Why is it so easy to lie?

Telling a falsehood is something we all did as children, but lying can trip up even longtime Christians. The underlying motive for giving in to deception is usually a desire to protect ourselves in some way. We lie to get out of trouble, to avoid an unwanted situation, to profit financially, to receive acceptance, to bolster our image, to hide our flaws, or for other self-serving reasons.

When Nebuchadnezzar had an alarming dream, the Lord gave Daniel the interpretation: The king was going to become insane and live like a wild animal for “seven periods of time.” At that moment, Daniel had to decide whether he would tell the king the truth or conceal it. In those days, giving a king a bad report could cost the messenger his life. Yet despite the danger, Daniel held to his convictions and delivered the Lord’s message to Nebuchadnezzar.

Here’s why Daniel could speak the truth in the face of danger: He trusted God. Since he was doing exactly what the Lord wanted, he wasn’t frightened into compromise. Obedience to God is worth far more than anything we could gain from speaking lies or doctoring the truth in an effort to stay safe.

Are you willing to commit to speaking truth even when it’s costly? Altering income tax information, falsely enhancing your image on social media, or ignoring a miscalculation in your favor on a receipt isn’t worth the loss of character that comes with deception. Seeking to please the Lord and letting Him handle the consequences will always be the best course of action.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission
Read: Daniel 4:1-27

FURTHER READING

• Speaking the Truth by Phil Ware
• Speak the Truth by Julie Cosgrove
• Steps to Truth

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“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  Ephesians 4:32-5:2

I have never yet met a person who didn’t hold Jesus in high esteem. Regardless of whether an individual believes in Jesus as the Son of God, everyone agrees that He was loving, caring, kind and self-giving. Many people will even say, “If everyone lived like Jesus, the world would be a better place.”

A nice philosophy, but it remains only that until we look more deeply into exactly what kind of love God lavishes on us and then calls His followers to live out. Kindness, compassion and forgiveness are the oil that could make families, communities and nations live well. But the words “gave himself up” and “offering” and “sacrifice” sting with their stark demands. These are words that require more than I can give, more than I have the power to produce.

And that is exactly as it should be. Being a follower of Jesus means that I have counted the cost of the path and consistently ask God to fill me with the power to live like Jesus ‘giving myself up, offering and sacrificing. It is this kind of life that wafts into the presence of God’ -we and what we offer to Him become perfume!

Father God, I want to be perfume to you but often, I admit, what you smell in my good works is the stench of self-reliance and self-satisfaction. Thank you for transforming my gifts into sweet smelling sacrifices as I offer them in repentance.

By Marilyn Ehle
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• Like a Sweet Perfume
• What’s That Smell?
• The Fragrance
• What Do You Smell Like?

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In Romans, Paul reminds us that God appointed us to reflect the character of Jesus.

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30

Throughout my life, relatives and friends have frequently remarked that I resemble my mother, father, brother, or another distant relative from my clan. Personality traits and tendencies from my ancestral past have become my unconscious and sometimes undesirable hereditary heirloom. Now, in my mature years, I scrutinize their remarks by consciously analyzing my mannerisms, habits, and even my conversational nuances to ensure they reflect my true person.

Although most hereditary traits are endearing and complement character, many traits are compromised by the hereditary nature of sin. As believers in a fallen world, plagued by a natural propensity to express undesirable hereditary habits, we must scrutinize our behavior to ensure that it conforms to the image of Jesus. In Romans, Paul reminds us that God appointed us to reflect the character of Jesus. As Jesus’ adopted brothers and sisters, and part of our Father’s family, we must persevere to reflect Him in word and deed.

Do you reflect the character of your Father’s family? Are you the person God appointed you to be?

Thankfully, God sent the Holy Spirit, as our teacher and helper, to equip and empower us to overcome natural and undesirable traits and tendencies and to authentically reflect Christ in our everyday lives. As Christ followers, we are free from sin’s power — free to become everything the Father foreknew — free to reflect the grandeur and glory of our Father’s family.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to become part of Your family. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Empower and equip me to become more like Jesus — reflecting Him in character and deed. Amen.

By Allan Mitchell
Used by permission

Further Reading

•  Attributes of God

•   The Everlasting God – By Stoddard

•  Salvation Explained

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The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:20-22

Over twenty years ago, I watched it being built over a number of months and I remember attending the grand opening. It was a building not far from where I live. It has been occupied by more than one business and most recently been vacant.

On my way to the office one morning, I noticed some equipment around the building and several trucks. When I returned, later in the day, more than half the building was gone and by the next day the site where the building once stood was void of any trace of building and was a vacant parcel of property, scraped clean to the bare earth.

I pondered about how long it takes to build a building and how quickly it can be torn down. I thought of the passage of Scripture where the Jews challenged Jesus on his statement that he would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in three days – a structure that took forty-six years to build. He, of course was talking about a different kind of Temple.

I thought about how this applies to my life and recalled 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

As I contemplated that Scripture, it occurred to me about how long it takes to build up my body to be worthy and reflective of being a vessel of the Holy Spirit. It includes building character, integrity, trustworthiness and respect. It takes years to firmly ingrain those traits in a body created in sin.

But then consider how quickly our bodies can be torn down. We are tested by Satan and tempted by sin. Sometimes just one stumble can in a moment wipe out years of character building and Satan baits us when we are least expecting it and when we are most vulnerable.

We must all be careful to not stumble on sin and in an instant erase what God took years to build.

by John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Further Reading

•  Random Acts of Kindness it is amazing how random acts of kindness affect those around you.
•  Encouraging Word
•  Salvation Explained

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“Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete” James 1:2-4

A friend of mine had been very successful in business, but after he became a Christian everything seemed to go wrong. Problem after problem seemed to plague him. Yet he never seemed to be discouraged or defeated.

As we counselled together, he assured me that there was no unconfessed sin in his life. So I rejoiced with him that God was preparing him for a very important responsibility in His kingdom. That is exactly what happened. He is now the director of a very fruitful ministry for our Lord. The problems and testing served to help equip him to be a better ambassador for Christ.

If you are experiencing difficulties in your life – physical illness, loss of loved ones, financial adversity – remember the above admonition from God’s Word. Be happy, knowing that God will work in your life to accomplish His holy purpose.

You can decide how you will respond to problems and temptations – you can either become critical and cynical, or as an act of the will, by faith, you can choose to believe that our sovereign, loving God is allowing this to happen in your life for your own good and for His glory.

Even the hairs of your head are numbered. “His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, KJV). He is tender, loving and compassionate, concerned about your every need.

Bible Reading:  James 1:5-12

When difficulties and temptations enter into my life I will – as an act of the will, by faith in God’s faithfulness to His promises – rejoice and be glad, knowing that He is always with me and will never forsake me. As I trust Him and obey Him, he will supernaturally turn tragedy to triumph, and He will change heartache and sorrow to joy and rejoicing. I will trust Him in the darkest night of circumstances.

By Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

•  Setting up a  Proper Foundation in Your Life
•  Being Honest and Ethical in Business

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

I was 22-years-old and I was living a nightmare. I was in the middle of a divorce, a custody battle, and my life as I knew it was coming to an end. No more white picket fence and the 2.5 kids (or so I thought). I was suffering, and every day felt like a battle that couldn’t be won.

What I couldn’t see then, and what I do see now, is that in those moments of absolute distress, I was beginning to learn and grow as a godly man. It would take another 15 years before I would surrender my life to Him. However, the foundation of Christ was set during those times of my divorce.

God was shaping me and He was molding me. I was a rebel and He was using afflictions of this life to bring me closer to Him. My suffering was producing endurance, and as Paul writes, from endurance comes character and hope.

What a gift this is from our Lord! He knows our nature and yet He still adores us. He sees our rebellion and yet His faithfulness knows no boundaries. He allows times of suffering, as a loving Father, in so that we may find our way into His loving arms.

Father. We cry out to You in our times of suffering and afflictions. We say heal and we say change. Lord, we only want what is in Your will. Let us see the gift that You give us in our times of suffering. Open our hearts to turn back to You, Lord. In Jesus name, AMEN!

By Rev. Daniel Forster

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The post The Gift of Suffering appeared first on Thoughts About God.