Hi Frank....

Wasn't going to say another word but you brought a couple of points that "demand" clarification.

First...Gerlinda....thank you for being you. When I write anything I have to ask the Lord to help me. The key as a Christian is that "somehow" Christ is able to be seen and Glorified and Steve is stuck back in the cupboard some place. I personally don't like the spotlight.

Frank....you are such a tremendous blessing. I want you to know that. Thank you for all of your posts.

The issue...breaking of the 10 Commandments. Well Frank....the Bible says if you have broken one, you have broken them all. How is that so? Well Christ said it takes but a "little" leaven (yeast) to leaven the whole loaf. We have "all" sinned. A nice juicy hamburger is not sin. Gluttony is sin and we've probably all done that. At least those of us in the western world. Many go to bed without every night.

A couple of assumptions that are not the case from my last post. Yes...I've known the Lord over 50 years now. Have I kept the 4th Commandment all those years? No. As a child growing up, we did, but it was hard not to. The town was virtually closed down. Afternoons were boring. It was nap time for the entire family. As the world changed....slowly we did too. The enemy is very happy to take a small bite here and there. If we allow, we have moved away from God's plan and he's happy.

No...moving back to where I personally believe the Lord wants me has been a major struggle. Fought in prayer, in my own personal desires and fought by the ease not to keep it with society moving the opposite direction.

Have we as a people of God ever really wondered why the Lord is about to judge this nation so strongly. This nation being the United States. Why? It's not because of the world's unrighteous. It's not because of this group or that group or the music or film industry. It's because of "US" We....the people of God. No one else. If we....the people of God would get on our knees and humble ourselves and pray as Daniel prayed...confess our sin...and not let go of Him till We have an answer that He might forgive His people for not standing up for the unborn, for not being a loud and demanding voice for righteousness, for not beseeching God on our knees till we've heard from heaven, then and only then will we see a change. We are too concerned about our well being and not His. The Kingdom of God comes first and I'm not sure if there is a #2.

Frank...you said "We all sin and are tempted. We can't be over reliant on our own ability to keep the 10 Commandments".

My answer....Who in the world "ever" said we are to rely on ourselves for anything? If we operate in our own strength or power or wisdom, then we fail AND WE SIN!!!

The Bible teaches just the opposite. He is our source. He is our strength. He is our everything and I mean everything. He's our provider, the love of our lives. Our Tower in which we can trust.

If He and He alone is all these things, then are we to relying on our own abilities to keep His commandments? No!!!!

In our western world depicted by the John Wayne movies...it the independent man...I don't need anything, much less God that is portrayed. That is 100% opposite to the Kingdom of God. God demands us to surrender our wills, take up OUR cross and follow Him. Jesus said we can do nothing without Him.

So to end this simply....Everything that we are...everything that we would ever hope to be is given to Him and by GRACE we walk, fall, ask forgiveness and continue to submit and DEPEND on Him in all things and in all ways.

Frank...like Paul...I am the chief of sinners. If you think for a moment that Steve is Holy...then we have missed the mark. He is our Holiness. And by trusting in His loving kindness, He will transform all of us into His likeness.

Blessings on you dear brother. Hope I wasn't too harsh. Steve W2