In the midst of this current crisis that we are in it has me wondering if people know where they would go if they died. And even what is the standard that we would be judged by? So I want to talk about THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. In Hosea 4:6 God says that my children are destroyed for lack of knowledge! God gave the Ten Commandments so that there would be no confusion about how we are to live and conduct ourselves. 1. You shall have no other gods before ME-The Father wants to be first in your life, in all matters. Sometimes we put other things first and they become idols. It could be work, friendships or even family. He says I am a jealous GOD and you shall have no other thing before ME. Every good thing comes from HIM. How many prayers have you prayed for what you have and HE came through. So now do your part and give HIM HIS honour and glory daily for them. 2.You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, you shall not bow down and serve them- If you have little figures of angels and things around your house thinking that they are for your blessing get rid of them, they are sin in your life. When you get dressed and put on your iced out Jesus piece, you have literally hung sin around your neck! Psalms 115:4-8 says Their idols are of silver and gold, The work of men's hands 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak Eyes they have, but they do not see 6 They have ears, but they do not hear Noses they have, but they do not smell 7 They have hands, but they do not handle Feet they have, but they do not walk Nor do they mutter through their throat. 8 Those who make them are like them So is everyone who trusts in them. Only the One true God in heaven can save not figurines 3 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain-I have come to learn that this means more then just using the Lords name in a cuss word. Taking the Lords name in vain is when you say that you are a Christian and you love the Lord and live contrary to his word. If you are getting ready to do some dirt and pray and ask the Lord to help you, you just took HIS name in vain. If you are in the club Saturday night doing God knows what and then run to church Sunday morning. And ask The Lord to forgive you and you do this every week, you are taking The Lord's name in vain. 4 Observe the Sabbath-This day is a gift given to you by the Lord. Sunday is the first day of the week and Saturday is the Sabbath. It is a day of rest, God worked six days creating the earth and rested on the seventh day. So you should rest also, it is HIS COMMAND. If The Lord took a day to rest why shouldn't you. He will strengthen you like never before for honouring HIS gift to you. 5 Honour your father and your mother as The Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long and your life may be well-Sometimes our parents aggravate us but they are our parents. We might have went through things when we were younger and blamed our parents. They were or are doing the best that they can or could. Most people raise there children the way that they were raised, so they were working with the information that they had. Without them we wouldn't be here. Believe it or not they do know what they are talking about, it might not make sense now but it will later. Help them as much as they need and don't argue with them. Remember this you will one day have children of your own. God will bless your life for honouring your parents so be good to them. 6 You shall not murder-When you kill someone, what you are doing is destroying the image of God. Jesus says in Matthew 5:21-26 that murder begins in the heart and HE says to always make peace with your adversary. In Genesis 1:26 God says Let Us make man in Our image and Our likeness. God The Father loves us so much that HE made us in the image of HIMSELF. 7 You shall not commit adultery-Don't cheat on your spouse. In Hebrews 13:4 the bible says Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled but fornicators and adulterers will be judged. Even if you and your spouse both agree to bring someone else into your bed for sexual intercourse, that means that you both agree to commit sin. But there is also spiritual adultery. That is when you claim to be a Christian but practice or participate in other religious activities. 8 You shall not steal-If it doesn't belong to you leave it alone. Have you ever been given to much change at the register and not said anything, that makes you a thief because all of that change didn't belong to you. In Proverbs 3:33 It says that the curse of the Lord abides in the house of the thief. And in Proverbs 6:31 it says when the thief is caught he must pay back sevenfold and even all the substance of his house. So again if it don't belong to you LEAVE IT ALONE! 9 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour-Don't Lie, even a little white lie is still a LIE. You can even bear false witness by not being who you say you are. If you present yourself to people a certain way and act different, you are bearing a false witness because nobody see's you the way that you first presented yourself. 10 You shall not covet your neighbour's wife and you shall not desire your neighbours house, field, male or female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbours - Don't be jealous of what someone else has not his wife, car, house, clothes, job anything. The bible says that God is not a respecter of persons, what that means is that HE won't do anything for one and not for the other. If you don't have it yet then it might not be your time.
HE will never give you more than you can handle. If you find yourself wanting what someone else has ask yourself this, What did they have to go through to get that and am I willing to do the same? I think that it is really important to know where you stand, sometimes we think that we are in a better position then we really are.
Charles Ayres