed that all stare in amazement. Their knowledge levels are different – One is LEARNED while the other is LEARNING – both levels are equally important and wonderful . . .
I say that to say this – BIBLE STUDY IS LIKE THAT – Some are LEARNED while others are LEARNING – The 10 Commandments, for example, present such a diverse spectrum of Learning.
So, with the ‘Madelyns’ in mind, I will keep this study very basic:
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Today, let’s establish some simple PRINCIPLES concerning the 4th Commandment:
1. IT IS TO BE REMEMBERED – it is said that God did not establish a new law here –
The Children of Israel had been in Egypt and they had failed or were not allowed to OBSERVE and KEEP the Sabbath Day (A Day of Rest). God is RE-ESTABLISHING something He began at the time of Creation:
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and HE RESTED on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
2. Very Simply – IT IS A DAY OF REST – (a day to rejuvenate and enjoy fellowship with God).
A). GOD DIDN’T REST BECAUSE HE WAS TIRED – He contemplated and enjoyed what He had made. He was letting us know that we too need REST and that there is a PURPOSE for such a day.
B). IT IS A HOLY DAY (a day set apart to Honor and Worship God).
Sabbath is a word that means ‘Intermission.’ Take a break and be with God. The following Scripture is not about the Sabbath but it is about REST –
Jesus spoke: Mark 6:31 And he said unto them, COME YE YOURSELVES APART into a desert place, AND REST A WHILE . . .
It’s like the Preacher that once said:
COME APART AND REST OR YOU WILL COME APART
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MAY 1, 2024
A MOTHER EXPLAINS WHY GOD IS JEALOUS
It was on a cold winter’s morning and the Sunday School Lesson was well underway. God had been dealing with my heart about the verses to be taught. Before I share one of those verses let me say that I’m of the opinion that many Scripture Verses are easier to understand than we make them out to be.
I believe – that many Characteristics that God possesses – are also built into us by default. We simply need to look at our own reactions to certain things to understand why God REACTED the way He did.
The lesson – The 10 Commandments – this was the verse:
Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I THE LORD THY God AM A JEALOUS GOD . . .
To illustrate my point – OUR REACTIONS lead us to understand GOD’S REACTIONS – I had Valerie (The Mother) and Vanessa (The Daughter) to come and join me in front of the stage. I began to develop a scenario to test and to see what this Mother would do.
‘You love your daughter with all your heart?’ . . . ‘Yes. I do!’
‘You would do any good thing for your daughter?’ . . . ‘Absolutely!’
There is a woman, who is a stranger, that is walking up to your daughter and saying these words, ‘Come with me . . . I want to be your Mother . . . It’s Okay . . . You can call me Mother . . . You will be my child.‘
I was interrupted by Valerie (Mom) . . . ‘NO!’ ‘That’s not happening!’
‘Why?’ . . . ‘Because she is NOT THE MOTHER . . . I AM!!!’ (Mom was sort of animated – if you know what I mean).
She continued, ‘It is not because I am a mean person, insecure, or selfish. It is simply because I AM THE MOTHER (PERIOD). I WILL NOT SHARE MY DAUGHTER WITH ANOTHER WOMAN WHO IS TRYING TO DO THIS!’ (Personal note: This may not be the exact quote of what she said but it does show how it was meant).
I said to Mom, ‘Thank you . . . you just taught us – what God meant – when He said that He was a Jealous God!
YOUR REACTIONS lead us to understand GOD’S REACTIONS.
God’s JEALOUSY is love in action. He refuses to share the human heart with any rival, not because He is insecure, but because He knows that our salvation is totally dependent upon Him . . . God is not jealous of us: He is jealous for us.’
Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, WHOSE NAME IS JEALOUS, is a jealous God:
This Mom was not hateful, but she sure was BOLD about her love for her daughter:
A MOTHER EXPLAINS WHY GOD IS JEALOUS
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APRIL 30, 2024
THE GOLD STANDARD OF IDOLATRY
Moses was gone for forty days to be with God on the mountain (Exodus 24:18). Because the people couldn’t see the reason for Moses’ delay – they grew IMPATIENT – they allowed it to become a stumbling block.
How we handle God’s ORDAINED DELAYS is a good measure of our Spiritual Maturity. Drifting off into sin or Lapsing into Resignation is to react poorly to God’s ordained delays. If we allow such times to deepen our perseverance in following God, then those delays prove to be GOOD for us.
Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that MOSES DELAYED to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, MAKE US gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot (know) not what is become of him. (Read Exodus 32 for more insight)
THE DESIRE OF THE MAJORITY MAY NOT BE THE DESIRE OF GOD
When it comes to ministry, a Great Amount of Caution should be used, especially when the people are saying, ‘THIS IS WHAT WE NEED!’ and ‘THIS IS WHAT WE WANT!’ With Moses, the people stopped trusting in God’s Plan and their IMPATIENCE became the FUEL that drove their fleshly desires to SUBSTITUTE God’s Plan with their Own Rebellious Plan.
WHEN WEAK LEADERSHIP CAVES TO STRONG REBELLION
‘Up, MAKE US gods!’ Aaron made ‘the golden calf’ and gave his excuse. At that moment, it seemed harder to stand for the LORD than to go against the people. Aaron, took the path of least resistance. He was lazy! Lazy people seem to always find fault with their tools. Those, who do not intend to work, always find some excuse or other; and then they make up for their laziness by having a delicious spiritual dream. MANY (my insert) Christian people about us are dreaming; and they consider that thus they are doing the work of the LORD. They are only doing it deceitfully by putting dreaming into the place of real service.’ (Spurgeon)
THE HEART OF REBELLION AND IDOLATRY
Excellence is DEMANDED from Coaches, Employers, Entertainers, and Physical Trainers, etc. We think nothing of those challenging demands! WITH GOD – the irony is- that people DEMAND a LESS DEMANDING GOD. In our modern culture many regard the ‘Absence of Restraint’ as ‘Heaven on Earth.’ But the Bible and common sense tell us that this kind of moral, spiritual, and social anarchy brings nothing but destruction.
Even a Mother knows that she cannot give a child its every wish!
I’m thankful that God cares and is DEMANDING.
Rejection of GOD produces substitutes – much like the ‘golden calf’:
THE GOLD STANDARD OF IDOLATRY
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APRIL 29, 2024
ART THAT REVEALS THE HEART
When I was just an elementary age child – my Aunt Bennie – gave me a little story book about the Birth of Baby Jesus. As I looked through its pages I was intrigued by the Baby Jesus lying in the little manger. As I gazed at the pages, my Aunt approached and said, ‘You seem to love Baby Jesus?’ ‘Yes I do!’ was my reply. As I look back to that moment, I fully realize that one of the first seeds of the Gospel was sown into my life. God used an ILLUSTRATED STORY BOOK.
My Grandmother had Religious Wall Art on every wall of her house. My favorite was the picture of the little boy and little girl crossing an unstable bridge. An Angel was in the background protecting them with safety. Yet, another seed planted causing me to realize, there was a God who loved young boys just like me!
Oh, I almost forgot the Picture of Jesus (the Good Shepherd), reaching over the ledge of the cliff and picking up that precious little lamb. Grandma would say with tears, ‘Son, when you get into trouble remember Jesus will be there to get you out!’ Oh, how I needed to know that. I KNOW that those PIECES OF ART revealed the GOSPEL unto me!
Let’s read the SECOND COMMANDMENT in full (not just the first 9 words):
Exodus 20:4 THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:5 THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM (worship them/ emphasis mine), nor SERVE them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exodus 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
The second commandment doesn’t forbid making an image of something for ARTISTIC PURPOSES.
Many do not realize that God Himself COMMANDED Israel to MAKE IMAGES of CHERUBIM (A Heavenly Figure) – (Exodus 25:18; Exodus 26:31).
Exodus 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exodus 26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
Just take a look at all the things that were made for the Tabernacle.
Here’s the PRINCIPLE: The mere making was not the sin – it was the making of images with the intent to BOW DOWN and give the IDOL WORSHIP.
Sunday School Teachers have used such TOOLS of art as Flannel Graph Objects to Media Presentations in planting seeds of the GOSPEL in their student’s hearts. The ‘golden calf’ however was none of that – as it revealed the EVIL INTENT of the people’s heart. It fully disclosed their desire to depart from following God!
There’s certainly more detail and depth of Commandment #2 –
BUT TODAY our Devotion is about:
ART THAT REVEALS THE HEART
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APRIL 28, 2024
FOOLISH SUBSTITUTES
Moses was on the mountain top with God when God gave to him the 10 Commandments. While Moses was in Holy Communion with God on the mountain the children of Israel were at the base of the mountain with Aaron making a golden calf (holy cow! I suppose that’s where that saying came from). The people’s actions would be a direct violation of the 2nd Commandment:
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any GRAVEN IMAGE . . .
Today I want to look at man-made substitutes. Things that man says are more important than God. There are things that man foolishly makes to take the place of God.
It is true that humanity is instinctively religious. By necessity – man will worship something whether he thinks so or not. If man refuses to worship the Living God of the Bible he will then resort to making his own gods or substitutes. It is hard to comprehend why mankind is attracted to idols, creates idols, and especially then worships idols!
Consider:
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but BECAME VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS, and their FOOLISH HEART was darkened.
Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Romans 1:23 And CHANGED the glory of the uncorruptible God into an IMAGE made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
Notice the downward progression recorded in the above passage — it changes from God – to man – to birds – to animals – and then to creeping things.
This is mankind DEPARTING from God,
DEGENERATION into sin,
DESTRUCTION of true Biblical Doctrine,
THIS IS DEVOLUTION!
DEVOLUTION is a real word meaning a descent to a lower state or level.
Remember this PRINCIPLE: man becomes like what he worships. As his concept of God degenerates, his morals degenerate also. If his god is a snake, then he feels free to live as he pleases. Remember too, that a worshiper generally considers himself inferior to the object of worship. ‘Created in the image and after the likeness of God’ is degraded to a place lower than that of serpents!
Someone said, ‘Light rejected is light denied. Those who don’t want to see lose the capacity to see.’ (Author Unknown)
Many will be inclined to discuss things like ‘Creations of Art’ – ‘Paintings’ – etc. We will discuss that in the future – BUT TODAY – let’s keep the MAIN THING the MAIN THING!
Man is tempted to replace true worship of God with:
FOOLISH SUBSTITUTES
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APRIL 25, 2024
TAKING THE NAME OF THE LORD IN VAIN
What does it mean to take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain? If someone sneezes and the reply comes, ‘God, Bless You!’ – Has the third Commandment been broken? One just blurts out, ‘Dear Lord!’ – Is it, ‘OOOPS, I messed up?’ Let’s take a closer look at what it means to take the Name of The Lord Thy God in VAIN!
The word ‘VAIN’ in the 3rd Commandment is: The Hebrew word šāw’: A masculine noun meaning emptiness, vanity, evil, ruin, uselessness, deception, worthless, without result, fraud, deceit. The primary meaning of the word is DECEIT, LIE, OR FALSEHOOD!
Notice how the same word is used in the following verses:
Psalm 12:2 They speak VANITY . . . (Intentional Falsehood)
Psalm 139:20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in VAIN. (Intentional Disrespect for God)
It is very obvious to me that the meaning pertains to more serious allegations about the use of God’s Name. The Bottom line – ‘Heart of the Meaning’ – is MOTIVE and INTENT. The examples of ‘God bless you’ and ‘Lord help me’ – were never intended to be EVIL in MOTIVE or to express FALSEHOOD. I PERSONALLY do not believe that God is offended in such a case.
We may transgress the commandment in many ways:
(1) by Perjury;
(2) by Swearing;
(3) by Scoffing and Cursing at God or His Son Jesus
(4) And certainly when the Holy Spirit says that we have used God’s Name much too loosely (this requires sensitivity to the Lord).
Matthew 6:9 . . . Our Father which art in heaven, HALLOWED BE THY NAME.
His NAME, stands for Himself, and it is to Him that our reverence is due. Taking God’s name in vain is forbidden. We should never swear by God’s name that a False Statement is actually True – Making God a part of the lie! The MOTIVE and INTENT is HYPOCRITICAL (False).
Finally, there is the ‘Spirit of the Law’ and ‘The Letter of the Law.’ ‘The Letter of the Law’ makes everything so legalistic that no one is right – ever! A ‘God Bless You’ following a sneeze is wrong to them. ‘The Spirit of the Law’ is to know God’s Grace and Mercy and to know what He really meant by the Commandment. It is not about – trivial matters – it is more about being in a right relationship with Him.
Perhaps we should think about ‘TAKING HIS NAME’ just like a Bride who takes on the New Name of her husband! Never taking God’s Name in Vain!
When my MOTIVE and INTENT is PURE – I can have PEACE – I know that My Heart was not AGAINST the LORD.
To Lie and Swear by His Name that a Known Lie is True –
Would be:
TAKING THE NAME OF THE LORD IN VAIN
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APRIL 24, 2024
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
For many people the 10 Commandments are nothing more than a Home Interior Decorative item. Most people have seen them listed somewhere on a plaque but many DO NOT KNOW where they are in the Bible. My desire today is to show you where they are, show their entirety, and high-light them into the list you are accustomed to seeing.
They are in the Book of EXODUS:
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exodus 20:2 – I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
1. Exodus 20:3 THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.
2. Exodus 20:4 THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exodus 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3. Exodus 20:7 THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4. Exodus 20:8 REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.
Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5. Exodus 20:12 HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
6. Exodus 20:13 THOU SHALT NOT KILL.
7. Exodus 20:14 THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.
8. Exodus 20:15 THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.
9. Exodus 20:16 THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS against thy neighbour.
10. Exodus 20:17 THOU SHALT NOT COVET thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
These are not the 10 SUGGESTIONS . . .
They are:
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
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