Thursday: Back to the Basics 4

And God spoke all these words.

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters... It is Thursday and that means it is family day on the line. Folks, we need to be praying for families, please start with the family of God, pray for other families that are in trouble and please pray for the family in the White House. Also please pray for your family and mine.

Back To The Basics 4: Exodus 20:1 - And God spoke all these words. 2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." 7 "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name." (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, getting back to the basics is going to be more than a one week run, but we will just take the time to do it the way the Lord wants it done. I am also praying about the journey and a new vision for it. For the last four or five years God gave me a series that was called the journey. It was fun to write and I know many enjoyed reading it as we traveled to the manger and beyond. For now, let's get back to the basics.

Today we are taking a look at using the Lord's name in vain, or cursing as most of us know it. The Bible tells us in the New International Version (NIV) that we should not misuse His Name. The Bible also tells us, and remember that God is being quoted here, that "The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name." I was told by someone years ago that they were a "Rough Christian" and I just had to ask because I never heard that term before. The example that I got just made me sick. I was told that "A rough Christian is a person who comes to Jesus and is born again but still curses because they did it all their life." No, no, no brothers and sisters, when we truly come to Jesus we must put away those old habits and sins and work each day to please Him. It is one thing the Bible is very clear about. And I could never understand this one... Someone tells you that they do not believe in Jesus as their Savior nor do they believe in God or creation. They say that they do not exist, so why then do they call on Him in a cursing way when they hit their finger with a hammer?

One of the basic things about being born again is that we come to Jesus and we put away all those bad habits we might have once had. WE REPENT of those sins, and although a sin is a sin according to some pastors, I think some are spelled out differently in the Bible, that a lesson for another day. Maybe one good example of that is in tomorrow's lesson. For today I don't think I need to labor the point to you about swearing and cursing and using the Lord's name in a bad way. In fact when you hear others do it, you should correct them. I know I have heard my dear wife call people to task for it and I have also done the same... Words something like, hey, that is my Father you are cursing or that is my Savior you are cursing out.

I will confess to you right now that long before I gave myself to the Lord I learned I could not curse, for it was one of the most basic things I learned as a child... and trust me, I ate some soup, a lot of soup learning this, and even darn it was bad if you coupled it up with the word God. That brings me to those substitute curse words. They are just as bad as cursing, and I hate to hear them and you will even hear them on TV or the radio like there is nothing wrong with them. God knows when you are cursing even if you change the words, you see, He knew you before you were in the womb, and He knows what you are thinking... Scary isn't it? Not if you are really really saved, for He has forgiven those past things, and now and this is basic, and we need to get back to the basics. Yes, we need to repent of those sins and the ways we acted before we came to Jesus... right? I knew you would agree. Let's pray.

Dear Father in Heaven, forgive all those words that came out of our mouth that were just no good, the cursing of the past, the lies, the gossip, the talking about others, and all of our other sins. Help us to repent this day and walk in your light and toward You so the light gets brighter in us daily. Lord please, I pray for the soul of our President and his family and I pray for the family of God that all people come to You. I pray also for all families on this line and the family that lives under our roof, Lord. Lord, bless this house, oh Lord, we pray, keep it safe night and day... in Jesus name, Amen.

Go forth, minding your words and repenting of sins as you share your blessings...

Over the weekend we put out our mailbox for letters to Santa and the first letter in from our neighbor gifted the ministry for $100, God is good. We also put a food cart out for neighbors to drop food... The cart will be emptied daily... love ya dan

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
717 691 8200