Consider what the Ten Commandments are all about

This will be worth your time! I ran across this in How People Change ~a fantastic book.

"The first three commands focus on what or whom you worship. They command us to make the one true God our God, and condemn making a god of anything else. The order of the commands is important, because the commands begin by focusing on our heart tendency toward idolatry."

Deut 6:4,5 is key here: "These two verses capture the essence of the first three commands." It's all about worship.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

"The reason we fail to keep commands 4 through 10 is because we have failed to keep the first three. If you break commands 1 through 3, you will break commands 4 through 10. Your...sinful responses to life grow out of a heart that has defected to worship something else.

'Remember the Sabbath' At the heart of the fourth commandment is the call to honor and obey God in your worship, work, and rest. But when commands 1-3 are broken, I worship and serve myself and use my time for my own self-interest. I make work my god and define myself through my career. I elevate personal peace and comfort above God.

'Honor your father and your mother' At the heart of the fifth commandment is the call to honor and obey God by respecting those in authority. But when commands 1-3 are broken, my will and honor become primary.

Are you picking up on the pattern here? With every command you can ask yourself, "at the heart of this one is the call to honor and obey God by....

So, with the sixth command (Do not murder) "honor and obey God by loving, serving, and forgiving others. But when commands 1-3 are broken, I demand to be loved and served by others. When I am wronged, I demand revenge."

Are you picking up that pattern too? When we begin to displace our utmost affection for God, (commands 1-3) then we will break commands 4-10.

Seventh: Do not commit adultery. "We honor and obey God by remaining sexually pure and by keeping my promises to others." But when we worship ourselves, our pleasures rule.

Do not steal: "...by freely and joyfully sharing my resources with others." It's opposite: "I want things for myself."

Do not bear false witness: "...by speaking truthfully, in ways that build up." Opposite: "my words are used to make me look good and you look bad."

Do not covet: "...by rejoicing in the blessings of others." Opposite: "I want what you have, and I don't want you to have it!"

Abortion

Standing outside an abortion clinic today...

Many angry drivers passing by..

One yells out his car thinking he's gonna really bring it saying, "GET A LIFE!"

HHmmm.. Maybe we should have signed him up for the rally too..

Chronicles of Narnia

So what is everyone's favorite Chronicles of Narnia passage?

Mine is the unscaling of Eustace in the Voyage of the Dawn Treader on pp's 104-through the top of p. 111.

John Newton and Doug Wilson

Newton-
"And I am afraid there are Calvinists, who, while they account it a proof of their humility that they are willing in words to debase the creature, and to give all the glory of salvation to the LORD, yet know not what manner of spirit they are of. Whatever it be that makes us trust in ourselves that we are comparatively wise or good, so as to treat those with contempt who do not subscribe to our doctrines, or follow our party, is a proof and fruit of a self-righteous spirit. Self-righteousness can feed upon doctrines, as well as upon works; and a man may have the heart of a Pharisee, while his head is stored with orthodox notions of the unworthiness of the creature and the riches of free grace."

Wilson-
"The Pharisee who went down to the Temple to pray actually began his prayer with one of the solas-Soli Deo Gloria. 'I thank Thee, God...' Perfectly orthodox. And he went home unjustified to boot."