Spiritual Growth – Page 49 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

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 I’LL BE REVIEWING VARIOUS INSPIRATIONAL MEDIA.

On the first Friday of each month in 2022 we’re studying the Ten Commandments; why we need to know, memorize and obey them.

You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. ~ Exodus 20:4-5 (NLT)

For some it’s hard to imagine worshipping an idol like people did in Bible days. In reality, today we have lots of idols. Whether it is fame, money, pleasure, work or people… these can all become gods in our lives if we allow them to determine our meaning in life.

Find God’s Purpose in this Law

Among other reasons God’s laws are designed to protect us. What is God protecting us from? I believe He is trying to protect us from ourselves. Like little children, we think God is trying to keep us from having fun. When actually it’s the opposite.

Scripture tells us that sin is fun for a season. God knows how easily we’re deceived by the sparkling pleasures of this world. Faith in God, His laws and His love for us will help us see beyond the temporary thrills of this world to the true satisfaction of God’s eternal Kingdom.

Find God’s Grace in This Law

Another purpose of the law is to show us our need to be made right before God. The law tried to teach the children of Israel rules for living that would help them live in right standing with God. But there is no one who can keep all the laws. That is why Jesus came… to complete the law and allow us to be made right in God’s eyes by grace.

The law is required to define our sins. When we know what our sins are, we will more easily recognize our need for faith in Jesus. That faith in Jesus will bring the gifts of salvation and grace. Therefore, faith and grace are also wrapped up in the law.

The Apostle Paul in Romans asks if we can now do away with the law because of our faith in Christ. He answers an emphatic, no. In fact, because of Jesus and His grace, the purpose of the law has been completed.

Find God’s Freedom in This Law

There was a time in my life that I walked away from the Lord. I lost faith in God and God’s people. When I removed God from His place of honor I allowed myself to get caught up in wrong activities, people and behaviors. Overtime they gained a place of importance they didn’t deserve.

By taking God out of first place in my life, I removed myself from under His umbrella of protection. I set myself up for Satan to get a foothold in my life. When that happened, I no longer walked in the freedom I had with God. I was now in bondage to the devil.

Like Eve in the Garden, this trap began with thoughts that doubted God’s love for me. Followed by my eyes looking at something I shouldn’t have been looking at. I might not have bowed down to an idol on my knees. But I certainly devoted too much time and money in pursuit of them. So much that they became the central focus of my thoughts and ultimately controlled my life.

If we can keep God holding first place in our lives we protect ourselves from Satan’s traps and other things from turning into idols. When we keep the first commandment it’s easier to keep the second. The more we keep God’s commandments, the free-er we will be. The law and grace bring us freedom!

UPDATE YOUR MEMORY

Our memory aid for the second commandment shows us the image of a person bowing down before burning incense. This reminds us that we should not bow down before anyone or anything but God!

Take a few minutes to watch this short video from PragerU with Dennis Prager teaching on the 2nd Commandment.

RESOURCES:

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.

On the fourth Friday of each month in 2022 we’re studying the RHW 2022 Theme: God’s Law, Grace & Freedom.

“Without God’s law and grace there is no opportunity for recovery from any addiction and therefore no true freedom!”

Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil. ~ Genesis 2:8-9 (MSG)

God created people for relationship with Him. He wanted them to be free to live with and love Him. God gave people the ability and opportunity to make choices. We can obey and be rewarded with a happy life and relationship with God. Or we can disobey and suffer painful consequences personally and in our relationship with God.

The Law in the Garden

God commanded the Man, “You can eat from any tree in the garden, except from the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil. Don’t eat from it. The moment you eat from that tree, you’re dead.” ~ Genesis 2:15-17. (MSG)

Adam and Eve only had one law to follow. Pretty simple compared to Old Testament Biblical laws and our modern standards of law keeping. Among all of creation God gave only Adam and Eve the ability to think, reason, gain knowledge and make decisions using their knowledge. Most people aren’t content with what they have. We have an innate desire for knowing and experiencing life; whether that includes suffering or not. When given the choice, many will take the risk of knowing both sides of the good and evil. And so Eve took Satan’s bait and the human race has been suffering the consequences ever since.

Freedom in the Garden

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the land, and conquer it. Rule over the fish of the sea, the flying creatures of the sky, and over every animal that crawls on the land. I have just given you every green plant yielding seed that is on the surface of the whole land, and every tree, which has the fruit of a tree yielding seed. They are to be food for you. Also for every wild animal, every flying creature of the sky and every creature that crawls on the land which has life, every green plant is to be food.” So God saw everything that He made, and behold it was very good. ~ Genesis 1:28-30

Adam and Eve had freedom unlike any other humans have experienced. They had the freedom to walk and talk with God in their garden paradise home. They had the perfect life. But they didn’t know how perfect it was until it was gone. We often take for granted the goodness that God has bestowed on us.

Grace in the Garden

And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. ~ Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve were created in the state of God’s amazing grace. With their incredible freedom came the ability choose between good and evil. And even when they disobeyed God and ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil He still loved them. They experienced God’s first act of grace, foreshadowing the future redemption of the human race, when He shed the blood of an animal and covered them with its skin.

Choose Life

I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. ~ Deuteronomy 30:19

God’s love is free and unconditional but His law, grace and freedom have conditions. In the same way there are unbreakable, unchangeable laws of nature and physics, God’s laws have set requirements and results that don’t change and can’t be broken without a consequence. Thankfully, Jesus came to save us from the consequences of our sin. However, it is up to us to make the right choice. Do we want life or death? Choose life!