it," he wouldn't "die" again. This seemed to work, but after letting up a bit, three days later he had another flashback.

Daryl realized that he could not keep going on in this way. He felt his only hope was to take various prescription drugs that would keep his mind from relaxing and having another "death experience." He stole a prescription pad from a local doctor's office and wrote himself prescriptions for close to two weeks until he was caught by a suspecting pharmacist.

It was at the police station that Daryl unloaded his story to his court case worker. This type of true story could be told by thousands of young people in our country today. Daryl often looked back to blame himself for driving around with nothing to do, for picking up the girls, and for agreeing to drugs from peer pressure, but is was done and he had the mental, psychological, and criminal scars to prove it. One moment of foolishness can reap a lifetime of misery.

God's sixth commandment clearly forbids physical killing and bodily harm - premeditated murder, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, and all forms of unnecessary risk-taking or health-destroying activities such as tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug abuse. As with all of God's commandments, however, this commandment refers to more than just our physical actions; it also applies to our motives, thoughts, and words.

We can "kill" someone with our words. We can "murder" another's name through slandering or gossiping, or "murder" his sense of worth through cruel teasing, mocking, or degrading references.

Emotionally, we can "kill" others through hatred or envy. Hatred is the seed from which murder grows; it is the killing of another in one's heart. Before the first murder was committed, we read, "And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Genesis 4:5). Christ taught this truth so clearly in His Sermon on the Mount where we read, "Ye have heard that is was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in

How does this story illustrate the truth that one sin often leads to another?

My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

- Psalm 57:4

And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour.

- Zechariah 8:17a

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

- Matthew 15:19