Following In the Footsteps Of Faith, Hymn, and This Is my Prayer, Tue, 8/14/2012

Exodus 20:17
THE SIN NOBODY WILL ADMIT TO, Lesson 25a

Today, we come to the last of the 10 Commandments. In these Laws of God governing life on earth we have seen that God has a high standard of holiness that He expects His people to strive for. I trust that as we have moved along through these verses, you have seen some area in your life where you recognized the need for some correction and have made the efforts necessary to change to come in line with God's Word.

As we look at this 10th Commandment, the first characteristic I notice is that this Commandment represents a move away from actions into the realm of attitude. While breaking all the rest of the Commandments has its origin in the heart and mind of man, they all find their ultimate expression in some type of physical activity. This Commandment is different!

While there is evidence of lying, stealing, adultery, murder, disobedience to parents, taking God's Name in vain, making graven images and having other gods before God, there is usually little or no evidence of covetousness. As a result, this is a sin that is rarely, if ever confessed and owned up to. In truth, we are all guilty, we just won't admit it to ourselves, to others or to the Lord. Of all the Commandments listed, this is probably the one most often broken and the one that will most readily cause you to break the other nine. We will see as we look at “The Sin Nobody Will Admit“, that covetousness is a serious sin and that it needs to be confessed and forsaken by every child of God.

Once, Abraham Lincoln was seen walking with his 2 sons and both the boys were crying. A passerby asked the President what was wrong with his boys. "Exactly what's wrong with the whole world," said Lincoln, "I have three walnuts and each boy wants two."

Dr. Ken Trivette shares the following story. "On the night of November 16, 1930, Mrs. Henrietta Garret, a lonely 81 year old widow died in her home in Philadelphia, and, unwillingly, started the most fantastic case of inheritance litigation in history. She had failed to leave a will, or no will was found to her $17,000,000 estate; a mystery still unsolved. She had expertly handled her financial affairs since her husbands death in 1895 and therefore many felt that she must have realized that without a will, her fortune would become involved in legal battles.

Although, Mrs. Garret, at the time of her death, had only one known relative, a second cousin, and less than a dozen friends; attempts to prove relationship to her and claim a part of her estate was made by more than 26,000 persons from 47 states and 29 foreign countries, represented by more than 3,000 lawyers. In their efforts to obtain her estate, there were those that committed perjury, faked family records, changed their own names, altered data in Family Bibles and concocted absurd tales of illegitimacy. As result, 12 were confined, 10 received jail sentences, 2 committed suicide, and 3 were murdered. I wonder how many would have admitted they were guilty of covetousness?"

There are many, who if they were honest, would have to admit that they possessed a covetous heart! One cannot read the Bible without finding incidence after incidence where men wanted that which wasn't their's. In the Garden of Eden, Eve coveted the forbidden fruit and brought sin and death into the world. At Ai, Achen coveted some gold, silver and expensive garments and brought defeat to a nation and death to himself and his family. Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard and committed murder in his attempt to grab what belonged to another. David coveted Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, and as a result brought the sword of God into his household for generations. Judas was motivated by a covetous heart. Annanias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Ghost because they were covetous. Even the great Apostle Paul was plagued by thought covetousness - (Rom. 7:7). Covetousness had been a problem as long as man has been in this world. Even in these last days, men still want that which isn't theirs. Read 2 Tim. 3:1-2; and Luke 12:15. Let's look a little more closely at this Commandment as we consider this thought, “The Sin Nobody Will Admit“.

TODAY’S HYMN!
“My Faith Looks Up To Thee” By Ray Palmer (1830)

1. My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
be wholly thine!


2. May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire!
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire!

3. While life's dark maze I tread,
and griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow's tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.

4. When ends life's transient dream,
when death's cold, sullen stream
shall o'er me roll;
blest Savior, then in love,
fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul!

THIS IS MY PRAYER!
Father of Mercy, God of Peace and Comfort, we delight in the very thought of your name; and we rejoice with gladness that the Almighty God Loves and Cares for us. We have heard of Your Fame and we stand in awe of Your Deeds. Renew them in our day and in our time, and make them known to us. You are the One who stretched out the heavens and created man in Your own image. You sent prophets, teachers and Your Beloved Son so we might come to know You and worship You. We pray that Your grace will triumph as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. It is in His Name that we pray. Amen!

SHARE THIS LESSON WITH FRIENDS AND INVITE THEM TO JOIN THE TEAM!