Top Ten Lists

I don't know about you but I like watching programmes with top ten lists of things... here is the top of my list of funny thngs about George Bush:


READ Exodus 19:1-20:21

People like to argue about the ten Commandments. How relevant are they today? Can life really be that black and white? Isn't it just too simplistic?

But in all the arguments, most people miss the important point. The Ten Commandments are not just a list of "thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not". Perhaps that's the kind of prescribed religion many people want. But God isn't trying to start a religion; he's trying to build a relationship with his people (19:4-6)

It may help you to divide the commandments into three groups: The first four commandments centre on our relationship with God. There is only one God (20:3) and he wanrs us to accept no substitutes (20:4-6). We mustn't be too casual, or worse in refering to Him (20:7) And we must regularily honor and obey Him.

The second section is that He cares about our relationship with others. Before we can "love everybody" we need to start with our nearest - our parents (20:12) and spouses (20:14). Th patterns we develop here will affect all our relationships. Our challenge is to be truthful with our neighbours - easier said than done in a world of manipulation and compromise.

Finally God cares about our relationship to things. A willingness to steal (20:15) begins when we aren't content with what we have (20:17)The desire for more is a strong motivator that can pull us away from God (1 Timothy 6:6-10). If people had a right relationship with God, others and things the world would be a different place.

The Law and the Land - Introduction

For those who have been following the Bible studies both on here and during our weekly online study we have come quite a way on our journey through the Bible.

Now that the Israelites have broken free of their bondage in Egypt (see the lego clip to see the final instalment in the last post, their priority is to find a home. Land has always been an important issue for the Jewish people, not only because they wanted a place to call their own, but also because god had promised it to them. It's the quest to reach the promised land that animates this weeks studies.

Sometimes people say, "The journey is more important than the destination". Perhaps there is some truth in that saying for the children of Israel, because God does some incredible things while they wander the desert. We've already seen how he parted the Red Sea and destroyed the Egyptian army. Now we'll see God thundering on Mount Sinai and giving the Ten Commandments. He'll also part the River Jordan and give the Israelites a tremendous victory at Jericho. As they enter the promised Land, the Israelites have momentum on their side.

There is an important theme running through these readings that you want to look out for. Any success that Israel had was not due to their large army, effective strategies or good luck. It was as a result of their willingness to listen to and obey God. Simple as that. Moses took many years to learn that lesson, but once he finally got it, God really used him. Joshua had the advantage of watching Moses, so he learned the lesson faster. But you'll see that developing a willingness and ability to hear the Word of God and put it into action is the key to growth and effectiveness in the Christian Life.