Special Guest L.J. Harry & Book Review of Ten Words: A Practical Look at the Ten Commandments

Having enjoyed the delightful 52-week devotional journey L.J. Harry takes us on in his first book, Simplify, I had high expectations for his newest work, Ten Words. However, I enjoyed Ten Words more than a kid loves ice cream on a hot summer afternoon to use the Harry colloquialism. Ten Words is precisely what its subtitle purports to be: A down-to-earth examination of the Ten Commandments full of orthopraxical information helpful for every believer regardless of their theological savvy. Young and old, new believers, and mature believers will find powerful nuggets of biblical truth in Ten Words.

Essentially, Harry has boiled down each of the Ten Commandments into a single word that captures the essence and spirit of each command, therefore, the title Ten Words. Some readers might find this strategy startling; however, they should note that the title “Ten Commandments” is not mentioned in Scripture. In fact, that particular phrase is extra-biblical. The early church referred to what we now call the Ten Commandments as the Decalogue, literally translated Ten Words.[i] Rest assured, Harry has heavily weighed every word initially written on tablets of stone by the finger of God and handed to Moses on Mount Sinai. In true apostolic fashion, Harry considers the spirit behind the law as well as the literal words themselves. Harry carefully eschews pharisaical loopholes in this examination of the Decalogue.

In his refreshing way, Harry pens tremendously convicting truths with disarming charm and wit. As a reader, I often found myself convicted without feeling attacked, belittled, or patronized. Harry’s self-deprecating style allows us the liberty to examine our weaknesses without feeling guarded or embarrassed. I’m confident readers will find this approach uplifting and feel a renewed inspiration to obey the Ten Commandments joyfully. And perhaps see their relevance in a way they have not previously understood. Harry presents the Ten Commandments as the foundation upon which the rest of our practical Christian lifestyle is built. In the postlude cleverly titled 1+1=10, Harry echoes Jesus’ encapsulation of the law: One, Love God plus two, love your neighbor equals all the commandments (Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-31). Be careful because that isn’t quite as simple as it seems on the surface. Genuinely loving God and your neighbor leads to a radical lifestyle of holiness that far exceeds a list of ten things. That reality explains why a book on the Ten Commandments is full of helpful insight related to marriage, parenting, childhood, careers, worship, friendships, authority, dating, church, attitude, and thought life. Our willingness to submit to spiritual principles contained in Ten Words impacts every aspect of our daily lives and interactions with God and one another. I consider Ten Words to be necessary reading for every person who calls themselves a Christian.


[i] Easton’s Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Decalogue,” paragraph 1928.

AVP Episode 40 | L.J. Harry Joins the Program

9 Signs You Might Be Weary In Well Doing

Last week, I promised to follow up on the post entitled 7 Things That Make Us Weary In Well Doing, and I’m making good on that promise today. Sometimes, we are spiritually worn down, and we don’t even recognize a problem until it spirals out of control. The following is a series of warning signs that should make our internal alarms start beeping when detected.

1. Lack of Prayer

I could quote tons of Scripture about the importance of prayer, but in the end, prayer is about having a relationship with God. If you fail to communicate regularly with the Lord, your relationship is unhealthy. We instinctively understand this principle in our relationships with other humans, but we often fail to understand it in our relationship with God.

2. Half-Hearted Praise

When Mary performed that beautiful act of worship by anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive oil, Judas expressed displeasure at her extravagance (John 12:3-6). Now that we have the advantage of hindsight, we can see that Judas exhibited a warning sign of weariness in well-doing. When we begin withholding praise and feel critical of another’s praise, we should quickly make some spiritual corrections.

3. Habitually Missing Church

I should clarify that we all miss services occasionally for legitimate reasons. However, I am referring to those seasons of missing for no good reason. We all know the Scripture (Hebrews 10:25) that commands us to stay faithful in our church attendance, and yet the assembling together of the saints is far more than a stuffy commandment; it is for our improvement. Our carnal nature tends to pull away from the very thing we need the most when we are weary in well-doing. Keep a sharp eye out for this vital warning sign.

4. Murmuring & Complaining

Whenever the Hebrews were about to do something really horrific that stirred God’s wrath, it was always preceded by murmuring (Exodus 16:8; Numbers 14:27; Numbers 17:5). We all become frustrated and need to vent once in a while, but if it becomes the norm, you have a severe spiritual condition that needs immediate attention.

5. Spiked Levels of Temptation & Intensified Longings For Worldliness 

When Lot decided to lead his family towards and eventually into Sodom, it began because of God’s blessings (Genesis 13:6-12); the trend towards Sodom began during the good times. We must frequently check our direction and our desires. Sometimes, we need to desperately pray as the Psalmist did, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).”

6. Quick to Anger, Quick to Offense & Quick to Speak 

On at least five separate occasions, Scripture describes God as being slow to anger (Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). When we display the opposite characteristics of God, we should always take a spiritual inventory.

7. Unwillingness to Participate In the Kingdom of God  

1 Peter 4:10-11 clarifies that every Christian has a calling to be involved in the Kingdom of God according to their specific gifts. Refusal to participate or stay involved is usually indicative of a deeper problem.

8. Bitterness 

The apostle Paul acknowledged the defiling power of bitterness in Hebrews 12:15. The subject of bitterness alone could fill volumes and volumes, but know that it is one of the most dangerous warning signs. Bitterness starts small and quickly grows into an unavoidable problem if left uncontrolled. It is possible to be right the wrong way, and one of the most common ways to be right the wrong way is to be correct and bitter at the same time.

9. Rebellion

Rebellion against God or God-given authority is never okay, and it never ends well; if you remain unconvinced, just consider King Saul, Lucifer, or Judas.