The seventh commandment is about more than not cheating

"You shall not commit adultery," (Exodus 20:14) is the seventh commandment God gives to Moses at Mt. Sinai. This commandment prohibits the act of sex by a married person with anyone other than their spouse. The adultery addressed in this commandment is different than the act of fornication, which is defined as sex between single people and also prohibited by God. The seventh commandment refers to adultery as it relates to married couples.

By stating this command so clearly, God forces his followers to face the fact that...

Read More Here.

There is more to the command "You shall not murder" than the taking of another man's life

"You shall not murder," (Exodus 20:13) is the sixth commandment God gives to Moses at Mt. Sinai. The principle behind this commandment is that human life is holy, because it is a gift from God. This commandment defines murder as the malicious and unlawful killing of another man who has been made in God's image. 

Life is precious in God's sight. He alone creates it and ends it according to his will and plan. Because of this...

Read More Here.

How the commandment "Honor Thy Father and Mother" reveals God's love for family

"Honor Thy Father and Mother," (Exodus 20:12) is the fifth commandment God gives to Moses at Mt. Sinai. This commandment is significant because it reveals the importance of family to God. Since God is Jesus' Heavenly Father, he is also father to all those who profess faith in and follow his Son. Family life is important to God because he himself is a father and loves all his children dearly.

As a result, family life is part of God's plan for the world and for most individuals. It serves as the basic societal and spiritual unit of society. In societies and nations where family life is deteriorating...

Read More Here.

Keeping The Sabbath Holy

"Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy," (Exodus 20:8) is the fourth commandment given by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai. In our culture, Sunday is usually referred to as the Sabbath Day. Sometimes we think of it as a day of rest, but more often than not, we use it as a day to catch up on chores or work or errands before the work week begins again, with possibly church and some leisure activities squeezed in. Yet, we are commanded to keep it holy, but how?

Read More Here.

Not taking the Lord's name in vain

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain," (Exodus 20:7) is the third commandment given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Often when we hear this command, we assume it prohibits using God's name as a swear word, which it does, because to do so would be the opposite of worshiping and honoring God. 

But this command is about more than just bad language or using God's name in vain... 

Read More Here.

Following the second commandment: Is our image of God accurate or idolatry?

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth below," (Exodus 20:4) is the second commandment that God gives to Moses on Mt. Sinai. This commandment forbids creating and worshiping idols or images. 

But if we look deeper, this commandment is also addressing our own personal image of God. Believers and non-believers alike have a tendency to create an idea of God in their minds that, while partially true, may not be biblically accurate. If the image of God that we create in our imagination is the one we worship, could that be a form of idolatry?  

Read More Here.

How do we obey the first commandment?

The 10 Commandments were given by God as a blueprint for his children on how human life should be lived. When giving the 10 Commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai, God did not start lightly or ease him into them. Instead, the first commandment sets the tone for all the others that follow. God tells Moses, "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3) But what does it truly mean to have nothing before God in our life?

 

When I think of the first commandment...

Read More Here.

Losing Our Children's Literature Heritage

I have just learned about the new law banning all children's books printed before 1985 because they may be unsafe and lead to lead poisoning. All ideological and political positions aside, how absurd. Vintage children's books are unsafe for children? Right.

The heartbreaking thing is that none of these books can now be sold, and will be disposed of as trash. A wealth of literature and reading material that would be wonderful for children to read will be destroyed. Books that are out of print will be lost forever if they happen to be published before 1985. And the effect of small book dealers and libraries will be tremendous. Many wonderful and charming books will be removed and lost from our local libraries forever. 

There are many books that I loved as child which are now out of print that I look for in thrift and antique stores. No longer. These books are so dangerous and toxic that the government must step in and keep them away from our children, and in the process it will destroy our nation's long heritage of children's literature. 

The Ugandan American Partnership Organization

Have you ever felt like the world was too big and you were too small to make a difference? Have you ever thought that you were just one person, so what could you do to significantly help others?

Brittany Merrill, a local Atlanta woman, proves that even one person can make a difference. While teaching literature in the summer of 2004 in Uganda, she had the opportunity to travel to nearby villages. Brittany met local people and learned of their struggles to provide for the many orphans in their country. Based on this experience, she founded the Ugandan American Partnership Organization. 

Read More Here.

Not Affecting Wisdom

The more you know and the better you understand, the more severely you will be judged, unless your life is also the more holy. Do not be proud, therefore, because of your learning or skill. Rather, fear because of the talent given you. If you think you know many things and understand them well enough, realize at the same time that there is much you do not know. Hence, do not affect wisdom, but admit your ignorance.

The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A Kempis

Are the 10 Commandments relevant today?

One of the most well-known passages of the Old Testament is the 10 Commandments. Many of us learned about the 10 Commandments in Sunday school children, but can you think of a time, as an adult, when you heard a sermon or received instruction on the 10 Commandments? It makes one wonder if the 10 Commandments really matter very much anymore. Do they matter in our daily Christian life, or did Jesus, his words, and his teachings push aside the 10 Commandments and make them insignificant?

Read More Here.

Growing In Humility

The Gospels are full of stories about Jesus and the remarkable and selfless humility he demonstrated in his life, toward God and his fellow man. As followers of Christ, we are to imitate Christ and his humility and follow his lead. But how do we know if humility is increasingly present in our life? If we feel confident that we are growing in humility or think humility to be one of our strong points, then we are probably not as humble as we believe ourselves to be. So, how do we know if we are truly growing in humility?

 

Read More Here.

A Hunger For Humility

Christian believers are called to be imitators of Christ. One quality that marked Jesus' life in its entirety was his humility. The Scriptures describe him as being gentle and humble of heart. 

 

But humility is something that is in short supply these days, even among Christians. We often get so upset and angry over the smallest trifles in our daily lives, particularly when we feel that our person or reputation is being impugned in the slightest way. But Jesus showed us a better way...

Continue reading Here.

Book Review: In God's Presence by J.I. Packer

I have been reading In God's Presence by J.I. Packer this year. Packer is most well known for his timeless work Knowing God. He has authored countless books, and was named by Time magazine one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. Packer is an excellent writer, but I think he is so influential because he has the unique ability to simplify complex theological issues so they are understandable to the average lay person. 

 

His devotional book, In God's Presence, accomplishes exactly this. Packer tackles what it means, over 365 days, to be a member of the family of God. The daily readings are full of Packer's brilliant insights and formatted so that readers are able to better comprehend a piece of biblical or theological truth, before moving onto the next day's reading. Each daily devotional includes a prayer as well as meditation questions to spur the reader on to deeper thinking about the topic of the day.

 

As Packer himself has said, "As a writer, part of my job is to case the world of scholarship, like a woman bargain-hunting, to find what would be worthwhile for the thoughtful layman to know." In God's Presence is well written and full of logical and practical biblical truths to help followers of Christ grow in their walk with God. 

The Secrets Of Spiritual Joy

The Scriptures tell us to "Rejoice in the Lord always." The word rejoice is synonymous with joy, so the bible means that we are to have joy in the Lord always. But what is joy exactly? Joy is not about having a cheerful disposition or a life that is always full of fun and laughter. Instead, joy is a state of being in which contentment reigns. And God has revealed that there are sources of spiritual joy accessible to all His children.

The first source of joy is loving God. Our love for God is possible because...

Read More Here.

Rooted In God

It is good for us to have trials and troubles at times, for they often remind us that we are on probation and ought not to hope in any worldly thing. It is good for us to sometimes to suffer contradiction, to be misjudged by men, even though we do well and mean well. These things help us to be humble and shield us from vainglory. When to all outward appearances men give us no credit, when they do not think well of us, then we are more inclined to seek God, who sees our hearts. Therefore, a man ought to root himself so firmly in God that he will not need the consolations of men. 

The Imitation Of Christ, Thomas A Kempis

How do we make our homes spiritually healthy places?

A few days ago I hit the one year mark of living in my current home. A year ago I was unpacking boxes after an 18 month long process of trying to sell my previous house. 

 

During that year and a half, I experienced some great disappointment, like when the first contract fell through just days before the closing date. My family and I waited for almost an entire year before we received another offer, and most days I wondered why God was making us wait so long.  

 

But God had some lessons to teach me during that period of waiting...

Read More Here.

Going Into The Great Depths Of God

If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself - begin to have spiritual discernment.

My Utmost For His Highest, June 8

I want God's light to shine from me, but I am not sure it does. Will it ever?

I have been taking some time recently to reflect on the topics I have written on lately. Usually, the topics I write on are things that God is currently teaching me, which often makes it a challenge to write in the third person. Third person makes it sound as though I am an authority on what I am writing, when really God is challenging me and working on me about my writing topics.

 

One issue I have been reflecting on this week comes from my article, The defining characteristics of Christ's church. I describe how people in Christ's church are to be full of joy and radiate God's presence. Since I wrote that article, I have been thinking, "Do I radiate God's presence, and am I really full of joy?"

 

I can fairly confidently answer "no" to both of those questions....

Read More Here.

Too often I take the Cross for granted. But why?

The cross of Jesus Christ was a remarkable event in history. Sometimes, when I think about the cross, I take it for granted because it is part of the story of Jesus that I know so well. But every once in awhile, when I stop and think about the significance of the cross, and the magnitude of what God did for me on the cross, I am stunned.

 

From the very beginning of history, God had a problem...

Read More Here...