A Contemplative Christian Outreach for Women™
The 10 Commandments are more relevant than ever before. If every human being would follow these simple laws, we would have no need for any manmade laws.
If you haven’t taken the time to study the 10 Commandments, I highly recommend you do so. You will have a new appreciation for God’s Word.
REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR TOPICS FOR CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR. EACH TOPIC IS A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS WE’RE REVIEWING CHRISTIAN MEDIA.
“Without God’s law and grace there is no opportunity for true freedom!”
And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.~ Ephesians 1:23
As members of Christ’s body we walk in the all sufficient grace made possible by His sacrifice. We are the true expression of God’s grace in this world!
So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed. ~ James 5:16
We are all prone to hide our weaknesses. But by not taking responsibility for our mistakes is very unhealthy.
Our hidden secrets grow in the darkness and will ultimately take over our life if we let them. The longer we hide them, the more painful it will be to confess them and change our behavior.
Confession is not real unless it is honest–both in what is revealed and what is not. Telling the whole truth in full disclosure is the only acceptable kind of confession that produces healing. ~ The Twelve Laws of Recovery
Once we do make confession, healing begins, not just in our own hearts, but in personal relationships and with God. The pain of confession is totally worth it!
For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. ~ Romans 10:3
If we continue to believe that we must make restitution with God by following the law and performing then what Jesus did for us was a complete waste. Jesus took all the punishment we were supposed to get. There is nothing left for us to do except believe and receive what He did for us!
“You must not want to take your neighbor’s house. You must not want his wife or his men or women slaves. You must not want his ox or his donkey. You must not want to take anything that belongs to your neighbor.”~ Exodus 20:17
The tenth commandment could possibly be the most important of them all. If all mankind would simply follow the commandment to not covet, which is to desire something that belongs to someone else to the point of taking it from that other person, this world would definitely be a better place to live.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught on several lessons that were focused on how our thoughts can lead us to sin. Thoughts of anger can lead to murder. Improper thoughts about another person’s body can lead to adultery.
Guarding our thought life is critical if we want to live a victorious life in Christ!
The Evidence Bible
Thompson Chain Reference Bible
New Living Parallel Study Bible
Spirit-Filled Life Bible
The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager
The Rational Bible: Exodus by Dennis Prager
The 10 Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why we Should Obey Them by Kevin DeYoung
Pathway to Freedom: How God’s Laws Guide Our Lives by Alistair Begg
The Ten Commandments: Reasonable Rules for Life by Dwight L. Moody
The Evidence Bible: Ten Commandments Memory Aid
REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR TOPICS FOR CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR. EACH TOPIC IS A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS WE’RE REVIEWING CHRISTIAN MEDIA.
“Without God’s law and grace there is no opportunity for true freedom!”
But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” ~ Galatians 3:13
When Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross He fulfilled the Old Testament law in Deuteronomy that stated unrepentant sinners were to be hung on a tree. By allowing Himself to be hung on the cross Jesus took the punishment that was to have been given to all sinners. He saved us from law’s curse which would have fallen on all mankind.
They must confess their sin and make full restitution for what they have done, adding an additional 20 percent and returning it to the person who was wronged. ~ Numbers 5:7
Step 9: We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
As recovering addicts working the 12 Steps, we all at one time will need to make our amends. The law of restitution is similar to making amends but it takes it a little bit further. Rather than trying to amend a broken relationship when we make restitution we are working to resolve what may have been lost or destroyed by our behavior: financial mistakes, physical injuries, sexual sins, etc.
So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.~ Matthew 5:23-24
“We cannot sincerely worship God with our words and sacrifices until we have made things right with other people.” ~ The Twelve Laws of Life Recovery
It’s important that we make every effort possible, if possible to restore healing to the relationships that we can. Prayerfully, go to God for direction on who He wants you to make restitution with. Take time to write a letter if necessary or even see them in person. Ask them what it would take from you for them to feel like you have really restored the relationship.
Remember, we are not called to be in relationship with everyone we have hurt in the past. Some people we must make restitution through our Father from a distance.
So what can we say? We can say that non-Jewish people who were not trying to gain God’s approval won his approval, an approval based on faith. The people of Israel tried to gain God’s approval by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings, but they did not reach their goal. Why? They didn’t rely on faith to gain God’s approval, but they relied on their own efforts. They stumbled over the rock that trips people. ~ Romans 9:30-32
For hundreds of years the Hebrew people sought God by way of following the law. They were consumed with performing for God’s approval vs. seeking a personal relationship with Him. And not only that, when Jesus came, they were offended at the possibility of non-Jews being able to be right with God without following all the law.
They don’t understand ⌞how to receive⌟ God’s approval. So they try to set up their own way to get it, and they have not accepted God’s way for receiving his approval. ~ Romans 10:3
Rather than trusting in our own self-righteousness to be in good standing with God, we must have faith in Jesus and the grace that He brought for us.
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21
Take a few minutes a watch this excellent teaching from Andrew Wommack that coincides with this chapter.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. ~ Exodus 20:16
As Jesus taught us, honesty is at its root an issue of the heart. And whatever we have in our heart is going to come out eventually.
Deceit is rampant in our modern culture today. Whether it is in academia, personal relationships, political leaders or the public media dishonesty is a huge problem in our world. And not just among unbelievers. Sadly, you will even find dishonesty in the Christian community.
As a reformed and healed liar, this commandment is close to my heart. I lived most of my life as a liar which ended up nearly destroying my life, marriage and family.
We will never be at peace with ourselves, God or others unless and until we are fully an unequivocally committed to God’s Word and we must keep it as a mirror before our hearts in examination each day. Only then can we have the power to be a truly honest person. By the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. ~ Proverbs 12:22
Our memory aid for the Ninth Commandment shows us the image of a number 9 lying on its side, reminding us not to not lie about anything!
The Evidence Bible
Thompson Chain Reference Bible
New Living Parallel Study Bible
Spirit-Filled Life Bible
The Rational Bible: Genesis by Dennis Prager
The Rational Bible: Exodus by Dennis Prager
The 10 Commandments: What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why we Should Obey Them by Kevin DeYoung
Pathway to Freedom: How God’s Laws Guide Our Lives by Alistair Begg
The Ten Commandments: Reasonable Rules for Life by Dwight L. Moody
The Evidence Bible: Ten Commandments Memory Aid
The Jordan River Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Moving Forward
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The Jordan River Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Moving Forward by Robert J. Morgan is the second in a series by the author.
Having come recently from a wilderness experience, this was a perfectly timed book for me personally,
As the book description reads: ” The same God who led you in, will lead you on.” states, this is exactly what happened for my husband and myself these last few years.
The Jordan River Rules is a lovely book, with brief but power packed chapters. I’m still reading it and look forward to doing a book study on it in 2023.
I highly recommend The Jordan River Rules by Robert J. Morgan!