Occasionally I use the illustration of an individual rowing his little craft down the Niagara River with his back toward the falls.  Without notice, he has passed all warning signs and is startled to find that he is already beyond the “Point Of No Return.”  This is the last stretch of river just before the falls in which the current is moving too quickly to reverse directions and paddle back upstream to safety.  At this point, unless someone intervenes, he is going over the falls, and probably to his watery grave.

  The illustration serves as the perfect parallel to many situations that are common in the lives of individuals, businesses, and nations. For example: Because of unrestrained, foolish spending, the national debt, which now stands at over $31 trillion dollars, will eventually pass the point of no return and our country will not be able to afford even the interest to service our debt.

 Similarly, our beloved nation has been paddling toward destruction in the moral and spiritual realms for many years.  We are even now precariously perched on the edge of a spiritual precipice with strengthening currents that threaten to push us into the abyss with every passing day.  Those who know God and are astute students of His Word, have been stationed along the route that brought us to where we are today, to sound the warning and aid in reversing the direction of our national drift.  But here we are, seemingly committed to the fast waters that promise to transport us to certain ruin. Is there yet hope?  YES!, but our deliverance will not be at the hand of a politician, nor any device of man, but by the God who created us. 

  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,  …Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;  To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.  Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.  For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. (Psalm 33:12, 18–21).  “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2Chronicles7:14)

  The Bible tells us plainly that Jesus is God’s Son; He is Deity.  “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)”  During the first century, He lived, died and rose from the dead—a satisfactory substitute that would appease God the Father for our sins.  Before He ascended back to heaven, He promised that He would return to earth at the end of this age.

  The Bible makes it very clear that no one can know the day or hour that God will once again, supernaturally, intervene in the affairs of man, but He has described what the world will look like when Jesus returns: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (1 Timothy 4:1)”  “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)”  But wait, these descriptions are true of our day; many have departed from the faith, and perilous times are even now upon us.

  More specifically He tells us: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:2–5)”  As I have said, nobody knows when the end will come, but who can deny that these characteristics sound like our world today?

  Perhaps you think this is all a hoax, a master plan to deceive and steal away your pleasures, and make you accountable to God.  It is important to note that something is not true because I believe it; nor is it untrue because you don’t.  It behooves both of us to examine the evidence.  To think that there is no knowledge beyond our own understanding, and nothing more powerful than feeble man, is foolish.  What we observe in the universe, though not eternal, is very complex—its existence requires an eternal, all powerful God.

I. Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me.

Did you ever give someone, other than God, first place in your life?

II. Thou Shalt Not Make Unto Thee Any Graven Image.

Did you ever put material things ahead of your relationship with God?

III. Thou Shalt Not Take The Name Of The Lord Thy God In Vain.

Did you ever use God’s name as a curse word or in a joke?

IV. Remember The Sabbath Day To Keep It Holy.

Did you ever act as if the Lord’s Day was like any other?

V. Honor Thy Father And Thy Mother.

Did you ever dishonor your father or mother in thought or deed?

VI. Thou Shalt Not Kill.

Did you ever kill someone? (Hatred is the same as murder. 1John 3:15)

VII. Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery.

Did you ever commit adultery? (A look of lust is the same as adultery. Matthew 5:28)

VIII. Thou Shalt Not Steal.

Did you ever steal anything?  …even a piece of gum or candy?

IX. Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness.

Did you ever tell a lie?  …even a small one?

X. Thou Shalt Not Covet.

Did you ever yearn to have something that belonged to someone else?

  “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)”  We have all broken God’s law.  We are all Guilty!

  But God sent His Son, Jesus, to purchase your forgiveness with His own blood on the cross of Calvary.  In three days He rose from the dead, and now He lives at His Father’s right hand ready to pardon you, if you will come to Him believing.  Repent of your sins (turn from them) and trust in Christ for forgiveness.  (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Luke 13:3;  John 1:12z

  Wisdom might be defined simply as the ability to utilize knowledge (what you know) to achieve a desired goal.  But one’s goals are certainly affected by his perspective—his world view.  So, can wisdom be the means of both good and evil?  Can we ascribe the word wisdom when a selfish person utilizes his so called “acquired knowledge” to reach demented goals?  Is he a wise man?  NO, of course not; this is not wisdom but craftiness or cunning.  Wisdom (as it is defined by God, rather than man) is intrinsically good.  “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Corinthians 3:19)” “There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. (Proverbs 21:30)

  God speaks directly to those who boast of “wisdom” associated with a world view that is inconsistent with His Word.  “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool [in his own eyes], that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God… (1 Corinthians 3:18–19a)”

  The opposite of being wise is to be a fool, and God has much to say about the fool as well: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)”  “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. (Proverbs 18:7)

  If you would be wise, you must first understand, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)”  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)  The substance of true wisdom can not be known apart from God.  “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)”  As in every endeavor of life God would be pleased to help you. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)”

  Toward the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth, He began to teach almost exclusively in parables.  A parable is a simple story laid along side a life event that illustrates a moral lesson or spiritual principle that applies to that event.  Someone has said, “A parable is an earthy story with a heavenly meaning.”  

  Many of the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day had closed their ears to the truth that He taught, to prevent their falling from the ranks of their self-acclaimed organization of religious achievers.  They believed they had a monopoly on truth, and could learn nothing from this young Rabbi, Jesus.  Because they had so determined not to believe, God imposed upon them a Judicial Blindness so they would no longer be confronted with spiritual truth.

  When Jesus was asked why he had resorted to parables in his teaching, He said, “…Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:11–16)”

  What God wanted to do for them, and what He wants to do for you is offered through the medium of faith.  If you want to know what God has to say, you must first be willing to obey it.  Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)”  Your choice not to consider what God has to say will be cause for eternal regret.  …behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)