Good points! God is a jealous God Who knows our needs and how we were designed. We need to have our eyes looking to the Highest in order to have our lives in order so He demands it. The sins of our fathers do tend to be passed down to future generations (acohol abuse, anger, selfishnesss) as we are brought up in such a way but it is up to us to turn from those ways. At the same time, honoring our parents. Not blaming them for who we are or how we behave, accepting responsibility and honoring those who brought us into the world and raised us, in whatever way we were raised so we can now turn to God. What a mighty God we serve, thanks for pointing that out!

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Honor your father and your mother

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It was after this, when my husband lost his job and we thought our house was going to be lost. It was a very trying time. I learned to rely much more on God and less on myself and others. I also learned to be content with far less than I thought I could. I learned money was important, but God was the most important.

It was as important for me to realize the importance of money as it’s relative unimportance in many areas. I tended to dismiss it’s proper place before this time. It does have a proper place and scripture says God knows what we need. At the same time, things will not give us contentment. That comes from renewing our minds and believing God.

I also needed to learn over the years the importance of taking every thought captive to Christ. When enviest thoughts come to me, I now examine them in light of what Christ has done and is doing for me. This has made a big difference in my life. Perfection will not come in this life, however.

I also found we can be envious of others in nonmaterial things. That also is something to take before the Lord.

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Contentment is not only a foreign term, it is downright evil! It would dissolve their purpose for existence. Only a “white” racist like Paul could conceive of such a thing.

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“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength”

The last 5 commandments (second tablet) are cover by:

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”

If I could just get a hold of those two commandments, everything God demands of me would be covered. I need to practice setting my theological baggage aside more often just focus on those two.

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Anyway, this teacher gave us a short story to read about a classroom of poor black students whose black teacher took them on a field trip to FAO Schwartz so they could see some of the cool toys the decadent rich white kids got while they barely scraped by in their tiny run down apartments, playing hopscotch and jumprope. Apparently it was important to the teacher in the story to instill the stellar character qualities of greed and envy into these young minds who had previously been unaware of what they were missing and so were foolishly content with what they had.

My professor felt that this would be a wonderful story for us teachers to share with our students so they, too, could acquire the appropriate guilt or envy, depending on their skin color.

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How many sins does the 10th commandment cover? I can think of greed, jealousy, envy, lust, adultery, discontent, poor stewardship, oneupmanship, etc.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 1 Tim 6:6-8

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Cor 6:10

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