Encouragement
The word 'sacred' is not used in the Bible, but the teaching is there in many places.
'Scared' is not used either, but the problem is on many pages, by different people.
'Sacred' means to regard with reverence and a sense of 'right'.
'Scared' is to be filled with fear or panic.
2006 is here and on July 20, I'll be 78, so I am tempted to add a 3rd word in the title....'Scarce'. I'm thankful however, that THAT is in the Hands of God.
Surviving cancer and 2 strokes, I am more than content to leave my life in His Hands!
I am very thankful that even though the number of years may be scarce,
God's Blessings are NOT scarce!
I'm afraid that for a lot of people, life could be spelled 'Stress'.
I wrote about this on Nov. 6, 2004 in one of my website papers,
called 'Solutions To Stress'.
Since 1956, while in my first pastorate and every church since then,
on New Years I would preach on 'Life At It's Best' with titles like:
'Life Can Be Great in '58'....
or 'Real Life in '65'....
or 'Life Can Be More in '74'....and so forth.
The only rhyme I could think of for this years, was
'Get A Fix in '06 From The Great Fixer-upper'. Not bad, huh?
People ARE out for a quick fix...which is only temporary,
so why not get a permanent one...in the Lord?!
Jesus promised in John 10 that we could have life abundant.
I like the statement, 'Back to the old life, I can not go, for I've had a glimpse of Jesus'....
but oh, it is even greater as we go deeper than a 'glimpse'!
As I've studied humans for these many years,
I have found the following thoughts on LIFE:
1) FORGET IT....not possible, so I'll continue the struggle
2) FAKE IT........outward show and no inward 'know'. Dealing in 'masks'...
3) FORCE IT......try a little harder, but live in the weakness of the flesh and not in the power of the Holy Spirit.
4) FEAR IT.......what will it cost me? Hell is the ultimate end of 'putting it off'.
The Bible says in I John 4:18: 'Perfect love (Jesus) casts out all fear'.
5) FACE IT......there must be a better way, so I'll try Jesus.
6) FIND IT......Jeremiah 29:11...'You shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.'
7) FAITH IT.....Inner experience without outward expression. Ephesians 2:8-10
8) FREE IT.....to have life's fulness. Galatians 5:1 'Having been set free, I will not return to the old life.'
Most people know John's Gospel in a verse (John 3:16)
but few people know Paul's Gospel in a Verse (Phil.3:10)
'That I may know Christ, the power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming unto His death.'
Since we often neglect the Old Testament...and there is so much conflict over displaying the Ten Commandments, I would like to deal with the 1st four and the last six later on in a study from Matthew 5, that deals with what Jesus said.
Psalms 119 is a great chapter on the importance of all of God's Word. Verses 9-11 'Where shall a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed unto Thy Word, with his whole heart, seeking God and not wandering from His Commandments.
Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.'
My wife is good about not 'over-medicating' for her problems with Lupus, many times cutting the pain pills in half.
But, we dare not take only half of the Bible, for the Old Testament has tremendous value!
Let's look at Exodus 20:1-11.
1) Our love for God is primary in importance! The first 4 Commandments uphold the Sovereignty of God and the other 6 protect the Sanctity of Human Life and Relationships. It must be remembered that the Ten are not detailed 'rules and regulations'....they are basic guidelines and principles for human life.
a) God is Sacred (vs. 1-3)
Jesus enlarged on this in Matt. 22:34-40 when He said,
'Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength...and your neighbor as yourself.'
We DO love God by showing Love to humans, the height of His Creation, but above all else, we do honor and reverence God by having no other gods before Him.
b) God's place is SACRED (vs. 4-6)
It is hard to enlarge on these SACRED words about our SACRED responsibilities and relationship with God.
I have a bumper-sticker in my study which reads: 'God is #1...OU is #2'
Though I played ball for OU, in reality OU is way down on the list.
As we will see in a new study, when God is #1, family, friends and others are 2nd.
c) God's Name is SACRED (vs. 7)
This Commandment is probably broken more than any other.
'G-D' is probably used more often than any other curse word and is the worst
(in my opinion).
"Oh my God!" is used for every little (or big) surprise it seems...
and He may be 'remotely' their God.
Be careful how you use God's Name, for Judgment is coming.
(Romans 14:12 and Matt. 12:36)
It is a pity whenever we break this Commandment, for God's Name is great
and is above all names and is worthy to be praised and honored!
d) God's Day is SACRED (vs. 8-11)
This one is probably 2nd in being abused.
Four verses are given here to this one, which would indicate that it is very important.
Be careful Christian, for the Jews (under the Law) may keep their Sabbath better than we who are under Grace.
Remember the Resurrection of Jesus was on a Sunday.
The book of Hebrews should help us greatly to realize that we are under a new covenant of Grace, but the Ten Commandments are very true and certainly pertinent.
My Dad was a great farmer and made good crops. I believe that part of the reason for his good crops was that he believed in Jesus and practiced the Commandment of never working on Sunday. (Other than having to milk 20 cows!!)
CONCLUSION:
Please remember that I will be doing a paper on the last 6 Commandments, using Matthew 5 about what Jesus said.
As I was preparing this paper, I noticed that in the two words, Sacred and Scared, it makes a big difference where the 'C' is in the word. The more near the 'C' is to the center of the word, (if Christ is in the center of your life), your life will be more SACRED than SCARED.
Someone has paraphrased the Ten Commandments for Children:
Above all else, love God alone,
Bow down to neither wood nor stone.
God's Name refuse to take in vain,
The Sabbath rest, with care maintain.
Respect your parents all your days,
Hold sacred, human life always.
Be loyal to your chosen mate,
Steal nothing, neither small nor great.
Report, with truth, your neighbor's deed,
And rid your mind of selfish greed.
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And you have certainly done that, so who knows if your years are scarce? I'm praying that both you and La Moyne have many more, with good health. Blessings, Sharon
Very Powerful anointed words!
Great piece!
Amen, when Jesus is in the Center of our Live and hearts
"Sacred thoughts will reign in our hearts"
Perfect Love casts out all fear!
In Christ Jesus,
Dee
Happy and Blessed 2006 to you and your family!
"Numbers 6:24,25,26"