Do Not Commit Adultery :: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/24/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

The commandment to not commit adultery is about honoring marriage.

Marriage is a honored when we choose to respect marital intimacy. Marriage is honored when we choose to respect the marital promise, and when we choose to honor the marital purpose.

When we choose to honor marriage there are blessing we receive. Honoring marriage brings satisfaction, strengthens relationships and keeps your heart healthy.

Keep in mind to never let the sinful behavior of another person to define you. Let God define you as a man, a woman, a human and look to His faithfulness.

Do Not Murder :: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/11/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Do not murder. Why is murder wrong?

Because God said so!

Because of the Golden Rule. If you don’t want to be murdered, then don’t murder.

Because human life is uniquely sacred.

Because murder destroys what God values.

Seems like an easy command to follow, but is there more to the command than just not killing someone?

Jesus says in Matthew 5:21-22 that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement.

So how do we turn our hearts toward life? We keep a cool head. We leave the revenge to God. We choose to love and note hate.

Honor Your Father and Mother :: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/10/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Is it really important to honor your Father and Mother?

It makes God’s top ten list! Family is the building block of society. It is so easy to fail at honoring parents.

What does honor entail? Honor is respect. Respect and honor are a choice. Honor means heeding their Godly advice. Honor is the opposite of disrespecting them.

We honor our parents when we show them gratitude. A thank you goes a long way! We communicate with them. We care for them. We seek their advice. We encourage them. We also forgive them.

Remember The Sabbath :: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS-BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/03/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Why do we need to remember the Sabbath?

When we don’t, there can be signs in our life that show the need for Sabbath. If you notice you smile less, struggle to find joy, sleep patterns have changed, feel disconnected, irritable, anxious or emotional stability eludes you, then you may need to examine how you remember the Sabbath.

We need time to rest and relax. We need time to reflect and rejoice in God. We need time to replenish and to refill. All these reasons are why we nee Sabbath!

In order to have a good Sabbath you need to discipline yourself to get all your work done in the other six days. You need to recall the week’s blessings. You need to use the Sabbath to rest!

Baptism

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/26/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Baptism, what is the big deal?

Listen as Pastor Steve explains the big deal about baptism in a unique way.

Baptism points to Jesus, and what He has done for us.

Baptism is a big deal because Jesus said to be baptized.

Baptism shows our commitment to God.

Baptism shows our need for Christian community.

Baptism reminds us of the essentialness of Christ.

Honor God’s Name :: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/19/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Honor God’s name is the third commandment, but what does that really mean?

God has several names in the Bible that show us why His name should be honored. I AM shows He is absolutely eternal, unquestionable independence and complete otherness. God tells Moses I AM Who I Am.

God is also referred to as Elohim which shows He was before creation. He has unmatched creative ability. He is over all creation. He has power.

God is also named Jesus, which means the Lord saves.

How is God’s name dishonored? When we treat it casually or as profanity, we show God disrespect. When we incorrectly attribute something to Him, we are dishonoring Him. When our life as a Christian reflects poorly on Him, we dishonor His name.

How do we honor God’s name? We honor His name by revering who He is, being thankful for what He has done and looking joyfully to what is to come. We honor His name when we trust in it, call on it, proclaim it and live it!

Do Not Make Idols :: BIBLE STORIES – THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/12/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

The second of the Ten Commandments is Do Not Make Idols. This commandment really has two components. First, don’t make idols. Second, don’t worship what has been created.

We are not to pray to anyone but God. We are not to regard earthly things as holy. We are not to make idols. Why would God give us this command?

There are deep problems with idolatry. We are to love the Lord with our whole heart. We are to trust Him completely, and we are to obey Him.

What do we do when we realize we have made something an idol? We should destroy the idol if possible. There are some idols that you should not destroy, like your family or your reputation. In that case, you need to reprioritize your life and set Christ as Lord!

No Other gods Before Me :: BIBLE STORIES-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/5/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

The first of the ten commandments “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Surely this should be easy to keep, right? But so often the “good things” in life take a seat before God.

God is above creation. He is distinct from creation, and He is superior to creation.

God is above ALL people. He is the One who has control over our destinies. By contrast, we look small.

God is concerned for us. Even though He’s incomparable, He cares for us. Because of His great love for us, we are preserved.

Back To School

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/29/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

What made Daniel and his friends different? They were thinkers, learners and motivated while living in their difficult environment.

What lessons can we learn from Daniel when we are in a difficult environment? We believe God can help us even when the demands are unreasonable, when we are in danger, or being persecuted.

We also see from Daniel’s story that we need to walk closely with God. We need to be in His word.

We see how Daniel cooperated without compromising. He allowed himself to be called a new name that was not pleasing to him, but did not compromise in ways that would defile him.

Our mindset is crucial. We need to believe that God is in control. We need to resolve that we will stand firm. We need to trust that God is with us.

Baptism

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/22/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Isn’t it interesting the emphasis people put on the last words spoken by someone? The words of Jesus before He ascends back into heaven include to baptize and be baptized. Let’s take a closer look at the words Jesus speaks.

Jesus tells us to go. We go to share what we have discovered. We share with those around us the love of God, whether that be to those we work with, those in our homes or to a different country.

Jesus us expects us to be disciples and make disciples. We love those around us and let our light shine. We help people find forgiveness and life in Jesus. We also teach people to follow Jesus.

Jesus tells us to baptize and be baptized. Baptism indicates cleansing, transformation and commitment to Christ.