365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 271

My daughter had a homework assignment to read a story and than ask us our opinion on who should go to jail. The story in a nutshell was about a man whose wife is sick and in need of medicine. He goes to an apothocary to get medicine but does not have enough money. He asks if he could give him what he has, take the medicine and pay the rest when he gets it but the apothocary says no. He goes home and later goes out and breaks into the apothcary's place and takes the medicine his wife needs. Who should go to jail? Well my son and I said the obvious answer and went with the law. The man stole the medicine that is breaking the law. What the apothocary did wasn't breaking the law it just was an uncompassionate choice. My daughter who was totally into this said well maybe the woman should go to jail for getting sick. NO-NO-NO I told her. You don't go out and ask a virus to make you sick. The woman didn't have any choice in getting sick. So do you see where I am going with this? Some choices aren't against any standard law or against the Ten Commandments and some choices are but no matter what the choices are, there are consequences. Though the apothocary's choice didn't directly break any law it spurred another man to make a choice to break a law. The bible tells us that if there is something that may cause our brothers or sisters to sin than we should not do whatever may cause the other to sin. Each choice we make, each action we take, each word we say can be that "whatever" that may cause another to make the choice to sin. I am thankful for this homework lesson that came home for my daughter that brought up this bible truth. May the words and actions I take today be only loving and kind and not cause another to make the choice of sinning. Amen.

1Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 102

I attended a church service at Sunrise Methodist Church last evening. I went to pick up a couple of books on scrapbooking bible studies and decided to stay for the service. The sermon was about the ten commandments. The first question was could you name them all? I think I could have done that although they may not have been in the order they are written in the bible. The pastor discussed how you can go by the letter of the law or as you read it like 'do not kill'. Got it don't kill anyone or as the very funny video they showed us said 'don't pull the trigger'. The pastor pointed out that there is also the intent of the law which is not the act of doing it but the thoughts and feelings of doing it. Ultimately, we are all sinners. I have realized I am sinning much more than I would have thought. I think when you put a magnifying glass over your life and look at each thing you do you will find that you are sinning more than you want to realize. So, I am intensely grateful for the gift of Jesus. He has freed us from the bondage of these sins. Although, I am free and saved that doesn't mean I shouldn't put the magnifying glass over my life and become more aware of the sins I am doing so that I can ask the Holy Spirit specifically for help in whatever area I need it. Take a look at the ten commandments over the next couple of weeks as we prepare for Easter and become aware of all your sins. It will make Easter morning be that much more glorious.
Exodus 20:1-3 And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me."