But A Vapor

What is your Life on Earth?

Do you do this? I know I do. I even understand fully, well, as fully as we can while we are here, yet I still do it. What is it? Make plans. Look ahead to the Future. It is always a good idea... Right?? Always wise to plan for the future.. Right? Nothing wrong with working hard today so that tomorrow will be of ease.. Right?

There is only one small problem. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. We do not know if tomorrow will ever come.

"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." {James 4:13-15}

I have shared this story before, but I think it is necessary to share it again.. My Mom and my oldest Boy Joshua were extremely close. When she got sick, he spent as much time there as he could. Helping her with this or that. It was hard for him when she had to go to Hospice.

For those of you who do not know, Hospice is a GREAT Organization. They take care of you at your end of life time. They do not hasten nor slow the process, they simply try their best to make that time more comfortable and peaceful for all involved. The person dying and the Families. I truly cannot say enough good things about them.

Anyway, Joshua had a really hard time with this, so he and my Mom, and his Poppop, made plans that day, which was a Tuesday, to spend the Weekend with Mom. They were going to order Pizza watch movies and stay with her all Weekend. God had other plans. You can see where this is going right? Mom passed away on that following Thursday. The Weekend never came.

At the end, you know what Mom said. She regretted not having more time with those she loved. She missed the Holiday get togethers. She wanted more time with Josh of course. She worried about who was going to help him with his School work, etc.

You know what she did NOT say? I sure wish I worked more. I sure wish I make a million dollars. I sure miss my shopping trips. I wish I had that big House and was Rich and Famous. No. She said nothing of these things. I truly believe I witnessed the reason Jesus taught us this Parable in Luke 12:15-21

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

And he said, This will I do: I will pull downmy barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

In Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 King Solomon himself wrote..

"Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever."

The Prophet Isaiah wrote this in Isaiah 40:6-8

"All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever."

Think of this span of time. An Eternity. Forevermore. Never ending. Always. Now think about your life. 75, 80 years? Many shorter than that, some longer. Let's say you are lucky enough to live a happy and healthy life til the age of 100.

According to the Word, "that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." {2 Peter 3:8} So your happy and healthy life til the age of 100 is a mere 10 percent of the one day of God. That means, you are born when God wakes up. He never sleeps, just as an illustration. By the time God has his coffee, You grow, go to School, Graduate, get Married. Have Kids yourself, Work, Retire, Become a Grandparent, a Great Grandparent, ETC. and Die. God takes a sip of His Coffee.

That is just a Thousand Years. Now picture a Thousand Thousand Years? A Million? A Billion? Why do you think Jesus himself told us that we should....

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." {Matthew 6:19-21}

As a Child or God, or even if you are not, you have today. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to arrive. It is what you do today that matters. It is this moment in time. This very second. There is no other. The Clock will stop ticking at the very precise moment that your time is up. Make the best of this moment, every moment. For you know not if there will be another.

John warned us this in I John 2:17 ....

"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

What are you doing with your time? How much time do you have left? I know some people that spend their entire life attempting to stay one foot out of the Grave. Sad this is, a lot of the time, that is exactly what puts them there. Working too much, worrying too much, etc. You do realize that there is much more to life than going to an Office, or Digging a ditch, or whatever your Job is, and Paying Bills. Right? Jesus taught us we should be going about the Fathers Business and we should be doing what Jesus told us. Same Jesus said this..

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." {John 10:10}

It is not a burden being a Child of God. It is a Blessing. It is not suppose to be long suffering always, but Joyful and Triumphant. We should be Celebrating the fact that whatever comes, come what may here on Earth, we will live for an Eternity with the Lord in Peace and Happiness. Paul wrote.,..

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." {Romans 8:18}

How are you spending your time. What are your Priorities? What are you Working for? Take a second and stop everything. Sit down. Close you eyes. Think about it. What would God have you do?

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!

Psalm 31

Psalm 31

1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.

15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.

17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

Contentment

Be satisfied

Well?? It's 2017. Yup. It is the year of our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen. Where are you right now? In life. Where are you? Are you where you thought you would be at this time when you looked back? Do you have the Job or Position that you strive for? Do you have the House or Bank Account? Have you kept up with the Joneses?

We just passed the Holiday Season.. What were you Thankful for? Did you throw that all out the Window and throw yourself into debt? Seriously. Where are you right now? Do you want to be debt free? Do you want to be Thankful? Do you want Peace in your life? Then be Content.

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." {Philippians 4:11-13}

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 that we should not even think about what we should eat, drink, wear, Etc. That God knows we have need of all these things before we even think about asking Him, and that we need to have Faith that He will supply them. All we need to do is trust in Him and ....

"seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

There is much peace in Contentment. Why? Because we no longer have to worry about much of anything. Do you have a Roof over your head? Do you have food on the table? When was the last time you missed a meal? I'm not trying to be insulting or nasty. I'm truly asking you. When is the last time you went out in public naked? Not due to perversion but due to simply having nothing to cover yourself with.

Look at the World Poor. We see pictures all the time. Kids ruining around naked. People living in shacks or out in the elements. People eating bugs and dirt, drinking the same water they and animals bath in. In nearly EVERY other country, if you do not work, you die. If you do not do the things needed to survive, you die. There is no Government Check coming.

Now look at the Poor in this Country. Car, maybe two, or Public Transportation. Free to go wherever you want. Apartment or House with AC and Heat, running water, Electricity. Food. Given freely by Organizations and or Government. Two or more TVs. Cell Phones. All the Cloths you want. Even got ya some money to go do something like see a Movie or take your kids down to the local Store for Ice Cream. Really?

This does not give you reason to pause than think about it I do not know what will. We live in the Greatest Country on the Planet. You know why? Oh, we have forgotten. We are in a Moral Decline in this Country, no doubt about it, However, we are the greatest Country on the Planet, because we were founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a Country, we but God first, always. As a Country we..

"seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

We came here for Religious Freedom. We came here in ever intention of Winning the Race.. The Word declares in 1 Corinthians 9:24

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

New Living Translation puts it this way..

"Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!"

Nothing else matters. Most professional Athletes will describe getting in "The Zone." They block out everything else. They stay on target and keep the end result in the forefronts of their minds. Why? No regrets. Contentment. When the Race is over, you can go to the finish line with no fear. In 2 Timothy 4:6-7 Paul writes this to Timothy

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

He was never concerned with Recognition, or Monetary Gain. He was never striving to be "in charge." He simply went with whatever God came up with. He learned to be Content. To be Thankful. To be the Child of God that God chose him to be.

This is why God gives us this, the Tenth Commandment In Exodus 20:17

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

This is why when Jesus was asked which Commandments are the most important,, well, turn to Matthew 22:36-40. Here is the exchange..

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Simply put, If you have no other God before God, you will not worship before Idols. You will not take His name in vain. You will obey His Commandments. If you love your Neighbor as yourself, you will treat them how you would want to be treated. You would not Steal from yourself, you would not Lie about yourself. You would not Kill yourself. You would be content with what you have. Not worrying about what they have.

It is the year of our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen. A time of new beginnings. A time of new starts and fresh Minds. Why not start out re-evaluating your Position in Life. No not just this life, here on Earth, but your Position in Life Eternal. Not Content? Why? Not at Peace? Why? Take a closer look.. You may be surprised.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Psalm 30

Psalm 30

1 I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

7 Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

8 I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication.

9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Complication Does Not Come From God

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Hurting? In Pain? Lost? Is your life so Complicated that you cannot make any sense out of anything? Come on in.. Join us. We are the Religious. All you have to do is as follows..

Do not swear.
Do not Drink Alcohol
Do not Smoke.
Do not wear makeup.
Women better never wear Pants.
Men better shave.
We do not drink out of plastic, you must only use wood or glass.
Do not eat Meat on Fridays, unless it is the Orange Pass Fest.
Do not mix food on your plate. Meat cannot touch Veggies ETC.
Oh, NEVER watch TV or read Papers. The outside World no longer concerns you.

Got all that? Cool. Come as you are of course, but understand that you better follow all these rules or you will never be saved.. Oh, and if you want to talk to God, you need to go through one of our other "Fathers," "Priests," or "Leaders." They will also be the final word on any topic. They will allow you to know what the Church thinks and says about this or that.. This is some of the things the Lost DO actually hear when they ask "What must I do to be Saved?"

Remember what Jesus said about the Ten Commandments?

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." {Luke 10: 27-28}

You see, God gave us the Ten Commandments. Jesus sums them all up in Two. Why? If you love God with all your being, all your Heart, Mind, and Soul, you will NOT,

Have nor Love any God before God
Commit Idolatry
Take the Lords name in vain.
You WILL remember the Sabbath was give TO us.

Dishonor your Mother or Father.

If you love your Neighbor as yourself, you will NOT

Kill them.

Cheat on them.
Steal from them.
Lie to or about them.
Nor Covet what they have.

If you love them as yourself, you will do none of these things. But you would ALWAYS put them first before you. You will want to Serve God and them. You see, it is Simple.. Jesus told us in John 3:16-18

"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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Again, He makes it simple to understand when He told us this in John 10:8-11

"All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

Jesus said this in John 13:34

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

How much did Jesus love us? He loved us so He came for the sole purpose of dying for us. He loved us so that He laid down His Life for us.. It's not complicated. It's not hard to understand. It is not hard to follow. All we have to do is accept Jesus's Sacrifice for us. His Blood for our Blood, His Death for our Death, yet rather, His Resurrection from the Dead for our Resurrection into Eternal Life. That's IT. There is nothing more. There is also no other way. It is all inclusive. It is there for anyone.. Not just those worthy or dedicated enough to learn and follow all the tenants of whatever said Religion. But for ALL.

You see, God makes it simple. He wants a one on one relationship with you. 24-7. He wants you to go through Jesus to get to Him. There is no other way. No other Fathers, Christs, or Mediator. Jesus is it. Sorry, Yes. That includes The Pope, Buddha, Mohamed, or anyone or thing else.

He wants a Relationship with you. You know, a walking, talking, eating with, sleeping with, driving with, daily in good times and bad times, bad times, sad times, and happy times. He wants to be your Daddy. He does not care all that much if you eat meat on Friday. He really does not care that you have Jeans on. He doesn't really care if you are Smoking, Drinking a Beer, or wearing red Lipstick. He wants to BE your Daddy.

Now of course, if while reading His Word, Praying, and Growing in Faith, you start being convicted of this or that, and He asks you to give it up, then by all means do it. He knows what is best for you and He DOES have and Purpose and Plan for you. Most importantly, He LOVES you. YOU are what is most important to Him. YOU. Not what you have done, or what you will do. YOU yourself.. Just accept Him, and He is willing to, and ready to, accept you.

Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord.. 

Psalm 29

Psalm 29

1 Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.

8 The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

10 The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.

11 The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

The Ten Commandments, The Law of God, Revisited 9,10

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Thou shalt not covet 

Welcome back. Today we will wrap up our in depth study of the Ten Commandments. These are the all but forgotten Laws of God. They are not something little Johnny and Suzy should learn how to say in order in Sunday School. They are not a nice Biblical story. When someone asked you, what are the Ten Commandments, you should not say something like, "Have no other God but God, Uh, don't kill, uh, don't cheat on your Wife. Yeah that's a bad one. Uh, oh yeah, don't steal." You need to KNOW what these are. As a Child of God, these are given to you, not to make your life more difficult, but easier, and to keep you from the snares of the Devil.

Today we will be talking about Commandments 9, and 10

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Then we will wrap it up, the same way Jesus did at the end. Let's get to it..

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." {Exodus 20:16}

Now first, as we talked about before, with Commandment 6, if you bear false witness against someone, not only can you hurt them, you can also cause them to be put to death. Look at what they did to Jesus.

Let's look at Deuteronomy 19

"One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you." {Deuteronomy 19:15-20}

We can see all throughout the Word, of those falsely accusing innocent people. Adam accused Eve. Satan accused Job. The Jews accused Jesus. ETC. But False Accusations is not the only way you can bear false witness.

Lets say you overhear someone talking about someone. They say this or that. You now, without knowing if it's true or not, repeat that of which you heard about that person. It's not true. Yet, now that person is hurt or has to deal with the consequences of the lie you took part in.

"Did you hear Sally is sleeping with the Boss?" What you don't know is Sally isn't. You see, the Boss has a medical issue, and Sally has a relative with the same issue, and is very educated in ways to help. They became friends and Sally helps the "Boss" from time to time with his condition. There is nothing wrong or seedy about their relationship.

Now the Rumor get's to the "Corporate Office" and both are fired. Or now the Rumor gets back to Sally's Husband or the "Boss's" Wife, and it wrecks their Families and their lives. Never gossip. Even if Sally is sleeping with the "Boss," it's none of your concern. Deal with each other with love. Would you want others walking around talking about you? Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. {Exodus 20:17}

So why is this important? Isn't "keeping up with the Jones" normal? Maybe. But why does God want you to avoid this. Because of what it can lead to.

"And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.

They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.

Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house." {1 Kings 21:1-29}

So Ahab coveted Naboth's field, which lead to bearing false witness, with lead to the Murder of Naboth .

In 2 Samuel ...

"And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.

And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.

But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house. And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." {2 Samuel 11:1-27}

So David coveted Bathsheba, which lead to Uriah being killed for the Sin of David. It also cost David the life of his Son. You see, when you start coveting something, it then leads to other Sins. This is why God told us

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord." {Leviticus 19:18}

Jesus put it to us this way.

"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." {Matthew 22:35-40}

In Romans...

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." {Romans 13:8-10}

Who is your neighbor?

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." {Luke 10:25-37}

I can almost hear some of you saying it now. You mean to tell me, that we could have summed all this up, this now Five Part Series, and all the pages written, explaining the Ten Commandments, we could have summed it all up with..

"Have no other Gods but God."

"Love thy Neighbor as yourself."

Yup.. Then Jesus gave us a new Commandment. A bit of Clarification if you will. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." {John 13:34} How did Jesus Love us? While we were yet Sinners, He laid down his very life for us.

So now you understand why. If you have no other God before God, you will not worship before Idols. You will not take His name in vain. You will obey His commandments. If you love your Neighbor as yourself, you will treat them how you would want to be treated. You would not steal from yourself, you would not lie about yourself. You would not kill yourself. You would be content with what you have.

You see, the forgotten Laws, The Ten Commandments, were truly NOT given to make our lives more difficult, but they were given to us to make our lives easier, and to keep us from the snares of the devil.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Psalm 28

Psalm 28

1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.