¡§Spiritual Examination¡¨
Exodus 20:3-17
"Two young men were fishing above a low dam on a river near their hometown. As they were concentrating on catching fish, they were unaware that they had drifted until they were not far from the water flowing over the dam. When they realized their situation, the current near the dam had become too powerful for them to keep their boat from going over. Below the dam the water was dashing with strong force over great boulders and through crevices in the rocks. Caught by the swirling waters under the rocks, they never came to the surface. After days of relentless searching, the divers finally found one body, and then, two or three days later, the other."
Some times we may be drifting and not even realize it. So I thought today would be a good time to take a ¡§Spiritual Examination.¡¨ The answers you give will help you evaluate your spiritual condition. Just like any other exam, however, the results are only as good as the answers. So be truthful with yourself. The results will not be graded by anyone in this room except you and God. The good news is that if there is a failing mark now there is time to do something about it.
Exodus 20:3-17
3 ¡§You shall have no other gods before Me.
The children of Israel lived in a wicked society, one that placed almost anything above God. We are living in a wicked society, one that places almost anything above God. (Have you placed anything or anyone before God? What is more important to you, your relationship to God, or something/someone else?)
4 ¡§You shall not make for yourself a carved image¡Xany likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Many will quickly say that this does not apply to us. Before you make that decision, ask yourself this (question: Do I give to God what is His, or am I giving it to something/someone else to maintain my material possessions or place in this world?)
7 ¡§You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
What do you say when you are angry, or when something doesn¡¦t go your way? Some think that the only way to take God¡¦s name in vain is to curse, but that¡¦s not true. (Saying, ¡§Oh god,¡¨ or ¡§good god,¡¨ or ¡§Jesus Christ,¡¨ or ¡§Oh my god¡¨; unless you are actually calling upon The Lord or telling someone about Him, don¡¦t use His name>
8 ¡§Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
This is a tough one for this generation. Many must work on Sunday. If you must work on Sunday then set aside another day that will be The Lord¡¦s day for you. (Question: Do I find time for recreation and work but I do not find time for God?)
12 ¡§Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
This is probably one of the most disrespectful generations of all time. It is nothing to hear a child talk back to their parent; or hear them tell the parent to shut up; or to say ¡§ I don¡¦t have to¡¨; Society says that children have rights, and they do. Those rights are found in God¡¦s Word. Honor your father and your mother (question: Do I, or did I respect and honor my parents?)
13 ¡§You shall not murder.
Do we have any murderers in the house? Remember what Jesus said about murder in the Sermon on the Mount? 21¡§You have heard that it was said to those of old, ¡¥You shall not murder,„T and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.¡¦ 22But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother „Twithout a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. (Question: Am I mad at someone to the point that I won¡¦t talk to them; do I harbor ill feelings or ill will towards someone?)
14 ¡§You shall not commit adultery.
This commandment is one of the least observed in this generation. Even amongst those of the church. Some will say, ¡§Well I couldn¡¦t help myself, there we were and all of a sudden those desires that God gave me for the opposite sex just took over.¡¨ Paul said to the Corinthian church: 8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
It makes no difference how you try to justify it, sex outside of marriage is a SIN! Some say that the state of Texas recognizes common-law marriage. Well I say if your intent is to be married, make the commitment required and get married.
Let¡¦s also recall the word¡¦s of Jesus: 27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. That is why it so very important how we dress.
15 ¡§You shall not steal.
Any thieves here today? Ever give the boss less than a full days¡¦ work? Ever appropriate company, or even a friend or family members¡¦ property for yourself without their permission? Do you give God the tithe as required in scripture?
16 ¡§You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Any gossipers here? (Leviticus 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people)
Do you ever find yourself ¡§sharing information¡¨ about someone with others, yet are quick to deny it when the person finds out and confronts you? Are you one of those who is only trying to alert others about some important matters so they¡¦ll pray about it? He said, she said.
James 3:5-12: 5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
17 ¡§You shall not covet your neighbor¡¦s house; you shall not covet your neighbor¡¦s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor¡¦s.¡¨
Do you find yourself looking at what someone else has and passionately wishing it were yours? After seeing your neighbor¡¦s car, or house, or computer, lawnmower, etc. . . do you go out and put yourself in debt so that you can keep up with them?
Now if you gave yourself a failing mark on any of these you must do something about it. ¡§Well some people may think what they are doing is alright.¡¨ God, through the Holy Spirit, will reveal to each of us the truthful answer to each commandment.
Coming to church and participating is wonderful, but that alone will not take care of your sin. Let me close with the words of John when he said: 1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:1-6)
Well what do I do? 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)
