I once received an email asking me why I spend so much time on SIN, when I could be encouraging others with something else. The individual continued on to say that SIN was no longer the “REAL” problem with anyone, considering how the government was dealing with us, the needs of other people, the hard times.

So I began to sit and think about everything; people out of work, the older Americans having to go into forced retirement, the illegal immigrants plight, and others — reading the news everyday and truly looking at our current situation in life. The writer of the email is dead WRONG!

The Ten Commandments:

1) You shall have no other gods before me.

Let me see here. The house, the cars, the job, the clothes, the gated community, the bank account, the “relationships” with others─anything other than Jesus Christ!

2) You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you 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 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.

Let’s see here again, the Oval Office, Congress, monuments of any kind, Oops…money! Wow, that last one sort of hurt, didn’t it?

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.

Oh…that’s a particularly bad one to have to remember, cause we just aren’t cool, in movies or otherwise if we are not cursing and committing this SIN…right?

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 in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Uh-oh! Wow…this is way too tough! I just have to get that proposal in on time, or I won’t get the bonus! Oh my Lord, that is so important! The grass needs mowing, the cars need to be washed, I need to get the outside walls of the house washed down, I need to edge and fertilize! So much to do and so little time! Lets see, who makes it rain, who created the soil to feed plants, etc.

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

Now here’s a toughie! I have to listen to Mom and Dad? They don’t know squat, at least they don’t know what I have to deal with every day, besides that they are like…way old! There is so much I want to do and they are always saying NO! I know what I’m doing! Just leave me alone!

6) You shall not murder.

Most people get this wrong, simply because they will not read the Hebrew version! What it is saying is “Thou shalt NOT commit premeditated murder!” There is a difference here, right? Now, It is also most Important to note…What your heart is telling you? What is the, “intent of your heart?”

7) You shall not commit adultery.

And here is a particularly nasty one! He/she is so hot! And he/she is doing all the chasing here, so…why not? The wife/husband no longer wants me! How can this hurt anyone?

8) You shall not steal.

They have everything anyone could imagine, why don’t people ever share? A million dollar house and fine cars, big bank account, fine clothes, the question ought to be, what don’t they have? [Anyway], it’s just a small thing─a broach or ring, a few pencils from work or school, no one will miss them!

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

Nasty, stinky, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _! They ought not live here, where decent folk live! They are so trashy and smelly, they’re messing everything up. Why don’t they go back to where they belong? I Know, I’ll sue them! Oh you’re right, I forgot, today is Sunday! Wow…we’ll be late for church!

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 that is your neighbor’s.

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but please note the word “COVET.”  If it is NOT yours, then leave it or them alone. It’s that simple!

I have heard people state, “I never break the Ten Commandments.” Really? Have you ever had a bad thought about someone? Watched that pretty girl or boy, just a little too long? Watched a pornographic video? Hated someone for hurting you? Backstabbed a person for a promotion? Told a “little white lie?” Had an envious thought of something someone else has and you don’t? Ever wanted to kill someone for hurting or deceiving you? And these are just a few things, because the list could go on and on! Go ahead and put yourself in any of these situations and you will probably find, you have been there before!

So…what do we call these things…SIN!

Each and every one of us has been there, we are all SINNERS and that is exactly the point of the Bible! Gods Holy Word to you and me points out that each and every one of us is guilty of SIN! It is this SIN in our lives, acted on or just thought upon that separates us from the Lord God Almighty! Here’s something that happens all too often: “Well, I wouldn’t think of SINNING like them! Bunch of ingrates!”

And the name of this most insidious SIN is PRIDE! The wrong sort of pride!

No one ever thinks to ask the question, “Is there anyone that is better or worse than me?” The Bible specifically tells us: “God is no respecter of persons” and “God created all men equal in HIS eyes!” Have you ever sat down and thought about that perspective? God Almighty created everything, even all the materials for your house, cars, clothes…even your money!

Therefore, taking this into account…YOU don’t own them to begin with, they belong to God! If that is the case, then you, in all your wealth are no better than the man pushing the broom. The question comes down to this: Are you going to listen to what other men tell you, or are you going to listen to God and HIS Word?

Matthew 10.28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

I am going to reiterate some things God has said before. “Death” is NOT the end…but it helps a lot, if you belong to Jesus Christ. Reread the verse above. Dying as a human is the point of no return! If you have given your life to Jesus Christ your SIN is covered by HIS blood from the cross — then you are safe! You will be with Jesus Christ at the point of your death or the Rapture!

IF…you have never given your life to Jesus Christ, if you have never asked for your SIN to be forgiven of you and covered with HIS blood from the cross, then you are indeed in more trouble than you would ever be able to conceive in your finite mind!

You, my friend are indeed headed for hell and eventually the lake of fire! Problem is, there will be NO END to it. There is NO HOPE of ever getting out! It is most important for you to realize, YOU make this choice, for yourself!

Matthew 25.41: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Revelation 9.2: “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.”

In NO way am I saying I am better than you or anyone else! What I am saying is that there is a decision to be made by each and everyone of us! Will you follow Jesus Christ or will you follow Satan and his ilk? That is the question! The first will have you in heaven for eternity and the other will have you in the lake of fire for eternity! Again it is YOUR CHOICE…choose well!

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

There is little doubt left anymore, that our society has gone to the bottom of the barrel of SIN. You may be waking-up everyday and heading off to work, some to a good day and for others to a dreaded day. None of us are exempt from the circumstances that exist in the work force, or to the pressures that are unloaded on us needlessly. It comes down to the individual needing to “make a living.” Thus we see how so many are then subjected to discomfort, in this money-making-endeavor.

For me, it seems somewhat strange. Money is made of trees, pulverized into pulp and then spread out and dried by machines to become paper. Ink first came from plants, so in a way, we can still use that analogy still. They use ink and print the paper, cut it to size, hand it out for work done and tell us this paper and ink has a value.

People then “believe” these people! Thus “money” has inherent value, it never possessed prior to its printing. Yes, I understand that at one point in time, every bill was backed by gold, what you need to ask, is that true today? You will quickly find out, it is backed by nothing now!

As we already know today, corporate America is all about money, according to pieces of paper written by others, these corporations are worth billions of dollars! These same corporations because of their money, bend the ears of politicians, thus our laws concerning different conducts of life, are made by these corporations. And of course, we “believe” them and those laws.

It makes little difference whether the laws are good or corrupt. It matters little that these laws are meant to be most favorable to the corporations first and the average person on the street…last. It makes me wonder about the corporation leaders and the politicians. Are they really trustworthy, are they honest? You might be very surprised by their backgrounds.

At one point in time, in history, we saw that people (by in-large) endeavored to be honest and trustworthy. In most instances they endeavored to be equal with all men. We have fallen a long ways from that mind-set and we have definitely gone in the opposite direction, as far as how we treat each others. Welcome to the “new and improved world” we now live in! Don’t sit back and be happy, you and everyone else has dirty hands in this issue, all have SINNED and it is most evident.

Chasing all that money has broken families apart, left children destitute and parentless, bringing about lives without harmony or love, leaving anger and hatred in its path. Trust me, you never have to look far to find examples of that. It is then silly to even wonder how all of this has come about, how people have been broken and damaged, when there is NO intrinsic value to money, and never has been.

Now ask yourself, how many people have died needlessly in the pursuit of money, either for themselves or because of the pursuit of it by others? Why does everyone want to throw their lives behind money that has no value; it’s now a “promisary note” something akin to a simple “I O U” ( I Owe You!). Has it never occurred to you that the bank is allowed by you─to keep a certain amount of your money simply because you have placed it in their vault?

Oh, yeah…the building, the employees who do the work, clean the floors and the list goes on and on. Problem is, they decide for you, how much you must give them. You may sit back and not be too upset by a couple of dollars going to the bank, but the bank has thousands or millions of customers and they simply rake it in.

What if we were still in the barter system? You would grow some wheat for your bread, but you don’t have a big enough barn for all of it? You would like to trade some of your wheat for a pig, or cattle, so you’ll have some meat with your bread. A guy comes along and tells you that for a small amount of your wheat, he will raise a huge barn and hold your wheat for you and that he already has pig and cattle pens, so the exchange should be easier.

You agree to this and it seems to be working out very well for all concerned. One day, you go to check the barn and there is more wheat GONE, than there should be. You see the man’s house and it is huge and very ornate. He has more than enough to eat and nice clothes. Would you then begin to wonder what was going on here? It’s the exact same thing with the banks…today!!

Romans 6.23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Proverbs 17.18-25: “A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.”

My friends, there is no good that comes from SIN! It ends in anger and hatred, damage and dispear, and in the end…death. The Bible─Gods Holy Word to you and me, is very specific on this and it would be the greatest of advice for you to read the Bible. After doing so, then match up the Bible against this world and the people in it. Are we or are we not, Infected with SIN? You KNOW we are! Having said that, remember “the Wages of SIN are DEATH!” God says so, therefore that is HIS final statement on SIN!

Philippians 4.4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

As we look around ourselves, as we watch this world tear itself apart, we must understand that the world is NOT going to see heaven! We must keep in mind what the Lord said about this world and the people in it. It is you and I, that have broken our relationship with the Lord, because of our SIN. God does nothing wrong…ever!

That being the case, it is then the thinking of you and me that is perverted. We are wrong, because we do not come before the Lord God Almighty and give HIM our lives. We do not humble ourselves and ask for HIS forgiveness of our SIN, therefore we are doomed to eternal death. Here is what is so unusual, you and I have made this CHOICE on our own!

In the end, it is either Jesus Christ─who is God─or it is Satan, who wishes he were God.

What is more damaging to you and me? That we only live for 70-80 years and then have nothing except the Lake of Fire, to look forward to? Or would it be better to live in peace and harmony in heaven for all of eternity? Believe me when I reiterate what the Bible says:

Romans 6.23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (emphasis mine)

If you were getting on a plane, headed for where ever, but somehow knew it would crash, would you still get on that plane? That is the exact same thing, except it concerns the death of your body, rather than death of you Spirit. As we see in the above scenario, it comes down to a choice by you! If you decide that I am wrong, you will get on that plane and soon die in the crash. But if you believe me, you live! Jesus Christ, who is GOD, is doing the exact same thing with you.

But you must realize and accept the fact that YOU are a SINNER, you must tell the Lord this and then ask HIM to forgive you of your SIN and wash YOU clean with HIS blood from the cross! That is the ONLY way you will get to heaven!

Another thing you need to understand here is this: born-again Christians are NOT better than you! Born-again Christians are simply forgiven of their SIN, it has been covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, therefore we are acceptable to God. That’s it! When the Bible says it is simply a two lane road that soon divides, believe it! One lane goes to hell and the Lake of Fire and the other little lane goes to heaven.

Matthew 7.13-14: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, whichleadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (emphasis mine)

Having too much fun, doing whatever “feels good” as compared to doing what is right according to God, you’re in great trouble! Listening to the “Feel Good Gospel” rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then you are in great trouble! Listening to the “Prosperity Gospel” instead of listening to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then you are in greattTrouble!

ANYTHING other than what the Word of God tells you, puts you in great trouble! Read the Word of God, for yourself, ask the Lord for HIS Wisdom in what you read and HE will give it to you! Ask the Lord God Almighty to forgive you of your SIN and HE will do so! Turn your life and your eternity over to HIM and HE will keep you in HIS capable hands for all of eternity!

John 3.16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”