Sometimes God's laws can feel overwhelming or restrictive. He's given us Ten Commandments, things we have to do or things that we can't do. These laws can make us feel like a failure or maybe we feel accomplished. We might obey out of fear or self-righteousness instead of looking at His laws as they were intended. Jesus made it simple. The sum of the law is this: love God and love your neighbor. Then you will fulfill the laws of God. There are not really ten but two. The first four teach us how to love God and the last six teach us how to love each other. It's not about rules, it's about having a relationship with our God and fostering better relationships with others.

Do not covet is the Tenth Commandment. The Bible says wanting what others have is self-idolatry. Instead of wishing for things we don't have, we are told to worship God because of the things we do have. We look at several Bible verses that talk about where our focus should be and why. It's a great reminder of where our true treasures lie

Has anyone every told a lie about you? Lies can hurt our feelings and our reputation and their are consequences for those lies, often to the one that is being lied about, but also to the one telling the lies. God cares about truth and justice. So, either the truth will be made known or God will have it eat you upside until you confess. Ultimately, those who lie associate themselves with Satan, who is the father of lies, and those that tell the truth, associate themselves with Jesus, who is The Truth. We ultimately answer to Him for our lies. But when we tell the truth, we reveal Him to the world.

We learn as toddlers not to take things that don't belong to us. But stealing is much more than breaking into someone's house. The Bible says it is the same as stealing when we cheat other's out of the money, withhold someone's wages, charge interest, and when we don't give a portion of what He's given us back to Him. Yes, we can even steal from God.

Have you ever been in a really bad relationship? You know if you commit your life to this person it will destroy you, but you love them, or you feel trapped, or you think no one else would want you anyway, so you're torn. If you made it out, and you found someone that loves you and makes you feel safe, someone that's easy, and comfortable, and gives you great joy, then you know how tremendously thankful you are for them. There is no comparison between your new life and your old, and you are so relieved that you escaped.

In this episode we compare our bad relationship to sin and the law to our wonderful relationship with God. Our new life and our old and we examine all the reasons that joining ourselves to Him and leaving our old life behind is so very worth it!

The sacred union of marriage & family were established by God in the beginning and were meant to be a blessing to us forever. The family is the foundation of society and it mirrors our relationship with God. Therefore, it is very important to Him that we honor marriage and our promises.

The 6th commandment says not to murder. We read that and we think 'checked that box. Good Job!' Then we keep reading and see that Jesus warns against even getting angry and we think 'Oh, maybe that's just the bear minimum. I might not doing so well after all.' Our self-righteousness fades away and humility takes its place. We are all lawbreakers and yet we have a Savior to free us and a Spirit to guide us. Love is the answer.

What does it look like to honor our parents throughout our lives? Learning to honor them when we are young, teaches us to honor employers, government, and leaders as we get older. But ultimately, honoring our parents teaches us how to honor God. Our relationship with them mirrors our relationship with Him.

Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. On it you shall do no customary work. This may sound like a restriction, but it's not. It it our permission to rest. God knows we need rest to be at our best. With this special day built into our week, we can start the next rejuvenated and strong. This commandment was meant to be a blessing, not a burden.

Loser. Ugly. Bossy. Dramatic. Pathetic. Stubborn. Liar. Hypocrite. Lazy. Mean. Snob. Stingy. Greedy. Weak. Are these names that you want to be identified with? What about these? Beautiful. Kind. Helpful. Generous. Ambitious. Hard-working. Joyful. Peace-maker. Respectful. Strong. Dedicated. Faithful. Capable. Talented. Names matter, don't they? What people call you matters. We all want to have a good name. We all want to be known as someone good. When people spread rumors about us and tarnish our good name, when they act like are a nobody, or when they use our name to disparage another, we get angry and hurt. That is how God feels when we dishonor His name too.