The 7th of the 10 Commandments deals with sexual ungodliness.  It is written in several passages in the Bible, as in:  Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27-30, and I Corinthians 6:9-11.  Marriage is a covenant with God.  We all encounter temptations in our life. Adultery, pornography, is a sin, but you can be forgiven.  Here is an ANTHEM acronym to help you remember your conviction to Christ: A – Avoid sinful situations; N – No, say “No” quickly; T – Turn away from temptation; H – Hold on to Christ when tempted; E – Enjoy the promises of God; M – Move on to more positive things.  Purity begins in the heart.  Pledge your Life, your Convictions, and your Conscienceto Christ. We are all washed and sanctified by Jesus Christ.

Today we return to the last chapter in the book of Matthew. Chapter 28 retells the events of the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from death. He did indeed die on the cross and when on Sunday the women went to the tomb, He was not there. An earthquake, an Angel, the tomb guards, and the women experienced a supernatural event. Jesus arose from death. The earth shook and the stone was rolled back. The tomb was empty. Jesus resurrection fulfills prophecy from the Old Testament. He even met the women on the road when He told them to tell the disciples where to meet Him later. Guards were paid to lie about the empty tomb. What should we do? Tell others about what Jesus has done for all who come to Him. He died on the cross for the sins of everyone so that we can live in eternity with Him in Heaven. That's a pretty awesome arrangement for us all! Praise God!!

The Triumphal Entry: It's Palm Sunday. The day that Jesus humbly entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey to shouts of acclamation, hosannas, and palm leaves paving the way. People had seen Jesus work miracles and they were happily excited to see Him coming. They were not necessarily saved, but they thought He would save them from oppression. They did not realize that He came to die for their sins. The Trial: But by the end of the week they were calling for Him to be crucified. The Execution: On Friday, He was judged, nailed to the cross, received shouts of anger from those who judged Him, died, and was placed in a tomb. Shouts three times for different reasons. What will you do with Jesus today? Is He on trial in your heart? Are you "for" or "against" Him?

In Exodus 20:8-11 we are given God's word for honoring the Sabbath, His 4th commandment . God knows we need to stop and rest and our true rest is found in Jesus Christ. In Mark 2:27-28 we are told that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. If you are worn out from trying to everything on your own? Jesus said that we should come to Him on the Sabbath and He will give us rest. In today's hectic world, isn't it good to know that there is rest to be found with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we study the verses of the "Ten Commandments" we come to Exodus 20:7. Have you fallen into the habit of using "cuss" words when you speak? This commandment reminds us that we are NOT to use the Lord's name in vain. In a nutshell, "All that I can say and do should glorify God." In this sermon I will give you six points to consider. Have your Bible in your hands as we find various verses that will help guide you in what a Christian is to say and do to glorify our God and His Son Jesus Christ. Amen!

Exodus 20:5 God lets us know that the element of legacy is important to how we conduct our lives and follow His commandments. This should be important to all of us who are familiar with the saying "we reap what we sow". It has been true since the time of Adam and Eve. Mankind has a sinful nature. Consequences can feel like punishment. We are responsible for our choices and actions. Will you be passing down a curse or a blessing? Listen and consider how you choose to live. Live for the Lord!

Continuing with Exodus Chapter 20, we find what God has to say about how we worship Him in Verses 4-6. We are NOT to worship idols; material objects used to represent God for the purpose of worship. Our God is a jealous God and loves true worship and devotion. He shows mercy to those who love Him and keep His commandments. Some Christ followers want a "Sunday go-to-church" God. And many worship the god of "self". Greed, covetousness, and superstitions are other forms of idolatry. Do not substitute them for God. We must worship God God's way, not ours.

When God spoke to Moses He gave us the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 20:1-3, before He pronounced those commandments, He made it clear who He is and what we must do. God speaks through His creation, His word, and through Jesus Christ. God Rules! He doesn't ask, He commands. We need to stop complaining, obsessing, and worrying. God loves us and wants us to flourish. What else can we do? 1) Put God FIRST. 2) Ask ourselves what are we pursuing the hardest. 3) Make the choice to put God on the throne of our life daily. Next week we will go deeper into the Ten Commandments.

We all go through some type of depression or trauma at some time in our life and, in the world of today, it's hard not to feel discouraged. Read Matthew 6:25-34 which is part of the Sermon on the Mount. These verses can help you have peace in a time of turmoil. God provides for the birds and flowers and they don't worry. So we know that He loves us and we need to trust Him when times are difficult. Don't worry about tomorrow. Seek the Kingdom of God, live one day at a time, and lean on the faith of God to comfort you and carry you through those times. Be thankful for blessings. There are often blessings that you don't even realize.

In Exodus 20:1 this one verse in the Old Testament tells it all. "God Spoke." During those days, our God often spoke audibly to Moses and other prophets as recorded in the Bible. Because God spoke we can know His will and His mercy. We must trust and obey the will of God. Jesus Christ was sent by God to help us learn and understand the words of God and to be our Redeemer. While we often want to hear God's voice for ourselves, He sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ, and that is who speaks to us today. In this series we will study the will of God through the words in the Bible and how we are to respond and witness to others.