Category: Life In Christ

God’s Honest Truth

There are six things the Lord hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a LYING tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a FALSE witness who pours out LIES, a person who sows discord in a family. Proverbs 6:16-19

This week a post I read on Facebook prompted me to think how many people are dishonest. I’ve known people who tell what they call “little white lies” as if their dishonesty is minimized in their mind, because they think being dishonest a little isn’t harmful. But a lie, is a LIE, IS A LIE! I’m not shouting at you, I just want people to see that there is no such thing as being a “little” lie or being a “little” dishonest. I know one person who told me that they had to lie to certain people because they were protecting them. My response was ‘protecting them from what?!’ Lying Never protects anyone, because you are introducing sin into a relationship, no matter who it is you’re trying to protect. That relationship is doomed, whether it is a friend or a family member. When did God put you in charge of protecting others from the truth? Actually, that particular person was manipulating a situation, because they didn’t want the other person to know what they were doing. If you feel the need to hide how you control your affairs, perhaps there are other areas that you are not being honest about. They were also trying to control the response of the other person. I’ve known parents who will lie to their kids because they have a preconceived idea of how the child will react if they know the truth. It only opened up a larger dilemma in that they had allowed their child to control the situation based on that child’s previous bad behavior. It was definitely an unhealthy situation, based on lies by both parties. One was lying based on poor behavior and the other was lying in an attempt to modify that behavior. No relationship can endure based on lies, because it dispels trust, which is integral for longevity in relationships.

Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! Proverbs 12:19-20 

Some annoying prefaces to a conversation are: “I’ll be honest with you …”; “Let me shoot straight now.”; (Like they weren’t any other time?) “To be perfectly honest…”; “God’s honest truth…”; “No lie…”; “I swear I’m telling the truth!”; “Regardless of anything else I’ve said before…” There are many others also, but when you hear this, be on guard! If a person has to persuade you that they are being honest by putting extended conditions on their statement(s), it shows their integrity or lack thereof. I thought honesty was free from deceit, not conditional.

photo by Alamy
photo by Alamy

The dictionary definitions of the word ‘honest’ are as follows:

Honest: 1. honorable in principles, intentions, and actions; upright and fair. 2. showing uprightness and fairness. 3. gained or obtained fairly. 4. sincere; frank. 5. genuine or unadulterated. 6. respectable; having a good reputation. 7. truthful or creditable.

If you look up the word “honest” in the thesaurus, the main definition is ‘truthful & candid.’ Some synonyms are: authentic, reliable, undisguised, on the up and up, genuine, virtuous, and trustworthy. To take it a step further, I looked up the word “honesty” (the act of being honest) in the thesaurus and the word that stood out to me was integrity! The definition of integrity is: ‘the state of being whole’ which leads me to what lying is… ‘incomplete.’ We are not complete in God, if we are dishonest. We can Never be complete in God, if we cannot be truthful.

An honest witness does not lie; a false witness breathes lies. Proverbs 14:5

Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.” Proverbs 26:18-19

What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart! Isaiah 5:18

What bothers me most is when people drag God into their dishonesty, by using his name in the phrases I mentioned above. If you cannot stand on your own integrity, leave God out of it! Why should you use his name to verify what apparently has been deceit in the past? Learn to be truthful, forthright, and honest and there will be no need to preface your statements.

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

Lying is based on sin and following Satan, just as Adam and Eve did in the garden… they entered into sin and deceit. No one can ever measure up to the law, it only points us to the perfect sacrifice, which is Jesus. Jesus IS Truth, the opposite of deceit. You don’t have to measure up to be saved, Jesus defeated all sin on the cross and in resurrection. I am not saying that you can live in sin, but once you accept Jesus and follow him by the Holy Spirit, you have no desire to live in the bondage of lying and sin. Sin is the suppression of the Truth!

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness…They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. Romans 1:18&25

Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Colossians 3:9

But you have received the Holy Spirit and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me…I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:6&12

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24 

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:16-17

Jesus IS Truth and when we follow him in spirit and truth, we represent that truth, lying is not a part of us and that is… the God’s Honest Truth!

Working For or With?

Many people work For God, but very few work With God. I believe the reason there are so many fractions in the church today, is because people, even ministers, are working For God & not With Him. He has called everyone one of us to work With Him and until we get that mindset, there will be division. If I cannot work with another Christian, no matter their doctrinal differences, then I have missed the mark! There will be no Unity in the Faith, Until we learn to work With God!

Matthew 12:28-30 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger-someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working WITH me is actually working against me.

Heretics and false prophets may claim to work For God, but they are definitely Not working With God.

Philippians 2:1-2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly WITH each other, LOVING one another, and working together WITH ONE MIND and purpose.

It all comes down to LOVE, the LOVE of God, which far surpasses any human love!

John 14:12-14 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

We sell God short by working for Him, out of good hearts, and by not working With Him. It shouldn’t matter who does the work, as Paul says, but Whether God’s work, not Our work, is done…

1 Corinthians 15:10-11 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me— and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was NOT I, but God who was working THROUGH me by his grace. So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

2 Corinthians 10:13-17 We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has GIVEN us, which includes our working with you. We are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim authority over you, as if we had never visited you. For we were the first to travel all the way to Corinth with the Good News of Christ. Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended. Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory. As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

Hebrews 12:14-17 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

We can Only attain this holy life, by working With God. When we try to do it on our own, we are sacrificing our own birthright.

James 3:13-18 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

When we are working With God, he lavishes on us His Wisdom. There are so many things we cannot do without God, so why do we even try? I exhort you to call on God to work through you, so you may work With God and not just For Him. I pray that you are able to put aside anything you may be doing, even out of a caring heart, if it is not what God would have for you to do. Start each day by asking God how you could work with Him to bring about His plan for your life, and in essence, His plan for all.

Prayer: Father, I pray you will quicken me to your Spirit, so that I may work With you and in doing so, bring your Love and your hope to others. Help me know your will, and give me the courage even to walk on water, because I can only do this, by believing in you. Help me to face any calamity and any obstacle by knowing that you are working through me by your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(My emphases in capitalization of Scripture.)

I leave you with this thought… when we are working With God, and come to maturity, we will have peace. We will be able to work alongside others, each doing the work that God intends for us to do, because we will all work together with God, accomplishing His will.

Ephesians 4:16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Christian (with Alter Ego)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. — Galatians 5:24-25 NLT

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I find that many ‘Christians’ live antithetical lives in many facets of their lives. They live one way at work, one way with their buddies, another way with their families or at home, and still have another personality to take to church. What an exhausting life they must lead keeping all of these alter-egos intact! How can you say that you are saved and believe in Jesus Christ and live like the world lives? Of course, we then could argue whether these self-proclaimed ‘Christians’ have truly experienced a life-changing salvation or true repentance. But we all see it, the co-worker that behaves pristinely at work and goes home and gives their family hell. Or those who go out boozing and partying during the week but turn up to church stone-cold sober. Then there are the ones who watch shows (Uh-oh, I’m gonna step on toes here…) full of debauchery, satanic fantasy, murder, and hatred towards their friends & family. I’m speaking of the shows full of illicit sex, adultery, vampires, zombies, and horror. How can anyone who is truly sold out to God watch them? How can darkness co-mingle with light? How do they not have nightmares? … Actually, some have confessed to me that they do. Then they expect God’s peace? Christ said he would give us peace. If he left us the Holy Spirit, our comforter, our peace, aren’t we negating it by viewing these shows? The Bible says if we belong to Christ we have nailed our passions and desires to the cross, but if we are consuming garbage, aren’t we nailing Christ back to the Cross? I probably lost a few of you at this point, but for those who are brave enough to read on, the Bible puts it in plain text:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom. Galatians 5:19-21 The Message

You may be asking, “how is it possible to know the ways of God or to do what is right?” We cannot do it of our own will. Sure there are people in this world who are ‘godly’ who live nearly unblemished lives by the world’s standards. But there is nobody that is perfect and there is nobody who can know God’s ways without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The only way we can live a truly Christ-centered life is to submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives daily. It is a choice but the more we make that choice, it becomes a habit. It becomes our new nature. Christ said the Holy Spirit would lead us in truth. It is not sin-consciousness, but God-cognizance that will lead us into living a holier life. When we are not focused on the sins , but instead are focused on God, we have no desire to follow after sin. To know God more and better is to become more like Jesus and the example he set for us.

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. John 14:17 NLT

He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:4-6 NLT (my emphases)