Vester part 2

As we pulled into the parking lot of the jail my heart was racing like a….like a… a heart would race… if you were really, really nervous, anyway. I was still looking for an out, a way that I would not have to go into that jail. When we walked into the lobby the door slammed behind me & locked, man that’s a weird feeling. But when the guard came out to see what we wanted, her question assured me of a way out. “Are you a minister?” she said. “Yes!!!!!!!!! I’m out! I’m no minister!!!!! I’ve got no church! Yes!!!!!!” is what I was saying in my mind as I mentally danced around. But something hit me like a ton of little red Gideon New Testaments, it was 2 Corinthians 3:6. It says: “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” I was a minister, from the time I accepted Christ. I just looked at her as nicely as I could & through my clenched teeth said, “Yes, I am”. I could hear the Lord laughing. She said follow me & lead us into a small room which contained only a small table & 3 chairs. We sat down & heard the door close & lock. I looked around to see that we were all alone, I was a little uneasy. We sat there for a few minutes then the door across the room was opened & in walked Vester & a guard. The guard sat Vester down & turned exited & locked the door behind him….WHAT!!! He locked the door? Hey, I didn’t sign up for this, I thought there would at least be a armed guard in the room, ready to shoot to kill if need be. But there was My friend, me, Vester & I prayed God was there. We just sat for a moment or two staring at each other, not so much in hatred, but in a lack of knowing what to say. I told him that God had led me to come & see him. Then we started talking about where we knew each other from & stuff. Soon we found ourselves in a conversation about Christ & his love for all people, I told him how God was a forgiving God & how that God wanted to show forgiveness to him. He looked me square in the eye & said “God can’t forgive me for what I’ve done”. I, in a shaky voice asked him what he could have done that was so bad. “I’ve killed a man” he said. I slid my chair back & coughed my tongue back up where I had swallowed it, I said to God, “Well what do I say now?” He said “Paul”. Yea Paul, he put men & women to death for accepting Christ. He was a murderer & hated Christ, but God forgave him & changed his life. We sat & talked about Paul’s life & when we got through I told him that Christ would forgive him too. His face lit up & he said “That’s what I want”. We prayed with him & listened in amazement as he said the sinners prayer . He lifted his head up & told us thanks. He went on to tell us that before we came, he was sitting on his bunk ready to give up. His family had became fed up with his “In & out” of jail & about had given up on him. He said that the guard came & told him he had a visitor. He told the guard that nobody was there to see him, but the guard insisted. He said that he was very surprised when the guard said it was ministers, & that he was really shocked when he saw it was me… Now at first I didn’t know how to take that, but God can use anybody. We continued to talk until they came & took him back to his cell. We sat in that little room for a few minutes waiting to be let out & in kind of a trance thinking how weird it was that we, as worthless as we are…were just used by God.
A few weeks passed & I received a letter from him saying that a Christian Lawyer (come on, I know that sounds like an oxymoron but it‘s not) had found out about his accepting Christ & got him a chance at going to a Christ based drug rehab, which he needed seeing how the majority of his crimes were committed when he was on drugs. I wrote him back & told him that I would drop him off a Bible at the rehab when he arrived.
We did get the chance to go to the rehab & drop off the Bible & a Max Lucado book “A Gentle Thunder“, but they would not allow him to have visitors, rehab rules. So we left them, went home & waited to hear from him.
About 5 to 6 months later I got a letter from Vester saying that he was in prison & was still very excited about his new relationship with Christ. He said that he was enjoying his new Bible & book, & that he was spending time with God daily. We stayed in touch for several years, writing back & forth & hearing story after story of how God was growing him spiritually.
The day came when I received a letter from Vester saying that he had been blessed with the chance to go to an honors camp, & if he did well it would allow him to be released early. In the letter he said that if he were to get out early he was scared that he would fall back in with his old friends & be back on drugs again. I assured him that my friend & I would be there for him as soon as he got out. That was the last letter I received from Vester.
About 2 months later I got a phone call from him. It was a Saturday late evening, so I invited him to church for that next morning. I asked him if I needed to pick him up, he said that his grandmother would drop him off. I told him I’d wait out front for him.
It was Sunday morning & I was on cloud 20...way past cloud 9, standing in front of the church waiting on Vester…& waiting….& waiting….no Vester. Needless to say I was a little down as I walked into the church & took a seat. What happened? Was he o.k.? I didn’t hear from him for a week, I didn’t call him, I wanted to see if he would call me.
Saturday again late evening, the phone rang & it was him. Not as excited as last time I invited him to church & offered to pick him up, again he said his grandmother would drop him off. “Yea right” I thought to myself.
Sunday morning came & I was out front about cloud 2, waiting on Vester…& waiting…& waiting…again no Vester. I walked back into the church more down than before. Did he really accept Christ? Does he even care about God? I didn’t contact him (you know just like a good “Christian” would), & I didn’t hear from him for about one year or so. I was very angry with him.
I was at a new vending company ( this one had bought out the other) My friend worked with this company & as I was in the warehouse he came in the door & said “Have you heard about Vester? He’s been shot & he’s in I.C.U.” When I got off of work I rushed home to get a few things & hurried up to the hospital, praying that he would not die.
Keep checkin’ I’ll be back with the 3rd part soon.

Vern

Vester part 3

Vester (Part 1)

This story is not to glorify myself as you will see, my lack of faith in this situation is pretty bad. But God's lesson that He taught me, change my life forever. It is also to pay tribute to Vester and how God used him in my life and the lives of others.

It all started back in the early 90's, I was about a three year old Christian and employed with a vending company where I repaired machines…you know, coke machines, snack machines, food machines, etc… I traveled through out several counties in Alabama, when I would get a call that a machine was in need of repair. Kind of a vending superhero to those with chips hung up or a coke not dropping. 
Even though I did have several accounts that I didn't like to go to, there was one that literally turned my stomach every time I heard it's name…The Calhoun County Jail.

I was in the jail vending area, which was a small hallway sized room just off the main hallway, I had just finished working on a machine, packed up my stuff and started out the door, when I ran face to face with…Vester. Vester was a guy who was about 1 year to 2 years older than me and had been in trouble, in and out of jail most of his life. My only real memory of Vester was when we played on the same little league football team. I had to line up against him in practice, I was an offensive guard and every time he would come up, he would punch me with a hidden upper cut right in the chin, needless to say, I didn't care for him a whole lot. So when we ran into each other at the jail, I did what I thought a Christian should…I gave him a head nod (you know like "what's up" with no smile) and I went about my business. Hey, I was a new Christian, give me a break. Besides it was Vester, why should I care, he was right where he needed to be. I headed home with my meeting at the jail still on my mind. I went through the rest of that week and the weekend thinking about my encounter with Vester.

When I became a Christian it wasn't long until a friend of mine also accepted Christ and on Tuesday nights we would go out at 7:30 pm to visit some of our old friends that we use to drink and stuff with. We would go to them hoping to get a chance to share Christ. On the Tuesday following my Vester sighting, I still had him on my mind, so much so that I couldn't even do my daily Bible study. I would get home from work about 1:30 or 2  gave me about 2 hours alone with God, but this day I couldn't even concentrate. I was so very burdened by Vester and his situation. It bothered me so bad that I became angry, "God!" I said, "What do you want me to do, what's the deal with Vester?"
As clear as a bell I felt that God wanted me, yes I said me, to go to the jail (a place I had tried to stay out of most of my life), and witness to Vester. I am ashamed to say it but I fought with God about this. I didn't want to go see him and I sure didn't want to see him in jail. What if he tried to shank me, I'd seen those movies, you turn your back on em' and BAM, next thing you know your on the floor with a sharpened toothbrush in your back, bleeding to death, screaming for your mommy and seeing your life flash before your eyes…don't go into the marsh, don't go into the marsh…crazy humans. I really didn't want to go, so I made a deal with God. I would go, but on my own terms.

MY TERMS:

 1) I could go that night, Tuesday our regular visiting day (at that time they didn't have visitation on Tuesdays, I'm one ahead already)

2) I can meet with him in a room not behind glass on a phone but face to face (they'd never let some nut calling of the street come in to that type of situation, now I'm 2 and 0)

3) I go at 7:30pm no later no earlier (I'm going to tell them what to do? I'm 3 and 0 and about to walk). 

So I went over to the table where the phone book was, looked up the jail and dialed. A ladies voice came over the line, "Calhoun County Jail". (Made me sick just hearing her say it), I said "My name's Shawn and I want to come down and talk to an inmate named Vester, I want to see him tonight, in a room where we can talk without the glass and phone, face to face". She said "Hold on". I said to myself "bet that ended it". After a few minutes she came back on the line and said "Is 7:30 O.K." Wait a minute, she was supposed to come back and say "Sorry sir, we don't let just anybody stop by and make their own arrangements to visit with inmates!" …NOT "IS 7:30 O.K!"
Notice: I didn't tell her the time I wanted to come.

I told her that would be fine and hung up the phone. I guess I better call my buddy and see if he'll go, I wasn't going alone. So after about 20 minutes of convincing my friend that we would live through it, he said he'd go and we found ourselves in a car headed to the Jail.
 
VERN

Vester Part 2 Vester Part 3

Wolf in a wool suit.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
(Matthew 7:15-23)

In this day and age we need to be very leery of anyone coming to us in the name of Christ. There are so many different denominations, religions, cults and such that we really should be careful.

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16

By what the Bible says we can be innocent or gentle and still be shrewd or wise. So we are not to walk around, as they say "so heavenly minded, that we are no earthly good". But we also are not to be "so earthly minded that we are no Heavenly good". There is a balance that we need to have. Jesus was a great example of that balance.

"But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?' They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.' Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground."

"At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'

"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. 
"Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:1-11

Jesus knew that these men were evil and that they were more concerned with getting something on Jesus than about keeping the law. It is also believed that they tricked this woman into adultery so that they could take her before Jesus, to test Him. Now I 'm not goofy, I know that Jesus knew their thoughts, but even if he wasn't all knowing, he still, by their track record, would have been cautious of them.
We do not have to walk around being gullible, we need to be strong in our convictions and be bold about telling people, in love. We need to work toward discounting these false prophets of Christianity. Shout it from the mountain tops , the truth about being a Christian. What it means to follow Christ. If we don't, who will. If we do not there will be many led astray and it will be on our hands.

"Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood."
Ezekiel 33:2-6

It's so cool how Jesus explains the good tree and the bad tree. Notice that Jesus does not talk about the look of the tree. He doesn't say the good looking tree bears good fruit or the crappy old broken down tree bears bad fruit. He just say good and bad. The look of the tree doesn't always matter. I've seen apple trees that look like they had been beaten with a baseball bat full of nails and it would have some of the best apples ever. Then I've seen some that were well taken care of and beautiful that didn't grow a thing. So as the old saying goes "looks can be deceiving". You may see a guy who looks kinda rough, not your typical television personality or model picture of a perfect pastor, but he maybe be a mature strong Christian. Then you may have a well groomed guy with PhD's coming out of his ears and dressed to the tee, but he maybe a snake in the grass. This could go either way. The Pharisees looked the part, but Jesus said they were serpents, John the Baptist looked like a wild man, living in the dessert, wearing odd clothing and eating strange foods, but look at how Jesus describes him:

"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist…" Matthew 11:11

So be very careful, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

He says that you will know them by their "fruits" or actions/character, What their life produces. People always want to know who should I vote for they all say the same good things. I say don't just listen to what they say, heck they're trying to get your vote. look at their again "track record", look at how they voted on things, things they've said and done. Everybody acts good when they're at church, it's how they act away from church that shows who they really are.

Enough said, just be careful don't be a push over, but don't be a brick wall either, and keep a sharp eye out for false prophets, wolves in wool suits.

Vern

Vine & Branches

"I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
John 15:1-8

Jesus tells us in his word "I am the vine & you are the branches"; He taught most of His lessons outdoors. I like to believe that He was in a vineyard with His hands on a grape vine sharing with His followers the truths of the Kingdom. Showing them the vine with the branches coming off & how the fruit grew from them. Explaining that if the branch remains attached to the vine it will thrive & produce fruit, but when it is removed, He may have torn one off & dropped it to the ground & said it can't do anything. Without Christ we can't do anything good for God without the Holy Spirit working through us. I remember one time I took it upon myself to share the gospel with this person & I laid it out sweet, it was the best I had ever heard, if I must say so myself, but when I finished the person I was talking to looked very confused & didn't accept Christ. I couldn't believe it, it was so…so perfect. But, it wasn't God it was me & pride. There was another time that I stopped before I shared & asked Christ to speak through me, when I finished I thought surely that they were bound for Hell as confusing as I just made them. But they accepted Christ that night. See it wasn't me it Christ speaking through me. If it's not Christ speaking through you it's worthless. I learned from that point on that anywhere, anytime that I was going to serve God I would & do ask Him to do it through me.
Another part to the scriptures is where Jesus says that His father is the gardener & he prunes or removes the bad parts of your life that do not bear fruit. If you haven't come to Christ yet, remember that you can't clean up enough to come to Christ, just come as you are. You don't clean fish & then catch them; Christ will clean up your life after you are his.
Now the fruits thing, very confusing for me when I first read these verse years ago, but Galatians 5:22 explained a lot for me:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

(These things are needed in your life to hold down a job, have a good marriage, etc…)

These things don't just show up in your life you have to work toward them, by remaining in Christ & Him in you. How do you do that? With Bible study & prayer. Get into God's word & read. If you are a new Christian, start in Ephesians read a chapter at a time. Don't rush through it just so you can say "I read it through in one year!" It doesn't matter if you can't remember what you read. Study it, search it, and dwell on it., ask God to speak through it. It's not a novel it's God's word to use to show us how to live & enjoy life to the fullest.
Next, pray. Talk to God as a son comes to his father. Nothing makes me happier than when my son comes to me for help or to thank me or just to say he loves me. Imagine how that makes an all Holy, Perfect God feel.
Talk to Him as you normally speak. I hear people stand to pray in public & they say "Oh Heavenly Lord, Thy great & wonderful Lord, I lovest Thee…" come on man your not King James. You don't talk like that. Speak to God with respect, but don't try to impress Him. He loves you & wants to hear from you.
Lastly this these verses say: "ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." People look at this verse & think God's some kind of blue, Robin Williams voice over genie, which will grant their every wish. They always for get to quote the first part of this verse: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you," If this happens then when you ask for things you will be thinking in accordance with God's will, not selfishly.
Get in God's word, get a quiet time, away from everything for a little time each day. It will make a world of difference for your spiritual life.

Vern

Asphalt Squirrel

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." 

(Colossians 3:2)

Years ago I was a vending machine repairman for a company called "Special Service Vending", yea I know Sheryl Crow's song, it's true you have a lot of time to think, you're by yourself most of the day. But anyway... It was a early morning trip to Lineville, Al that I was on, headed down the back roads out in the boonies.

I was traveling along when something caught my eye. It jumped out into the road right in front of me. I was moving pretty fast, when I noticed it was a squirrel just standing in the road looking straight at my van. I couldn't really do anything but hit him. I like animals & all, but I'm by no means going to wreck, maybe even kill myself for a squirrel. So I did what any normal non-tree huggin' person would do...I laid him out flat & went on about my business. 

Now, don't get me wrong I did feel kinda bad (I didn't cry or anything) but it was sad when I looked back in my rearview mirror & saw that fella laid out across the yellow line, but what happened next was was odd to me...a poem...yes, I said a poem came to my mind, so I pulled over & started writing. The poem goes like this:

"As a squirrle in the road I stop where I stand, as danger blazes toward me in a large white van. Should I dart to my left or run to my right, or maybe stand my ground & fight, fight, fight! With an acorn in my teeth & not much on my mind, the decision is made & death strikes me blind."

I thought, what a weird peom. I stuck it away for over a year. 

When I ran across it, I re-read it & still thought it was kinda funny. But as I was reading it, God spoke to me. Not in a loud thundering voice, but in my mind he said, Christians are like squirrels... I know, that's exactly what I thought! Christians are like squirrels? God went on...Christians are like squirrles, If they would stay focused on the other side & cross on through life, with out allowing themselves to be distracted, they would be just fine.

See that squirrel had it made, until he was distracted by my van. It wasn't that he wanted to die...I don't think that he was a suicidal squirrel, but, he was just curious about what he saw. When he found out that what he was interested in was not good for him it was too late, splat!!!!!!!!

As Christians we travel through life like squirrels, we allow our minds to be distracted from the other side, sometimes we recover & do well other times we spend that life jumping back & forth all mixed up not knowing where to run. Some are distracted by alcohol, some by drugs or any other sin (Sin - knowing something is wrong, but doing it anyway. Breaking God's law) we let that take our eyes off of God.

 I know distractions, but I've learned to keep my eyes on Christ. Curiosity will sometimes kill ya...it killed the cat & heck a squirrel. The best thing to do is not take the first sip, the first hit, watch the smallest amount of filth or spread the first bit of gossip. You may find it interesting & kinda  fun the first time, but it never ever turns out good...ask the squirrel.

Vern

Will you pass the Law please?

"Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: ‘Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I am speaking today in your hearing, that you may learn them and observe them carefully." (Deut. 5:1)

Moses knows that his time is coming near and he wants to remind this new generation that is going into the Promise Land, that God expects them to keep His commandments. He remembers the disobedience of their parents and grandparents and the fate that they suffered due to their disobedience.

People often look at God and think that following laws is all that He is about, but that is not at all the case. Those who think that haven't read or studied God's Word. The reason that God is concerned with obedience is so that we can live in a way that honors Him and live so that we will love and honor others.

"So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which

you will possess." (Deut. 5:32-33)

For the Israelites, they were to teach their children and grandchildren these commandments so that they also would follow the Lord. That is exactly what is wrong with America today. The parents and grandparents in the majority have not passed down the commandments of God. We all have been lazy in that. To look around and think that we've done a good job with our children today would be foolish, borderline insane. Drugs are more widely used than ever before. Not just illegal narcotics but even pills to help us cope. Some people think that they couldn't make it in this world without a pill. People are drowning there sorrows in Alcohol to help them cope. Check out the news, you can't hardly allow your children out to play in broad daylight in today's America because of some insane sicko who would hurt them. Kids on "You tube" recording themselves beating another person, so violently that it is sickening to watch. Kids who have lost their minds, walking into their schools shooting down their classmates, most of whom have mocked and made fun of them so badly that they think they have no other alternative and they see nothing from adults to show them different, there are adults doing the same things at their jobs, people defrauding others to become wealthy, robberies, murders, all sorts of violence. Presidential candidates that lie and we pass it off as stretching the truth. Presidents, Senators, Governors, Mayors, elected officials, etc… who can't run their own lives much less the government. Preachers that by Biblical standards are false prophets, moms and dads who want to live their own life instead of taking care of their children. Abortion on demand. It's sickening. People today will shake their fists in the face of God and declare that they don't need Him or that He's not real.

Look at what the world now calls entertainment. The majority of the programs on television are "reality" shows that are filthy and the people on them do the most ignorant things for publicity and money. Wrestling, UFC, cop shows, lawyer shows, etc… The movies that when I was young were rated "R" are coming out again rated "PG-13", and "parents" are ok with their children seeing them. People are becoming more violent, greedy and selfish, than ever before. They have no respect for anyone. Check out Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages and the filth that people declare from the mountain tops. Use to be, that people that did bad things were a little ashamed of it… today, it makes them proud.

We are a vile and corrupt nation. Not because of the style of government that we have, but because of the hearts of the people. A dictatorial style government would be a good one under a dictator with a good heart. No it's not the style of government, but the condition of man's heart. This is the reason that Moses was refreshing the minds of the Israelites on the Commandments of God. So that their land that God is giving them will not become corrupt.

The Ten Commandments were given as a mirror for man. Like a mirror hanging over a sink. A mirror that man can look to, to show him the smug on his face. It shows us how far off the mark we are from God's will. How full of sin we really are and how we need his perfect sacrifice to clean us up.

1)"You shall have no other gods before Me."

2)"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth."

"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

Why not…Why not have other gods…because there are no other gods, their fake. They can't protect you from Satan they can't provide for your needs, they can't give eternal salvation. They only bring emptiness and hopelessness. In the Israelites case He was the "LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." He does the same for us in our slavery to sin, because like the Israelites…He loves us.

"The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt" (Deut. 7:7-8)

3)"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain."

Paul stated in Romans 3 "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS" This is scripture Paul used that was from Psalm 10:7, it was talking about the wicked. The "wicked" which is defined by: evil, mischievous, mean, dangerous or disgusting. This sounds like the character of a lot of people today, more than ever our society is filled with dirty minded foul mouth people. Our movies, music, television and streets in general are saturated with it. I'm by no means saying that I've never used curse words, but when I use to talk like that, I didn't do it around everyone. I was scared of my dad finding out I did it. One of my sons and I were in a local restaurant when he was small and there were 4 large teenage boys sitting behind us, dressed in the typical sagging pants and crooked hats. They were talking loud and filthy. Every word that came out of their mouth was a curse word or just filthy, dirty language. With every word my son looked at me. I was starting to get angry. I finally turned around and told the four that if they were going to talk like that they needed to move, because I had my child with me. They, to my surprise listened and from that point on, they cleaned it up. But what really bothered me was that they would talk like that in public. But I've been in Wal-Mart heard grown WOMEN…not ladies but grown women talking out loud in a group, they sounded like a bunch of sailors. Our moral compass is out of whack, and God says that He will not let it go unpunished.

4)"Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. 'Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you."

This is the only commandment that was given to the Jewish people alone. All other commandments were given to the New Testament Church also, but this one. The Sabbath is on Saturday and the New Testament Church observed Sunday the day that Jesus was raised. Now this doesn't mean that Sunday shouldn't be held as an important day to the Christian, a day to set aside to honor God, but the actual Sabbath was for the Jews…listen to the rest of the verse:

"You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."

Were any of your ancestors brought out of Egypt? Not unless you are a Hebrew. The Sabbath is for the Jews.

5)"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you."

Honor your father and mother…man that's almost a lost thought in our culture today. I've heard some of the foulest things come from the mouths of children, aimed at their parents. The amount of disrespect and disobedience is awful. The verse tells you to honor them so that you may live long in the land. I was taught to do this by my dad…who if I didn't…may have not let me live very long on his land. But we should teach our children to respect others and to respect us. But we should also live our lives to earn that respect. You see so many parents today that want to be their child's friend or they want to live a life of drinking and running around, but then they expect their children to respect them…it ain't gonna happen.

The Bible also lets parents know that they should not provoke their children to wrath. They shouldn't be so hard on them that they push them away, or expect more out of them than they can and are equipped to give. The worst thing in the world for a child is having a parent that they can't please. "Train a child in the way he should go…" A lot of people are claiming this verse, but they’re not fulfilling it. It says "in the way he should go…" Not your way or my way…but God's way. Many of the parents today take a child to church and expect him or her to get all they need there. Then when they don't they blame the church, the Sunday school teacher, the youth minister or the preacher. But it needs to be that they blame themselves. Teaching the word of God starts at home. That's the problem with our nation today, we've become lazy in God's word…we want someone else to do it.

"You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deut. 6:7-9

All these companies like Coke, Budweiser, etc… all stick up signs everywhere, billboards and such. They want to get their word out…believe me they are. You can hardly go anywhere that you don't see some sort of beer and liquor advertisement … then we wonder why our kids are drawn to this crap. It's because that's what is confronting them. God said that He wanted His word to confront them. "You shall write them on your doorpost of your house and on your gates."

6) "You shall not murder."

Many want to take this and lay it on the soldier. This type of twisting of God's word by those who do not know it…is pathetic. You cannot lay this commandment on the backs of our soldiers. This commandment is talking about cold blooded murder. Some also want to tag this on capital punishment, the death penalty. First off God in His Word allows for the death penalty:

"If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death." Leviticus 24:17

"Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God he made man." Genesis 9:6

"He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death." Exodus 21:12

"If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness." Numbers 35:30

"Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death." Numbers 35:31

Many people say that Jesus changed this law…Jesus didn't change it, He reinforced it. He let us know that murder doesn't just happen physically. Not that someone should be put to death for hate by our courts, but to God, He knows that, that hate can lead to murder.

"You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." (Matthew 5:21-22)

We have in America today a majority of invertebrates, who wants everyone to be nice, sweet and just get along…they want to protest violence like war and the death penalty, then after they protest, they go with some friends to see the latest horror flick at the theaters. They want peace in a world that does not understand or even wants to understand the only person that can truly bring peace. They want to sit by while our nation is attacked or while monsters roam our streets looking for some innocent child to molest and murder. The bleeding heart, liberal Democrat and the wishy-washy, moderate Republican, if left to them will destroy America.

7)"You shall not commit adultery."

I saw a commercial one day for the older game show "The Moment of Truth", they asked a lady if she had been unfaithful to her husband and she said "Yes". The crowd was silent and then the announcer said that her statement was true…then thunderous applause filled the air. She cheated on her husband….does no one get that. Adultery is taken so lightly today. We laugh at it on sitcoms. Some romanticize with it on soap operas; some think that it's just the way we are. God says we shall not commit adultery. Jesus took it a step farther as He did with murder. He stated that: "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)

8) "You shall not steal."

We all know that stealing is wrong. You can go anywhere in the world and take someone's property and they will let you know that it is wrong. I have had my house years ago burglarized once and let me tell you that it was the worst feeling, to know that someone had been in your home and has gone through your things.

9) "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

Gossip, lying, etc… seem to be acceptable in our world today. TMZ, Entertainment Television, the tabloids, etc… seem to be the way of life. Everyone wants to know the dirt on everyone else, so that they can spread it. We all fall into this. We hear something that someone has done and we want to spread it. But what if it's not true, what if you are spreading a lie (not that if it were the truth, that it would be any better). Many people's lives have been ruined over a lie.

10) "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Covetousness is the cause of stealing. When you covet something long enough, you'll eventually want it bad enough to take it.

God wants us to be content with what He has given us. Covetousness only leads to trouble. It will also lead to debt. It will make you try and keep up with the Jones’s…and the Smith’s, the Phillip’ and the Prescott’s. Debt will make you miserable, trust me…been there done that.

This completes the Ten Commandments, which God gave to His people. It says in Deuteronomy 5:22 that,

"These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and; of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more."

Notice that "He added no more." He included in these Ten Commandments all that they needed to do to live a life of abundance and one that pleased God…a life that would give them prosperity in the land God gave them. God also said another very important thing to Moses about the people,

"I have heard the voice of the words of the people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all my commandments always, that it may be well with them and their sons forever!"

God was pleased with the people in their obedience, and longed for them to continue in this obedience so that He could bless them and their children forever. God's laws come from the creator of the universe and everything in it. The God, the Great I Am, that knows exactly the way we need to live and the things that we need to avoid, to enjoy life and bring others to a saving knowledge of His Son.

But, the majority…they have forgotten God's Laws and have not passed them down to their children and grandchildren. They have become a lazy, greedy, complaining and complacent people, much like the older Israelites whose bones at this point in the story are bleaching out in the wilderness. But now there is a new generation. The children that the old generation used as an excuse not to enter the Promise Land, are now the adults who will enter in and posses the blessings of God. We need to in this day and time forget the politics and political correctness along with the lusts for our own comforts and become the people God wants us to be, ones that love and obey Him, ones that teach our children and grandchildren to do the same. Jesus said, "If you love Me you will keep my commandments". Obedience is love.

See God knows that we can't perfectly keep these commandments, but through Him, with the Holy Spirit, we can be all that He ever wanted us to be…obedient. Do we get the Holy Spirit through keeping the law…no. The Law is a mirror held up to us. We are to look in it, and it will reveal to each of us that we are sinners. The mirror in the bathroom will show the smudge spot on the face, but the mirror won't wash off the spot. The Law can show us our sin…but it can't save us. No way can the mirror remove the smudge spot, we must come to the sink or basin and wash it away. The Law is the mirror that tells us to start washing. It tells us to come to Jesus. It is the blood of Jesus, God's Son that will wash us and keep on cleansing us from all sin. William Cowper wrote, "There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains." Have you come to the basin? Have you washed? Are you considered clean by God? If so, obey Him, teach your children to obey Him, lead others to Him. If not…He waits for you…He longs for you…He is calling you….come, just as you are….come…come and see.

Vern