I've Broken Them All

The next time you think you on a spiritual mountain top, I encourage you to think of The Ten Commandments. That's a great idea, you say, it's always good to mentally-review the checkpoints that helped you reach the summit. How can you appreciate the peak, to the fullest extent, if you don't first look back, and reflect, on how you arrived there.

You know what? That is exactly the the polar opposite reason I'm asking you to reflect on The Ten Commandments. Few things, in my spiritual walk, have been as humbling as going through The Ten Commandments not to see how many I have obeyed, but to count how many I have broken.

Guess what I found? I have broken EVERY SINGLE ONE-- that's right, the holy and sacred directives God gave to Moses . . . I was GUILTY of breaking them ALL!!

1. You shall have no other gods before me-- there have been many times in my life, I've elevated family, friends and things onto the throne of lordship of my life. GUILTY.

2. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bown down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments. GUILTY.

3. 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.

It's not something I've done many times in my life, but I remember in middle school when I would get real mad . . . I would say God damnit-- something now that is one of my biggest pet peeves when I hear it, along with Jesus Christ, Christ, God, swear to God, etc. I hate hearing my Savior's name taken in vain, and used in ANY way except ways to honor Him, revere Him and exalt Him, but you know what? I've done it myself! GUILTY

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but 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 manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is within them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

I don't know about you, but there have been many times I've done yard work or the duties of my job on Sunday, so without a shadow of a doubt . . . GUILTY

5. Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

There have been WAY too many times, I've disgraced myself and my parents through disobedience-- disobedience to the Lord, disobedience to them and disrespect to them. GUILTY

6. You shall not murder.

When I stumbled upon this one . . . I thought FINALLY, I found one I haven't committed, but . . . the reality of it is if we commit the sin in our minds; it's the same as actually doing it, so much to my chagrin I found myself in a familiar place. GUILTY

7. You shall not commit adultery.

The old me did this on more than one occasion. Not something I am proud of, but something I have learned from. Cheating on your wife or messing around with someone who is married leaves you feeling one thing and one thing only-- empty! GUILTY

8. You shall not steal.

We often think of stealing as in possessions, and while that's true, there are other things you can steal. Not using your potential, squandering minutes, hours, days, weeks, that is stealing from the Lord and stealing from YOURSELF. I'm sure I stole things when I was a little kid, and I've definitely robbed God through not tithing and through throwing away days. In either case. Once again . . . GUILTY

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

Although I pride myself on being honest with people, it would be a complete and TOTAL lie if I said I haven't lied in the past, don't lie presently (try not to) and will lie in the future. Am I a compulsive liar, or habitual one, no I'm not, but I definitely have been a liar in my lifetime: to God, to myself and to others. GUILTY

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife; nor his manservant; nor his maidservant; nor his ox; nor his donkey; nor anything of your neighbor's.

A PERFECT, or in this case IMPERFECT 10 for 10, I've coveted what other people have a lot! In recent years, I've tried to do a better job concentrating on the blessings that do fill my life vs. focusing on the things I don't have, but it's very easy to focus on everyone's little red bouncing ball instead of being content and grateful for what you DO have! GUILTY

That's a WHOLE LOT OF GUILT, but here is the GREAT NEWS God loves me and sent Jesus to die for my sins (past, present and future ones). He did the same for YOU! I think God made these Ten Commandments so easily broken to show us, while he appreciates obedience, loves hearts after His own and wants the best for us, one thing: we are SINFUL. That's not a copout, and I believe we shouldn't abuse grace, but it's the truth. We as humans just don't get it right all that often. We are easily led astray, deceived and many times chase the 'wind' more than we chase after the Lord.

I AM INNOCENT!

God paid a debt He didn't owe and one we could not pay when He sent Jesus to 'give us a way out' and reconcile us to Him. That's way past AMAZING!

"God sent His Son not to comdemn the world, but to save it!" John 3:17.

I don't need anyone to tell me what a fake, sinner, hypocrite I am, or have been, because I already know. If I could've saved myself; I wouldn't have been in need of a Savior and wouldn't need one now!

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7 Hear that!? REDEMPTION.

Or Ephesians 2:13.

"But now you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ."

It doesn't say if you are addicted to drugs stay far away . . . if you are addicted to sex . . . stay over there . . . if you are a drunk . . . cheat . . . a liar . . . a thief. . . if you've been locked up-- NO praise God ALL, who want it, are brought near by the blood of Jesus! That's awesome!

Don't tell me God can't change a person. I used to be a SEX ADDICT. . chased satisfaction and instant gratification in many forms with many types of women. . was into porn-- the whole nine yards, but it's been over a year since I've had intercourse.

In that time span, I fell back in love with the most beautiful, inside and out, woman I've ever known. I've never respected someone as much, found someone to be so insatiable, been more attracted to someone, thought someone was as sexy and never desired someone the way I desire her. Her spirit, her mind, her body and her heart are some of the most beautiful sights I'll ever see, so you can imagine between my love for her, the attraction I feel toward her and my human needs how great the temptation is! But those doors will not darkened until our honeymoon-- not necessarily because that's what I want, but because my desire to please the Lord overrides, and trumps, what I want. God can, and WILL, redeem you! If you will let Him. He took a whore, that's how I treated myself at times, and has made him pure once more!!

The chains of addiction can BE broken if you come to Jesus. You don't have to keep losing battles you could be winning, but ONLY through God's strength!

Finally look at Romans 6:23.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

We ALL deserved death-- that's the BAD news! But the unbelievable, yet true, news is we ALL can receive eternal life. It's my hope, belief and prayer you will see NOTHING DISQUALIFIES YOU FROM COMING TO JESUS!!

You don't come to Jesus cleaned up; you come to Jesus to get cleaned up. Won't you come to Jesus?

Read this prayer if you want to ask Jesus into your heart for the first time or if you want to recommit your life to Him:

God I confess I am a sinner and can not free myself. I ask you Jesus to come into my heart as my Savior. Forgive me of my sins and help me forgive those who wrong me. Lord from this day forward guide me, protect me and bless me all for your glory. Keep me safe from the Devil and give me strength. AMEN.