CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
A DAILY ONLINE LENTEN STUDY GUIDE: DAY 08
Monte Holland
This is the eighth in a series of daily Lenten devotionals called “Scriptural Lessons Leading to a Godly and Moral Life.” To start the study, click on: A Daily Online Lenten Study Guide: Introduction or
https://carolyncholland.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/a-daily-online-lenten-study-guide-introduction/
To view yesterday’s A DAILY ON-LINE LENTEN STUDY GUIDE click on: A Daily Online Lenten Study Guide: Day 07
Today’s photographs feature: Iglesia Methodista de Mexico Templo “El Divino Redentor” in Mexico City (Entrad por sus puertas con accion de gracias)
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The First Commandment: Exodus 20 :2-3 2I am the LORD your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves. 3Do not worship any god except me.
God gives a very specific order that the Israelites, who left Egypt when God parted the Red Sea, respect and worship God. To understand this order we need to look a little further into who God is.
In the first chapter of Genesis we learn that God created everything in the very beginning. God is the Creator. Without God we wouldn’t exist, nor would the earth and people around us exist. God deserves our thanks, our praise, and our worship as our Creator.
Furthermore, He provides for us each day. He provides the sunlight. He provides the rain (even the 2010 snow). He provides everything we have. A second reason to thank and praise and worship God is that God provides everything we need.
The First Commandment is pretty much a “slam-dunk:” we believe in only one God—we have that in common with the Jewish and Islamic faiths—and God has put us here and cares for us. Doesn’t it make complete sense that we should thank God—that is, worship God and God alone?
At the same time, we need to be honest with ourselves. We aren’t very good at thanking people who provide things for us—our parents who give us a home and put food on the table while we grow up; teachers who helped us grow in knowledge; pastors who give us spiritual teaching, and family and neighbors who teach us about life.
We may need a big-time attitude adjustment about being thankful to even make it through the First Commandment, with its call to continual thanksgiving and praise of God. Yet, this is essential in order to be able to obey the next three commandments.
DO NOT WORSHIP ANY GOD EXCEPT THE LORD GOD. (God’s First Commandment for us.)
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Exercise 1: Here is a little thankfulness test: I watch people who eat out. How thankful are they? Do they thank the waitress each time she brings their food or refills their glass? Do they thank God for the meal? – Answer these questions for yourself!
Exercise 2: List some people and things for which you should be more thankful (e.g. the school bus driver, the Internet, food on our table every day):
Exercise 3: Make one or two promises that will make you a more thankful person to others.
Exercise 4: Make one or two promises that will improve your worship and thankfulness to God.
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Continue on to A DAILY ON-LINE LENTEN STUDY GUIDE: 09 by clicking on: A Daily Online Lenten Study Guide: Day 09
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Monte and I welcome any comments you might have on the Lenten posts. Use the COMMENT box below to respond. For details on the COMMENT CONTEST click on: https://carolyncholland.wordpress.com/monthly-prize-for-comments/
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ADDITIONAL READING:
RUSS’S ASSIGNMENT: WRITE CAROLYN’S EULOGY Lent Devotion
CAROLYN'S COMPOSITIONS 
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