Before we look at number 8 and 7 on God’s Top 10 list, jump forward 1400 years to Jesus. He bumped into the Ten Commandments a few times. Once He was asked by a group of Pharisees “What is the greatest commandment”? Jesus wisely pointed not to one of the Ten Commandments, but to a passage in Deuteronomy (6:5) that brings us back once again to the heart of it all. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” He didn’t stop there. “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40/Leviticus 19:18) The first four of the Ten Commandments can hang on Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love God; and the last six can hang on Leviticus 19:18 – Love your neighbor. Jesus was quick to pull out the mirror of the commandments with seekers around Him. The rich young ruler of Luke 18 was confronted by “you know the commandments…”, and Jesus left out five of the commandments He knew a rich man couldn’t possibly keep. The young ruler’s response revealed “his god,” and he went away sad – he and his stuff lost in the dust of history. So let’s go back to the mirror for a quick look at “The TOP 10 WAYS HUMANS MESS UP THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.”  

Number 8… (Exodus 20:7) “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

How often through the day do I mention God’s name and not mean it? You might find it interesting that filthy language in general, and bringing in the name of local gods or God in particular, is a world-wide phenomena. Why? Again, the Law (Ten Commandments) is a mirror that point out the universal flaws we humans possess. Jesus Himself said “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45). It’s no wonder that if the pollution resulting from Adam’s fall is a heart matter, then our mouth would also project the same condition. Ultimately, when we use the name of “Jesus” or “God” as an explicative, we are doing the OPPOSITE of worship – instead of exalting His Name and filling our world with praise. We are dragging His name into the mud and cursed condition of this fallen world, blaming God for our situation or immediate circumstance. Think of even the seemingly “harmless” ways we do this. “Sherry can’t find a dress for the dance, OMG, what am I going to do?” A simple text message that ultimately drags God into our court of blame for not being vain enough to impress others – absurd! But isn’t it truly an ugly ingrained convention of our language that SOOO shows a sinful and unbelieving heart. 

• I’ll leave you some time to talk with the Holy Spirit about this one!

Number 7… (Exodus 20:8-11) “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

We mess up the image of God in our lives when we don’t schedule a regular “date night” with Him! (Sorry to put this in marital terms, but THIS SHOE FITS!) All relationships abound and flourish in the realm of TIME. If a time slot is not made for a relationship, it eventually shrivels and dies. If we set aside one day a week to soak in Him, think how productive the other six will be! The mirror of this command reveals another nuance – we are to work (be productive) for six days. God is always at work, we are made in His image… if we are lazy and not working, then we are not reflecting His image! Adam and Eve spent time working in the garden, and then “in the cool of the day” walked and debriefed with God. There was an ebb and flow to their schedule that had built-in conversation time with God. When we step into the fullness of all the great things God has for us, this is what our schedule should look like. Notice that I’ve not brought “church” into this. The “Sabbath” or “rest day” is for you to reconnect with God. If that is what your Sunday church time does, then by all means, keep it up. But if Sunday church time is a “big stresser,” or “showtime” to impress others with dress or intellect, or a social music experience where you meet cool people and hang out – then you’ve missed it totally! Preachers and teachers who spend the day “working” on Sunday will tell you that they need an “unplug day” where it’s simply rest and Jesus. If they miss this, they’ll be just as guilty as the person who violates the Sabbath by playing and avoiding God on Sunday. I challenge you to put aside electronics, other relationships and distractions, and simply walk or lay in the grass or in a quiet place with God. Have a weekly “unload” point in your schedule – PLANNED! Some weeks, you may actually sleep though some of it – that’s fine! Exhale! God wants some alone time with you up in His lap; after all, He is your Father!

• Work on your schedule…

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

“The TOP 10 WAYS HUMANS MESS UP THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.”

Number 6… (Exodus 20:12) “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

Look at the first family­—Adam and Eve sinned, left the Garden of Eden, lost regular contact with God, and started raising a family. Both sons were approached by God to offer their best in worship—one does but the other doesn’t, and Cain kills Abel out of jealousy. TOTAL DYSFUNCTION! Now, imagine Adam and Eve’s heart condition at this point… one son is dead and the other son acts out in shame and total disrespect toward God and his parents. From this vantage point it could be said that Cain’s sin was as much directed at his parents, and ultimately God, as it was directed toward Abel. Yet the command to “honor” our earthly father and mother is so dramatically fluid through the span of our lives; it can potentially show on human canvases how we paint our portrait of love for God. As children, we obey their simple commands to clean our rooms or not eat cookies before supper. In our dating years, we listen to their counsel and they help us reflect on a marriage partner. As we age, one day we will care for them the way they cared for us. It is scripturally a “sacred relationship,” set apart by God for all humans to engage in. Even the stepchild and the orphan are encouraged to find their surrogate parent(s) and rest under the shelter of this command.

At THIS time in your life, what does the Holy Spirit tell you that “honoring” your father and mother looks like?

Number 5… (Exodus 20:13) “You shall not murder.”

This verse is genetically bound to the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:21-22a “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” At the very root of murder is an angry heart. If we lived in a totally lawless society and had access to weapons, we would undoubtedly all be murderers! Imagine what it must be like for God, who “knows the heart of every man” and before whose eyes “everything is uncovered and laid bare,” what He must “hear” from the hearts of all men collectively. Our sin natures are connected to our emotional selves, our deceitful hearts, and our selfish interests. We don’t see people as eternal objects of God’s love, but as temporal “things” that get in the way of our best interests. Murder IS part of our nature. Fortunately through the restraint of law, the fear of punishment, and the relentless work of the Holy Spirit on our consciences, we don’t see much of it but Jesus pointed out its root. When we look in the mirror, we know what must be done with our hearts!

Write down the names (or initials if it is too embarrassing) of the 5 people you are most likely to be angry with:

1. 
   
2. 
   
3.  
4.  
5.  

Now spend the next few minutes praying for God’s highest and best in their lives! (I’m not kidding!!!) Be specific in your prayers. Think creatively how God could bless them in amazing ways and draw them into an eternally rich situation. Write down those specifics beside each name. Consider these words from Jesus that are just a few verses down from the ones mentioned before… “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

“The TOP 10 WAYS HUMANS MESS UP THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.”

Number 4… (Exodus 20:14) “You shall not commit adultery.”

Just like Jesus got to the heart of the “you shall not murder” command, He got at the heart of this command. Again in Matthew 5:27-30, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” I have to laugh at the folks who INSIST the Bible always be taken literally. If that were the case, and we were true to the text, our churches would look like wounded war veterans’ conventions! We’d be limbless and blinded in our pews! I was deeply convicted by a married brother who confessed his sin of lust to me. He relayed this insight:

“The other day I saw a woman step out of her car. I was immediately captivated by her beauty and started to wonder what it would be like to be married to her. Convicted, I prayed and asked God, ‘Lord, why did you make her so beautiful? I can’t concentrate on You! Then the Holy Spirit stepped into my mind with this answer: ‘I made her beautiful for her husband, just like I made your wife beautiful for you.’”

Allow me to pray with you on this one—Father, thank You for building “desire” in us. Without desire, we would never reach out for You! I confess and recognize that my desire is attached to my sin nature, which makes it corrupt, deceitful, and desperately wicked. I recognize, first of all, that my body was made for You, made for praise, made to serve Your creation. But like static-filled black pants in a dog kennel, my soul attracts, invites, and holds so much dander from this world that I am hopelessly covered in sin. Father, let Your love for me and my love for You be enough to “de-energize” the static from my black heart. Let me be thoroughly content with where You have me right now physically and sexually. Keep my eyes off of people, pictures, and activities that would only pull my heart into adultery. Make my feet quick to RUN away from this sin. FILL me with You. Let those around me taste the overflow of You, instead of the emptiness of me.

Number 3… (Exodus 20:15) “You shall not steal.”

The closer we look in the mirror, the more imperfection we see. On this command, when we first look at it, we see ourselves compared to “bank robbers, jewelry thieves, and house burglars.” We look pretty good. Then, when we look closer, we see an appetite and proclivity toward stealing that stops us in our “righteous” tracks. At our heart level, we are greedy. We always want more. We don’t feel like we’ve been dealt a fair hand in life. There are others who have more or have been given more. Life is just not fair. We steal “time and talent” from our employers. We steal life from our spouse in a hundred different ways. We steal from the government, from our church, from God… write down some specifics.

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

And finally, the last two on the list of “The TOP 10 WAYS HUMANS MESS UP THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.”

Number 2… (Exodus 20:16) “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

Jesus said in John 8:44 (while talking to a bunch of religious guys) “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

I have taken on many of the characteristics of my earthly father (I get teased about this a lot). But it’s not funny to realize that one of the characteristics from my relationship with my former spiritual father, Satan, is that I speak untruths. I can stretch the truth to make ME look good. I can shrink the truth to make others look bad. I can distort the truth, hide the good, expose the bad, and of course, just simply speak a “bold-faced lie.” I used to do this CONSTANTLY before Christ; lying was truly my native tongue. Being deceitful with my speech DOES CREEP IN from time to time even now, like a bad habit that is ingrained in my old nature. Holy Spirit – show me every time I’m slipping here!

Number 1… (Exodus 20:17) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

The American economy is built on “keeping up”! Solomon said that “… all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another” (Ecclesiastes 4:4). Debt is accrued by simply buying more than we can afford and is the result of stepping over the bounds of the last commandment. When you think about it, going around the mirror of the Ten Commandments is truly like going in a circle – “do not covet” and “have no other gods before Me” are essentially saying the same thing! RUN AWAY from the love of stuff! In the parable of the sower, Jesus pointed out that, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful”

(Matthew 13:22). And Paul rephrased these warnings in the positive mode to Timothy when he said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10).

• Write out an honest confession! The mirror DOES NOT LIE! What kind of stuff are you wanting or striving for that is keeping you from God or distracting you from great relationships with others?

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

READ ROMANS 8:1-4, PHILIPPIANS 3:7-10

We don’t want to stop on this street corner (the street corner of the Law – it will beat you up pretty bad and leave you for dead). Our purpose for looking closely at the Ten Commandments these last five days has not been to “condemn” you or depress you! Remember their purpose is not to save you, but rather to be a “mirror” to show you what God sees in your heart. These top 10 ways the image of God has been marred in our lives are a great way to help someone “outside” of Christ realize they’re “sinful.” There is no better mirror to hold up for a lost person. But at the end of the day, we should not spend our energy on looking at ourselves trying to fix all of our flaws – the Law won’t fix them, only point them out. Having glanced in the mirror, our reaction should be to go running (daily) into the arms of Christ proclaiming “I can’t do it – I need You!” This was Paul’s reaction… note just two passages.

Romans 8:1-4
 
Philippians 3:7-10
 In context, Paul in Romans 8 has just finished bemoaning his weak and pitiful state apart from Christ – a state he would be in if he simply trusted in his ability to keep God’s Law on his own (read Romans 7). Instead, his conclusion is to simply throw himself fully onto Christ, and let the Holy Spirit do the work inside of him. In other words, DON’T TRY TO FIX YOURSELF – YOU’RE TOO MESSED UP! IT’S THE HOLY SPIRIT’S JOB TO FIX US – SIMPLY FOCUS ON CHRIST!

Conversely, in Philippians, Paul totals up all the ways he was able to keep the Law and shows that NONE OF IT COULD ADD UP to a relationship with Christ. In fact, it was worth “garbage” compared to having a relationship with Christ. At some point in your Christian walk, you may be tempted to look back and/or look at yourself and say, “wow, look at what I’ve become! I’m pretty good now.” Paul would say that’s just a “sack of trash” compared to knowing Jesus. It’s not about us! It IS about Him! Life is NOT about looking at ourselves in the mirror – Life IS Christ. Or, to put it as John the Baptist did, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

• After 180 days, you’ve probably seen Christ change a few things in your life. Jot down a few of the things He’s changed.
• Write down what has changed IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST in the last 180 days.

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Jeremiah 17:5-8

To bring us back to our Essentials outline, we realize that being “obedient to Christ” is nothing more or less than rolling through this world with Christ at the center of our life. Obedience is the natural fruit of “abiding” in Christ, being “rooted and grounded” in Him, and as Jeremiah reminds us “planted by the water.” The result is super-human. We bear fruit (of the Spirit, character, and souls). Obedience is where the rubber meets the road, where our life comes in contact with the world, and we roll on. The wheel is NOT STATIC – it is MADE FOR MOVEMENT; by turning on its axel it gets things done and advances the kingdom. The unseen Holy Spirit is the energy behind the wheel, and when He turns it four things SEEMINGLY DISAPPEAR, while two things remain visible. When you see a moving wheel, you can still see the center, and the outside – in this case, the hub and the tire. The spokes disappear in a whirl. So it is with the life we have in Christ. If we are truly moving for Christ, they’ll see Christ in us, and they’ll see our good deeds (obedience). What they won’t see much of are the spokes. People might not see you spending 20-30 minutes a day in the Word of God or memorizing Scripture; the world won’t see how much you’ve been praying. Your witness may be “silent” much of the time; the world may not realize you are connected to 20 or 30 solid Christians who are in turn connected to 1500 believers connected in total to the Body of Christ numbering into the 100’s of millions of souls. The world will see the hub and the tire – Christ and your radically different life (obedience) moving uniquely through this rough life.

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Consider these “last words” of Jesus and reflect on what you think He may have next in your life.

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

For 1/2 a year we’ve pursued just ONE thing – what it means to follow Christ. We’ve covered just six basic things. They are six essentials that you’ll never get away from as you grow in your eternal relationship with Christ. As with a sport or diet plan, these essentials must be “practiced” and not simply “known.” And now, one final exhortation from Christ and from Paul: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48b). “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).

You have been given a most precious resource. Now you will be required to USE IT, to multiply it, to be fruitful just like Adam was told to “be fruitful and multiply… fill the earth.” Yesterday’s verse is known as the “Great Commission” of Scripture. Are you up for the task of reproducing what you have in someone else’s life – to “make disciples”? Paul, though a great evangelist, said that his primary task was to not simply lead others to Christ, but rather to “present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me” (Colossians 1:28-29). Paul even exhorted the “timid” Timothy (who wasn’t much of an evangelist): “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Encased in this short verse are four generations of mature or soon to be mature believers – Paul, Timothy, reliable people, others. Who will God touch through your life?

Jesus prayed all night before He chose His 12 disciples. Paul covered his paths with faithful people, passionate ministers, reliable elders and deacons. Who will God give YOU?! It’s not a question of “will” God give you someone! As you grow and mature in your faith, you will always find people in the Body of Christ who are still learning to crawl or walk with Christ. Titus 2 gives a picture of older men training younger men and older women training younger women. As you grow, look to reproduce what you’ve learned into someone else. Feel free to use the resources you’ve received from this course to that end. In fact, the real test of whether or not this study is of God is the test of “reproduction.” Know that reproducing something that is active in your life is easy. If you are memorizing Scripture or having daily Bible study, others will “catch” the habit as they see and copy your way of life—but you can’t reproduce what isn’t real in you. I will be in prayer for you, that you in turn can reproduce what you’ve learned here and can at some point say (like John), “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4).

• Write down the names or initials of three people you would like to see GROW in their relationship with Christ. Write out a prayer for each one.

PRIMARY VERSE: You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

SECONDARY VERSE: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

I looked for a good “fog” picture on the internet, but they were all blurry (sounds like something Yogi Berra would say). I’m laughing with a deep belly laugh at how goofy I must have looked this past autumn as a friend and I attempted to motor our way out of Barden’s Inlet in dense fog without onboard GPS. Picture the typical North Carolina backwaters—poles with channel markers doing their job, with LOTS of shallow water EVERYWHERE else, and we motor right into a fog bank. He’s on the front of the boat warning me of shallow water, and I’m driving while watching my depth finder read from 20 feet to 2 feet with NO CLUE which direction to steer the boat! Visibility was down to maybe 50 feet, I was listening for other boats with the engine on near idle, and I was looking back and forth from channel side to channel side. If someone had recorded our voyage, our path would have looked like a heart monitor! A trip that normally would have taken 5 minutes took 45 and when we finally motored out of the cloud, we were NOWHERE near where we thought we should be! Good times…

You know where this is going… this REALLY describes life sometimes! Fortunately, as a believer, you’ve got Onboard GPS and a “breadcrumb trail” others have taken that you can follow. Most of the time, LIFE FOG is no problem for a believer – this is where we shine on the stage of life. After all, we have a Big God who wrote the script for the future so He knows where we are and where we are going. He holds us by our right hand (Psalm 73)! He never leaves us, and promises to be with us always, “to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). We have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on, and we have a church full of folks who love us and are willing to counsel us in all areas of life (and believe me – they’ve all been in the fog before too).

But, God has certain parts of His training that require you to navigate in the fog without GPS. There are going to be some days where you don’t know “where you are” spiritually speaking. God lets you purposely move into waters and conditions that TOTALLY disorient you! This is by design. Relax – cast all your care upon Him (1 Peter 5:7) and enjoy the ride – it will be a lot slower! The next few days are about embracing some scriptural principles for navigating in the fog. Just a note: if you are not paying attention and being obedient to the CLEAR teachings of Scripture, you don’t need the material we’re about to cover! The channel markers are clear to see – stay in the channel! There is danger outside the clearly defined paths God has marked out for us, and if you’re choosing to run wild then this material will be of no help. Rather, the “Gray Area” principles are for those few times in life where you are in the fog and TRULY want the perfect will of God. He’s in the fog with you… good times!

When life’s fog shows up, just remember these numbers… 6, 8, 10, 14. Let’s start with the 6 today. Corinth was a wild town, immoral, multi-cultural, sailors and prostitutes, religious and secular, wealth and poverty, knowledge and stupidity all wrapped up on a rocky spit of land between two major shipping channels. The church there was as fragmented as the culture. It had to be one of the messiest congregations Paul had ever worked with, and there were lots of “gray areas” and fog banks that the Corinthian believers found themselves in. Paul certainly didn’t want to pull out the old Jewish playbook (Jewish culture was such a clash and such a move backward for Corinth). So Paul developed some clear principles for the Corinthians to follow as they moved through the “gray areas” of life. 1 Corinthians 6:12 is the first:

NIVNLTESVNASBISVGWTKJV
In the original text, there is a play on the word “lawful” and “brought under the power of.” Paul was stating a very clear principle when it comes to behaviors we might be tempted to enter into. Let’s unpack this verse by using an illustration which will be clear to all of us. Let’s say someone discovers a plant that is common in our native landscape to be a mild hallucinogen similar to marijuana. It can be chewed or smoked with the same effect. There are no laws on the books that say “not” to use it. Lots of people are “doing it.” What do you do?

According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:12 even though God made all things (including our little native plant example), not everything is helpful or beneficial. Does consuming this plant HELP ME or HINDER ME? On the other side of the coin, can I CONSUME IT without it CONSUMING ME with addiction? Paul wanted NOTHING to take hold of his will except Christ. Addiction causes a division in allegiance.  

• Take a few activities or behaviors from our own culture and run it through this little test above. Report your results. Pick activities or behaviors that the Bible IS NOT CLEAR on (Watching TV, Texting, Wearing Gortex, etc…).

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

Yesterday was 6 (remember 6, 8, 10, and 14 when you’re in the fog). Today is 8.

1 Corinthians 8:13

NIVNLTESVNASB
First, a little background to this verse (you’ve probably already read the chapter to figure it out). Because Corinth was a town so filled with idolatry, there was a pretty strong economy in place that made “double use” of temple sacrifices. Meat from the butcher shop was expensive, while meat from the pagan temples was much cheaper. So as a Christian, was it better for you to A) Eat only vegetables and stay away from meat, or B) Spend lots of money on high priced meat so you are not supporting pagan worship, or C) Realize that idols are really nothing at all… God can purify anything you consume, and He expects you to be a good steward of His funds.  So you should buy meat from the pagan temple markets and take care of your family’s needs without breaking the bank? This was a TOUGH fog bank for the Corinthian believers to navigate in!

• Take the next few minutes to rewrite and clarify the principle that Paul gave the Corinthians for dealing with this gray area issue.

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

6, 8, 10, 14 when you’re in the fog. Now for 10 - this is an obvious one that takes us right back to our first few weeks of study.

1 Corinthians 10:31


Corinth was a multi-cultural church with Jews (no pork, kosher), Greeks (lot of strange foods from distant lands), etc. (Now think of the bar room scene in the first Star Wars movie.) How would you have been able to have a potluck supper at the Corinthian church? Is eating pork wrong? Is mixing milk and blood morally wrong as a drink? Can a believer in good conscience really eat “Devil’s Food Cake”? (I made that last one up ;-) )

• Read 1 Corinthians 10 in your Bible to get the context of verse 31. Write down the principle that Paul was communicating.
• Can you think of anything in our church that this principle should be applied to?

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

6, 8, 10, and now 14. It is on Island 14 that we’ll camp for the rest of this fog bank. The church in Rome had very similar problems as Corinth. God used Paul to deliver more insights on the “Gray Area” principles.


Early church life during Paul’s day must have been SOOO trying. Why weren’t there definitive answers to basic questions such as: What can I eat and not eat and still please God? What day should I worship on—Saturday (the original Sabbath, the day set apart in the Ten Commandments and the day set aside for Jews) or Sunday (the day Jesus rose from the dead) or EVERY DAY (which is what the early believers did in Acts 4 & 5)? Paul gave an amazing background principle that should guide each of these decisions in the local church. In the area below, see if you can capture this principle and apply it to something the church is involved with today (if appropriate).

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

Back to island 14 we go, having looked at 6, 8, 10, and 14 once already. Let’s go to the end of the chapter, although you should read all of 14 for context.

Romans 14:21


God has given us a huge amount of freedom. That’s what being “moral free agents” means! We have a will, options, abilities and opportunities galore. But at the end of it all (the end of our life) we must give an account for the things done in these bodies, whether good or bad (verse 12). Paul talked about wine in this chapter – always a great “gray area” subject to discuss. To do a full survey of the Bible on the subject of wine and the morality of consumption would take a bit of time – save that for your own personal study time. Suffice it to say, Paul made it clear in the verse above when it is TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE to consume anything! Here are a few examples of being a hindrance:

• Should a missionary to Muslims eat pork?
• Should someone reaching out to Mormons serve tea or coffee?
• (Now let’s get inside the church) Should someone consume alcoholic beverages around brothers or sisters who are recovering from alcohol addiction?
• Reflect on this passage and then restate the principle that Paul advocated here.

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

OK… it’s our last day in the fog! 6, 8, 10, and 14, remembering the two big multi-cultural churches – Corinth and Rome – read this verse:

Romans 14:23


Imagine coming out of paganism. Before coming to Christ, you offered your body sexually to a temple prostitute. You gave animal sacrifices to the same gods, and you in turn bought meat from your temple market at a reduced rate. Suddenly, you’ve found God and you realize your body belongs to Him, which means sexually your body only belongs to your marriage partner. You’ve grown up eating temple meat, but you associate it totally with your “old” way of life. Despite what Paul said (that all things are the Lord’s if offered in thanksgiving), you simply can’t bring yourself to buy or eat meat from the pagan temple market again. You have too many memories of bondage when you are reminded of your “old” way of life, and you prefer not to be reminded of it but does this mean it is wrong for someone else?

• See if you can come up with a list of things that certain Christians SHOULDN’T do – not because they are necessarily wrong, but simply because their faith is weak and their temptation is strong in a particular area.
• List below the 6 “Gray Area” principles in your own words:
  1. 1 Corinthians 6:12
  2.  1 Corinthians 8:13
  3.  1 Corinthians 10:31
  4.  Romans 14:1-9
  5.  Romans 14:21
  6. Romans 14:23

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

Do you ever catch yourself looking at a mirror and think to yourself… Am I being a little narcissistic about my appearance? We’re only human and we always want to see what we look like before we head out the door. Try covering all the mirrors in your house before you go to bed. When you wake up the next day, TRY to leave the house without looking in a mirror. You will be incredibly self-conscious ALL DAY LONG… NOT GOOD.

Spiritually speaking, we don’t need to step out into the world “self” conscious. NOT GOOD. Instead, we need to step out of the door every day totally God conscious, Spirit filled, Christ controlled, and totally confident that the day we are about to live is not from us but from HIM! In order for us to do this, God has given us HIS mirror, but it is not a mirror we will look at all day long focused on ourselves. Instead, it is something we glance at a few times a day, to see what we look like and make quick corrections. What is the mirror you ask?!?!?!?! First, a little introduction…

Everyone loves David Letterman’s top 10 lists… some are certainly crude, others are downright funny. But Letterman is two millenniums behind God in terms of having a top 10 list! God published one and wrote it in stone – twice! It could be said that the Ten Commandments (found in Exodus 20) are the “top 10 ways humans mess up the image of God in their lives.” If this is true (Paul and James agreed it is) then the Law (Ten Commandments) is a mirror. When we look in that mirror soberly, we see our flaws as God sees them. When we become aware of our flaws, we can respond; and it’s how we respond that keeps us “looking good” and not focused on ourselves but rather on the task at hand – glorifying God with our lives.

So in Letterman fashion, here are “The TOP 10 WAYS HUMANS MESS UP THE IMAGE OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.”

Number 10… (Exodus 20:3) “You shall have no other gods before me.”

We put “other gods” before our relationship WITH GOD... replacing God with god(s) is built into our fallen DNA. I’ll start a list of the things I have been guilty of replacing God with... see if you can come up with a few more: me, my wife, my job, money, other’s opinions of me, education, sex, ___________________.

Number 9… (Exodus 20:4-6) “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

Actively changing the identity of the True God is misrepresenting God. When I engage in sinful behavior, am I not denying with my life that “God is not sovereign; He can’t see me in my sin”? If I complain about something, am I not ultimately saying “God is not good – He doesn’t have my best interest in mind”? When I don’t pray constantly, am I not acting as though God isn’t near (omnipresent)? What attribute does God reveal about Himself as He shows us this angle in the mirror? None other than “I am a jealous God.” (This gives me the goose bumps!!!) He wants my full attention focused on His true identity – not the identity I want Him to be! My sinful nature wants a god that overlooks my pet sins. God wants that image I’ve made of Him to be destroyed, and He is willing to tear up my world to get my attention! He is a jealous God. He wants a PURE relationship with us and He will not share that relationship with anyone or anything else – not even our misguided imagination of who He is!!!

• Jot down a few of the ways you actively deny God’s character with your life: I don’t love others because I think my love supply is finite. I curse when something bad happens and deny that God can work His sovereign plans out even when bad things happen.

PRIMARY VERSE: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

SECONDARY VERSE: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14:21, 23

1 Corinthians 6:19-20


Luke 2:52


In the Old Testament, the Temple was of tremendous importance to the Jews. Beginning very soon after Moses led them out of Egypt, God instructed His people to construct a dwelling place for Him. Early on this was a portable Tabernacle, built to exact specifications. Later, Solomon was able to complete a “permanent” place of worship – a beautiful Temple, the likes of which Israel has never been able to duplicate. Like the Tabernacle, the Jewish Temple was built to exact, careful specifications – they hyperventilated over each brick!

So here’s the question – why? Why was the Temple of such incredible importance? Why was each detail so crucial? And the answer is, the Temple was the residence of the Holy Spirit. It was literally the place where people went to meet God. Sure God is/was omnipresent – but from the moment Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to Him, His Spirit filled it. It was His “home on earth,” so to speak.

When Jesus came, so many things changed – because of His death and resurrection, God was able to have relationship with people in new ways. In fact, soon after His resurrection, the Temple in Israel was destroyed, and the early Church had no building (they met in homes). So where does the Holy Spirit reside now? In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul stated that we are now the Temple. We are the dwelling place of God’s Holy Spirit. When a person accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in that person’s heart. Therefore, our bodies are Temples.

There are so many implications of that sentence – your body is a Temple. After all, God gave very exact instructions to the building of the Old Testament Temple… and He has some things to say about our bodies too. Since it is His home, He cares very much how we treat it. This week, we are going to think through what that means.

• Paul wrote that your body is “not your own; you were bought at a price.” What do you think he meant?
• What are some ways we can honor God with our bodies?

PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

1 Corinthians 10:31


Daniel 1:12-15


One of my favorite Bible stories appears in Daniel 1. This is the story of young Daniel, a teenage hostage in the Babylonian kingdom, who was being assimilated into Babylonian culture. As part of that, he was ordered to eat foods that he considered unclean. Daniel resisted and as a result of his faithfulness and his willpower, God blessed his body and his career.

There are millions of lessons from Daniel’s story, but for a moment let’s focus on his diet. God created food for our bodies to give us energy, sustain life, prevent diseases, and facilitate healing. Our food choices will affect our moods, our mental focus, our physical performance, our weight, our immune system function, our decision-making, and our appearance. In other words, by making smart choices at the dinner table we can improve our quality of life.

Daniel knew what to eat and when to eat it. He was determined not to put anything into his body that would dishonor God. So he, along with his friends, stood by his convictions and ate nothing but vegetables and drank nothing but water! God blessed his decision and his faithfulness to His commands.

In America today over 65% of all adults are overweight, mostly because they lack the willpower that Daniel showed. In his culture, the king’s food was sacrificed to idols. In our culture, our diets honor the “idol” of self-satisfaction and gluttony. Even when we know our food choices are destroying our bodies, we refuse to step back.

Don’t forget – God cares about our bodies. Each one is a Temple of His Holy Spirit. That’s why Paul said that even what we eat and drink should somehow honor Him. As hard as that passage is to “stomach,” remembering it should change our perspective about what goes in our mouths.

• Name some ways that you can honor Him with your diet.
• Read Daniel 1 in your Bible.  What are some other lessons you can learn from Daniel?

PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

1 Corinthians 10:31


1 Corinthians 6:19


The “diet” industry is a gold mine in American culture. Books, pills, eating plans, and infomercials are all best-sellers and nearly every supermarket magazine touts the next best way to lose weight. But how did obesity become such a problem for our country?

Some of the best Christian diet literature points out that Americans tend to use food like a drug. In other words, by filling our stomachs we attempt to “fill up” what is lacking in our lives. Maybe that explains why, in the United States, the number one cause of early death is the misuse of food (i.e. overeating, poor diet, lack of exercise).

We have already learned this week that God cares about our bodies… which means that He cares about what we eat. That certainly doesn’t mean that it is a sin to stop at your local fast food restaurant, or to have an extra cookie, or to indulge in a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut. God must have intended that we enjoy food – He obviously gave us the sense of taste for a reason!

But just like everything, the enjoyment of food can cross an unhealthy line. Many people allow the love of food to take such a hold of their lives that they become ruled by their stomachs – following their own carnal desire for food above everything else. When that happens, food becomes an idol!

Remember God cares about your body, and He cares about your heart too. If you have allowed food to occupy an unhealthy place in your life, it is time to get help. Honor God with your body… and seek only Him with your heart. Let that “food for thought” fill you today.

PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

1 Timothy 4:8


1 Corinthians 9:24-27


Knowing that my body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, it should not surprise me that God has created certain rules and principles to keep it healthy and fit. My body is deteriorating – always moving towards death – but embracing God’s principles will strengthen me and better equip me to use my time on earth wisely.

According to Dr. Don Colbert, there are seven pillars of a healthy body: Water, Sleep and Rest, Living Food, Exercise, Detoxification, Nutritional Supplements, Freedom from Stress. By working with these things instead of against them, I can make my body stronger. The bottom line is that I need to embrace what is wise for my body.

Both of today’s Scripture passages speak to the idea of training, of willpower, of a struggle to beat the body into shape. That image is one that Paul used often – the image of a person striving to get into spiritual and physical shape. That is an image we need to embrace. After all, God cares about our body - it belongs to Him.

• Look again at 1 Timothy 4:8. Summarize what Paul said about physical training and spiritual training.
• How does Paul’s image in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 apply to physical training? How does it apply to spiritual training?

PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

Luke 10:27


Psalm 90:12


Yogi Berra once said, “Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.” While Yogi’s math might be a little off, he is right on target with the importance of training the mind.

Our Creator knows the power of the mind more than anyone. In fact, while many people try to separate the mind and the body, the Hebrew culture kept them closely tied together. From the very beginning, God challenged Adam’s intellect – (imagine being tasked with naming all of the animals!) – and He teaches constantly through His Word that the pursuit of wisdom is a vital part of the Christian walk. Maybe that’s why some of the greatest thinkers and scientists of the Renaissance were strong Christians, and they saw a strong tie between their pursuit of God and their pursuit of understanding His creation.

As we strive to use our bodies for God’s glory, it is important that we never underestimate or neglect our minds, it’s importance cannot be overstated. I remember my days in college when I used to run. There were so many days when my body wanted to quit – I felt cramps in my ribs, fire in my lungs, and heaviness in my legs. I just wanted to sit down and rest but in those moments, my mind trumped my limbs. If I focused on the finish line and consciously remembered my purpose and goal, I could keep my legs moving. There was a definite connection between my mind and my body.

The same is true for us. We must keep our minds sharp, pushing to understand more and more about God’s principles and character. If we can do that, we can keep our legs moving as we go through this world.

• Read Luke 2:52 in your Bible. What does this verse teach about Jesus? Where does the mind fit into this?
• Write a paragraph reflecting on Luke 2:52. Is it possible to grow unbalanced? Luke most likely wrote this verse having interviewed Mary (Jesus’ mother). Read the context of verse 52 from 41-52 as you form your thoughts on growing “in wisdom and stature [ body ], and in favor with God and man.”

PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

1 Corinthians 6:13b


1 Corinthians 6:18


The idea of controlling our sexual nature is often ridiculed in our current world culture. Throughout the New Testament, however, Paul reminds us of the importance of purity. Every day we have choices in life that reflect who our true master is, and how we handle those choices affects both our physical and spiritual well-beings.

In 1 Corinthians 6:13b, Paul reminds us that our bodies were made for the Lord. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 in your Bible. Paul’s point is we should learn to control our “own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thessalonians 4:4). God didn’t create us to be controlled by our stomachs, or our passions, or our lusts. We don’t belong to those things. We belong to God.

The consequences of sexual sin are severe. Paul pointed out that unlike other sins, sexual sin damages the heart and the body. Need proof? Look no further than the explosive rise of STDs in our country. Look at the shattered hearts and lives that lie in the wake of sexual sin. No other sin takes the same toll on our bodies.

Maybe that’s why Paul exhorts us to run away from sexual sin. Few people are strong enough to stand and fight in the face of sexual temptation. Instead, we must learn to flee – to leave sexual temptation behind us. After all, our bodies were made for something more.

• List the places or activities that you commonly go that seem to fan into flame misdirected sexual desires for you? (I’m very visual so beaches can be tough, but soap operas don’t affect me in the least!)
  1.  
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• Now while you’re in your “right mind” spiritually and not affected by the deceiving hormones your body naturally produces while in that setting, pray about and write down a strategy for each of these settings that would keep sexual temptation from ever getting between you and your relationship with God (“flee” is a good answer, but in some instances not the right one – so ask God for some “wisdom from above” on this one!).
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PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

Romans 12:1-2


So if our bodies belong to God, what can we conclude? How can I use my body, the Temple of His Holy Spirit, in a way that honors Him? In Romans 12:1-2, Paul urges us to use our bodies as living sacrifices. We are to discipline our bodies; to whip them into shape; to avoid the things that will harm them and do things to build them up… and for what purpose? Because when we do those things we honor God.

The natural end of Paul’s argument is that I can worship God through eating, through drinking, through exercising, through studying, or through anything else that I do with Him in sight. When I do these things “God’s way,” I honor Him… which makes these actions of worship. Anything I do to please God, with His pleasure as my ultimate goal, is a form of worship.

The downfall of the Christian, in matters of the body, happens when we attempt to separate its stewardship from our relationship with Christ. When we attempt to keep those areas of life separate we hold back important areas from our Creator, while also ignoring the principles He has given us. When we do that, we damage our bodies and our hearts… which keeps us from growing into the people God has called us to be.

Do a SWOT analysis on these two areas in your life (mind, body). (SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).

PRIMARY VERSE: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

SECONDARY VERSE: And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52

1 Timothy 6:10


Matthew 6:21


Why does God care about our money so much? He does care you know. In fact, if you take everything that Jesus said about salvation, heaven, and hell and combined them, you will find that He said more about money. The question is, why? Why does God care about our finances so much?

It’s not because God is trying to get our money (remember everything belongs to God anyway); instead, He’s trying to keep our money from getting us. God cares about our money because He cares about us and He knows we can’t separate our relationship with Him and our money. Money is a spiritual issue.

With that in mind, in Matthew 6:21, Jesus said “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus meant that whatever you value the most, your heart will naturally follow it. Isn’t it ironic that in America the back of a one-dollar bill says, “In God We Trust” while many people trust, serve, and worship the very money on which that slogan is printed? It is so easy to give lip service to God, but to put our trust and our best efforts into money.

What about you? Where is your treasure? Do you find your security in money? Do you spend all of your time trying to make money? Have you allowed the pursuit of money to run your life? If so, it is time to remember where your real treasure is. God wants your heart, but you can’t give it to Him if it belongs to your wallet.

• In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul wrote that the love of money is the “root of all kinds of evil.” What do you think he meant by that?
• What are some ways that we put money on the throne of our heart?

PRIMARY VERSE: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

SECONDARY VERSE: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

Proverbs 22:7


Matthew 6:24


We read yesterday that Jesus had a lot to say about money. In fact, He said that it is a huge competitor for your heart. When your personal finances are “out of whack,” your heart is too. You can’t follow God when your heart is wandering around after your dollars.

With that in mind, Solomon wrote in Proverbs 22:7 that the “borrower is slave to the lender.” Here’s why that is true – if you have “bad debt,” you are trapped until you get it paid off. The debt becomes your number one financial duty, which means you can’t serve God whole-heartedly because you are bound to someone else.

“Bad debt” does not necessarily mean your mortgage. I’m talking about debt that causes you to make payments on things that you don’t use anymore or that are not appreciating – a meal charged on your credit card, tickets to the big game, a television upgrade, a shinier car. These are things that have no appreciation of value, yet because of debt you are in bondage to them. By the way, debt is packed with pressure, worry, and stress.

If this describes your situation, get help. Talk to a financial counselor or a pastor at church. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said, “no one can serve two masters.” Serving money is the opposite of serving God, because your heart and your money are linked. So if we are going to follow Christ, we have to surrender that arena to Him.

• Examine your heart. Have you been “serving” money? If so, how can you change that?

PRIMARY VERSE: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

SECONDARY VERSE: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

1 Timothy 6:17-19


1 Timothy 6:6-7


Whether you realize it or not, our economy runs on the fuel of discontentment—turn on the television and you’ll see commercials every 15 minutes or so; listen to the radio and you’ll get the same; drive down any highway and you’ll see billboards every few miles; walk in any store, just to grab a few basic necessities, and you’re 100% sure to see some display that is made to grab your attention.

In each instance, no matter what the ad, the message is this – “You need something else. You need something bigger or better or shinier or newer. You just need it.” You look at these things and many times you agree. You didn’t even know it existed a few minutes ago, but now that you see it you need it! You’ve just got to have it!

In the same way your heart can be entangled by a love of money or by bad financial decisions, it can also be damaged by this pursuit of “stuff.” You can become so consumed with the need for “something else” that you lose the ability to be satisfied, and you lose the ability to be fulfilled. Life loses its joy for you until you just become jaded and bitter. Your heart becomes possessed by possessions.

So what is the solution to this problem? Paul gave the solution in 1 Timothy 6:6-7 as he told Timothy to remind people to use their energy and their money to do things for other people. Instead of making wealth our chief pursuit, we are to use our wealth to do good for others. Andy Stanley interprets 1 Timothy 6:17 as “Awareness of needs greater than your own drives generosity, and generosity bridles our discontent.” By focusing on helping others we are able to take hold of “life that is truly life.” Isn’t that what we all really want?

• Paraphrase what Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:6-7.
• Why do you think it is true that “generosity bridles our discontent”?

PRIMARY VERSE: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

SECONDARY VERSE: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

Luke 6:38


Malachi 3:10


Yesterday, we learned the principle that generosity bridles discontentment. The truth is there is a battle for our heart, and God knows that if we don’t learn to generously give of our money, our possessions, our time, and our talents, our hearts will become cold, stagnant, and discontent. For this reason, among others, He calls on His people to give.

Over and over, the Bible reaffirms the concept of tithing – giving 10% of your income back to God. This obviously makes many people squirm, but it is a valuable exercise in trusting God. When you rearrange your life around God, every sacrifice reminds you that God is first in your life – that you serve Him alone – not your money.

The best way to do this is to pay God first. Don’t give Him the crumbs left over at the end of the month, but instead give Him your first fruits. Choose a percentage to give every month – (10% is the Biblical standard, but it is NOT a requirement) – then pay Him first. This may seem scary, but this is God’s way. He challenges us to test Him on this one, and He will absolutely honor it.

You know why? Because when you live like this, you are putting God first, and you are putting OTHERS before yourself–God does that! That means you align yourself with God’s values and as you do, you break the power of greed in your life and you bridle discontentment. In this way, your life and your heart both become blessable.

• Paraphrase what Jesus said in Luke 6:38. How is it similar to what God said in Malachi 3:10?
• Make an action plan for giving. What percent do you want to give each month? Ask God to give you the courage to follow through and put Him first.

PRIMARY VERSE: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21

SECONDARY VERSE: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24