We look at these commandments and tell ourselves we have not done such things. The word tells us that if we have done such and such...then we have. Explanations to follow!
I was talking with a couple friends the other morning and we realized that we who think like we do are definitely in the minority and no doubt are looked upon as prudes. But then that's what the Bible says is going to happen in the last days. So we must learn to not care what others think of what we know to be truth. It's our "cross to bear."
Murder--chances are none of us personally know anyone in prison or death row for this but the Bible tells us...if we have even thought in our minds we hated someone we have committed murder in our heart.
Adultery-- we may not commit the actual act but if we allow our minds to look lustfully at someone, even if we have no plan to fulfill that lust, we have also committed the act in our heart. Hard words.
Stealing-- we may not even have walked out of a store with unpaid for merchandise but consider the extra few minutes you've taken for lunch or break at work. Or consider the pen or notepad you absconded with for personal use. Was there an excuse? "They don't pay me enough so..." or "everybody does it; even the managers," its still stealing from your employer.
I would venture to say that not spending time with God could be counted as a form of stealing. He created us for His pleasure that we would commune with Him. When we ignore Him it could be stealing time away from our Heavenly Father to do our own thing. He gave us this time on earth. We owe Him some of our time.
In a Bible study we're doing a quote by E.M. Bounds states: Our laziness after God is our crying sin. The children of this world are far wiser than we. They are at it early and late. We do not seek God with ardor and diligence. No man gets God who does not follow hard after Him, and no soul follows hard after God who is not after Him in early morn.
The mind is a battlefield. How easy it is for us to justify what we do daily. The enemy says it's okay to do this or that mentioned above...even taking time away from God. That's his whole purpose...to distract us or lie to us.
Murder--chances are none of us personally know anyone in prison or death row for this but the Bible tells us...if we have even thought in our minds we hated someone we have committed murder in our heart.
Adultery-- we may not commit the actual act but if we allow our minds to look lustfully at someone, even if we have no plan to fulfill that lust, we have also committed the act in our heart. Hard words.
Stealing-- we may not even have walked out of a store with unpaid for merchandise but consider the extra few minutes you've taken for lunch or break at work. Or consider the pen or notepad you absconded with for personal use. Was there an excuse? "They don't pay me enough so..." or "everybody does it; even the managers," its still stealing from your employer.
I would venture to say that not spending time with God could be counted as a form of stealing. He created us for His pleasure that we would commune with Him. When we ignore Him it could be stealing time away from our Heavenly Father to do our own thing. He gave us this time on earth. We owe Him some of our time.
In a Bible study we're doing a quote by E.M. Bounds states: Our laziness after God is our crying sin. The children of this world are far wiser than we. They are at it early and late. We do not seek God with ardor and diligence. No man gets God who does not follow hard after Him, and no soul follows hard after God who is not after Him in early morn.
The mind is a battlefield. How easy it is for us to justify what we do daily. The enemy says it's okay to do this or that mentioned above...even taking time away from God. That's his whole purpose...to distract us or lie to us.
Isaiah 55:7 - Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Let me tell you, I'm not perfect! Sometimes my priorities get mixed up. Sometimes I make up for "lost" time the next day, if that's possible! Some days I'm just delayed. I'm the one missing out on the blessings. Thankfully, God does pardon and sometimes shows His pleasure by wonderful time spent with Him.
We fall into an Adam and Eve type scenario when we allow ourselves to go about whatever our hearts choose, or whatever we allow ourselves to believe is okay to do--and fall into temptation. Our mind is a battlefield. What we allow to go through our minds or allow our eyes to see can cause the mind to struggle with right or wrong...seriously. We can't arrogantly believe we are not prone to do evil. It is part of our sin nature. It all started in the Garden with a simple lie, something that takes hold in our mind and causes us to struggle.
The Bible is our guide. Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 5:26 says And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect...That He might sanctify and cleanse ... with the washing of water by the word. The Word steers us in the right direction and enlightens us to the truth.
I may be viewed as a goofball with some of the things I come up with. I can only hope that I am writing the truth of God's Word. If I am then I am assured that God does not see me as that goofball! I try to portray a picture of what God's thoughts are... His ways are not like ours, so we should not be judging what He tells us is truth.
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
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