Lying condoned?
Lying Rambo Bear
NOTE: Click the blue links to read the scriptures
It is no surprise that such things as dishonesty, trickery, and half-truths can be found in our fallen world. The question is not whether lying is present. It is clear that the answer to that is an obvious “YES!”
I guess the question is “When is lying acceptable?”
Read the question below and choose the best answer:
Lying is acceptable…
A. when the situation involves reputation.
B. when the circumstance requires concealment.
C. when the individual desires advancement.
The best answer might come as a surprise; the only time lying is acceptable unto God is never!
There have been many people who justify lying because of the story of Rahab. If one looks to the New Testament and sees the depiction of Rahab in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25, there is no praise of her lying mentioned. The reason she is commended is because of her obedience, faith, and repentance from a life of sin. She is recognized for her faith and her service to God through obedience; her action of lying is not condoned.
Rahab was a pagan prostitute and the theme seen is not that lying is condoned, but rather that obedience and faith are honorable and remain honorable regardless of one’s sinful, defective character.
Lying is not simply saying something that isn’t true; it is also making a situation or circumstance appear a certain way. Actors and those in theatre know this best. They are very good at twisting and manipulating a circumstance so as to make it appear a certain way to the audience. The only problem is that when it comes to a person’s daily life, it is not justified to do the same.
Twisting a situation, or telling a story that never happened, just won’t cut it with God. I know of individuals who will tell a story to another that never occurred in order that the message they are trying to convey will be delivered so that the recipient will be able to relate.
It is easier to lie than tell the truth. Take for example, Tucker who told a false testimony to a body of believers in order for them to be able to feel like they could connect. Fabricating a history of participating in underage-drinking and wild parties, Tucker reached his goal of convincing his audience that he has, indubitably, been changed by Christ. The problem is that Tucker never did any of those things and simply said that he did in order to spruce up his otherwise uneventful testimony.
The ends do not justify the means. Lying is not condoned by God.
Exodus 20:16; Leviticus 19:11; Proverbs 6: 16-19; Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9; Revelations 21:8
We lie to present ourselves in ways that give off a desired appearance. Whether we want to appear wise, diligent, transparent, smart, trustworthy or appear to posses any other trait, lying is not going to help.
You can seemingly be the most hard-working, diligent, trustworthy, smart, transparent, good-hearted person alive, but if it isn’t based on Truth, the false traits will be exposed and the real character will be unearthed. Even if no one on planet Earth will ever know, God does.
Lies can be so rehearsed and incorporated into our daily lives that they almost seem like truth, deceiving ourselves.
Repenting of lying is one of the hardest things to do because it requires the fear of God to be greater than the fear of man. It requires one to be abased and admit that the lying is indeed sin. Repenting of lying involves making a conscious effort to stop dishonesty, falsehood, and half-truths, replacing such things with Truth and integrity.
If you’re caught in a circumstance where lying’s involved, I challenge you to write down the truth and write down the lie. Write down the lies and concealed things and make it your goal to speak the truth, no matter how hard it may be.
Doing the right thing is painful, but worth it. Don’t believe me? Christ died a painful death on the cross. His obedience to God was the right thing. Christ did not suffer without reward; He has the name above all names, is king above all kings, and it is by HIS NAME that all are saved. No matter how things appear, doing the right thing has the greatest reward. Tell the truth, be honest, and choose God over man and the things of this world.
What are you plugged into?
Are you plugged into the things of this world more than you are plugged into the Word of God?
In a world where technology changes at an exponential rate, the thing that is the “hot” gadget today will be old news by this same time next year. In a society where cords hang down from people’s ears and access to any information is literally available with the touch of a finger, change is imminent. In a generation where people spend more time at a computer desk than they do in any other location, the diversity of activities diminish.
I’m becoming an extension of my laptop. The laptop is plugged into the wall and I’m plugged into the laptop. My hands are like adapters that convert the energy of thought to the expression of written word. My legs fidget, my feet tap, and my knees wobble.
I started thinking about plugs and outlets. I thought about how my vacuum is lifeless, purposeless, and stagnant when it is not plugged into the wall outlet.
I am incapable of doing anything on my own and have realized that just like a vacuum needs to be plugged into the wall outlet, I need to be plugged into God; I am useless, lifeless, and stagnant otherwise.
I think that the vacuum analogy only goes so far though because, in some ways, I can see a correlation between myself and my cell phone. I don’t always need to read my Bible or be praying in order for me to be able to function. It reminds me of how a phone can be away from the charger for a few days and work just as efficiently as when it is connected to the outlet. After a certain point, however, the phone’s battery gets exhausted and needs to be recharged.
I now look at my life and realize that there are areas where I behave as a vacuum and then where I behave as a cell phone. I recognize now that there are certain things in my life that ONLY OCCUR WITH GOD. At the same time, there are other things that need to be continuously brought to God; things that will survive temporarily without Him for a while but ultimately die without Him.
The only outlet that can provide what I need is God. My power, strength, and energy leap out from His abundant wellspring. He is the true power source and all other sources leave me wanting.
Without God…
- My relationships would die
- My energy would be depleted
- It would be impossible to overcome obstacles
- I would not be able to face temptations
AND
- I would never reach my full potential
I have realized that without God, I am lacking what I need to do anything that will bring forth fruit. God is what turns fruitless motion to life-producing action.
Frustration
Frustrated
- The will to do good
- The desire to work hard
- The motivation to succeed
- The energy to flourish
All these things I have
I am lacking nothing
I only lack the doing
If I can’t do the good that I desire to do then maybe it is not I that will see this desire to completion. For it is not I that first desired to do good, for these good desires were placed within me as a gift unto my soul. Every good gift comes from above. If the desire to do good stemmed from my own being, then I would also have the ability to see this good work to its completion. However, this is not so; there is nothing in me that is good except that which has been given of God.
Philippians 2:13
13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
It is not I, but God that placed the desire and also God that sees that desire to its completion.
Philippians 1:6
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
I therefore must die to my own nature and allow Him to be the one that works these good things within me. As I acknowledge Him, He will direct my paths; leading me into that good work, performing that which I cannot.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Reflect on What You Reflect
Refuse to let this world distort that which was meant to reflect perfection.
Made to be mirrors,we reflect that of which we are closest. Made to be transparent and clear,the one who designed us sees His own image, but sin causes ripples and tides that distort. The Heart Warrior covers us all, casting back that perfect image. Our proximity to The Heart Warrior, near or far,determines the impression of deflection. The Heart Warrior is perfect and we are mere reflections. We may not be perfect, but we can choose that of which we reflect.
The Key to Success: Be Y. O. U.
- Each piano key has a specific sound; each person has a specific part to play.You were designed to be YOU and there are things only you can do! You cannot be successful trying to be like everyone else; you can only be successful by trying to be YOU.
Taste
NOM NOM!
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” -Psalm 34:8
“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” -Psalm 119:103
What does it mean to taste? To taste. To try. To explore.
What is a taste? Preferences. Standards. Requirements.
What does Psalm 34:8 mean then? What is meant by, “O taste and see that the Lord is good?”
I believe it could be suggesting to give God a chance; let Him in and you will see that He is good. He will not disappoint.
Psalm 119: 103 is also making it clear that God does not disappoint. When you do get a taste of the One True God, He is sweeter than the sweetest thing you have experienced. He is perfect and, therefore, meets (AND EXCEEDS) any standard, requirement, or preference you could possibly set.
Hear
Be Swift to Hear
James 1:19-27
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of a man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hears only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
The difference between hearing and listening is a very important one.
Hearing is the initial acknowledgment of receiving a message; the words have been accepted.
Listening is the acceptance and response of a received message; the actions and words are in alignment.
Take for example, a physics professor is teaching about electromagnetic radiation. The words are bouncing merrily to the student’s ears, but no one was listening. The pupils heard the lecture but were not paying attention. The effort of engaged mental processing was absent. These subjects did not listen even though they heard every word that was spoken.
The difference between hearing and listening is the effort; listening requires energy.
It is very clever how God designed His beloved children. He gave two ears and one mouth. There is a 2:1 ratio. It could be assumed that listening should occur twice as much as talking. He gave us two hands and two feet, yet one mouth. It could be assumed that actions speak louder than words. Help the hurting, visit those in need of comfort, and actively protect, defend, and guard against the invading attacks of the enemy.
Smell
Not a pretty sight... Not a pretty smell...
When there is a putrid smell that burns your entire respiratory system, all the perfume, air freshener, and AXE body spray in the world won’t get rid of the stench.The problem is that spraying these temporary solutions will not get rid of the disease type insidiousness of the repugnant abomination.
Doing the “cover up” method only prolongs the problem because it avoids dealing with the root issue. The only option is to find the source.
If there is a dead rat in the basement and that rat is not found and removed, the unpleasant wretchedness will only persist. There are a lot of dead rats in people’s lives.These rats come in unaware and may reside unnoticed. It may not even have occurred that a rat was ever present until it has less habitable living conditions and dies.
It appears that sin tends to work the same way in people’s lives. Sometimes sin takes root in ways that are unnoticable. It remains hidden as long as possible. A dead rat is better than a living rat, even though that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case being that a dead rat is stinky.
The nice thing about a dead rat is that it is far more noticable and easier to track down and finally remove. Unfortunately, sin that has stopped being fed and has died is still a dilemma. There is still a permeating resonance that occurs when sin has been stopped but not completely removed from one’s life.
One example of a rather widespread and almost accepted stench is that nose-curdling putrescence known as pornography.If a person has a porn addiction they are vulnerable to it even after they have stopped feeding the cyclic process. They will continuously be reminded of the sin and be plagued with guilt until it has been removed in its entirety.Unless it is completely dissected at the root and then a better, healthier mentality comes in its place, there is a high chance that the stench and disgust that still remain will cause problems that affect other areas of life.
Sin can be covered up for a long while, but eventually the continual “band-aid approach” becomes ineffective. It is hard to be truly intimate when the stiffling odor surfaces.When the rat is found, not only must it be removed, but the area of entry must be cleaned, fortified and that space must be filled in with something impenetrable.
When there is sin, usually the lifestyle aspects that arise are only the fruit of what is a deeply embedded issue. The avoidance of another issue can be easily covered by another.
The porn addiction could be hiding deeply rooted insecurity. It could be a way to alleviate the pain of loneliness. It may be a way to evade a spirit of depression. It very well could start out in curiosity rooted in impatience.It may be rooted in a mentality of distrust; not being able to trust that there will be satisfaction found in a relationship with another.
Porn addiction and addiction to masturbation could be a result of previous relationships in childhood that belittled or excluded instead of affirming and encouraging. Seeking affirmation through self-pleasure may be a way of temporarily feeling worthwhile.
A rebellious spirit may lead a person to porn and other sexually immoral addictions because there may be a mentality that
No one is going to love me anyway, I’m not going to try to impress anyone.
Thoughts like… It’s the only thing that seems to remain consistent… may be rationalizing the addiction.Porn may become addictive because it is comfort and solace that temporarily relieves the stress, and problems being avoided.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6
Sin is like a weed; it will keep growing back unless it is killed and removed at its root.It is suggested that a tree be planted where the weeds grow the most. The tree must be carefully tended and nurtured until it is strong enough to cut off all lesser things from growing underneath. The weeds cannot survive when competing with a tree.
A weed cannot stand being in the shadow of a tree.
Anything that offends the Holy Spirit is going to make it hard for Jesus to be within you. God will never stop loving you. Anything that is placed above God in your heart, mind, or spirit should be considered a sin.
Whatever takes your focus off of God is not worth your investment. Your time, money, and energy will be wasted.
You are God’s child and He wants to always be with you. Jesus Christ took all that sin on that cross and killed it. Separation from God occurs when sin is chosen over Christ.
Continually choosing separation from God by making sin more important is the gradual process that involves the ultimate decision of eternal separation.
Hell is a product of God’s gift of free will. He did not make Hell because he doesn’t love certain people; He allowed for a place that gave people what they wanted, eternity without God.
Satan is doing whatever he can to tear you away from the presence of God. You are in battle and God is for you; the enemy is against you.
The Bible is your Sword. Never go to battle unprepared.
Touch
I encountered a rather sad experience at the university cafeteria. I sat down with my Miso soup and the person across from me, the acquaintance of whom I’ve never had the pleasure, began conversation. On the left there were two men whom I’ve seen around. The person across from me was still talking with me when the man on his left said, “We don’t talk to her.”
The person across from me, to relieve tension, replied, “She looks like she’s going to pounce on you.” The man looked at me all gansta style and said “What? You gonna pounce on me?” I answered back disappointedly, “No. If you don’t want to talk to me you don’t have to. It’s just sad though.”
I first commend the person across from me for rising above the stupidity of social politics. Secondly, I am truly concerned. I am not so much writing this as some “Oh, boo hoo! Some mean boys picked on me at lunch, I’m going to go cry now” story. I write because the body of Christ is one of the most injurious peoples; I write because that should NOT be the case.
If a Christian belongs to the Body of Christ, wouldn’t it make sense to encourage and strengthen the rest of the body? The Bread of Life becomes insipid when Christians become sadomasochistic. By hurting others and inflicting pain, no matter the means, Christians are hurting themselves as well.
If this Body of Christ were visualed as a real body, it’d be as though a hand were lopped off. When a part of the body doesn’t communicate with another part… it’s usually a bad thing. My whole lower arm would be affected immediately because it would swell and the body’s emergency repair systems would go into effect. The entire body is affected when a limb is cut off. This isn’t the Addam’s Family were the hand can survive on its own like “Thing” does. The distant parts like the foot may not be immediately affected and there may be no urgent problem, until all the blood rushes away from the foot in order to aide the hand. The foot very well may not always have direct contact with the hand, but its purpose is much harder to reach without the hand. The hand keeps the foot manicured, clean, and pulls splinters out. The hand bandages the foot and applies pressure when it becomes injured.
I know that pain and corruption and evil are present in this world. I understand that there is a difference between the Permissive Will and Perfect Will of God. I believe that we learn with pain. “Don’t touch the stove, it’s hot!” We don’t always heed the warnings that allow us to avoid the pain in the first place. It seems at times that when everything is going right, God is a quiet whisper; He soothingly speaks His love in our ears. When there is pain, evil, and corruption, He shouts out His love through the commotion of it all.
I know that whatever obstacle, suffering, or tribulation I face, He will use it to an even greater good, making things better than if the seemingly negative experience had never happened at all!
Christian means to be a follower of Christ.
Vision
Near-Sighted. Far-Sighted. Lopsided?
I am only writing as an outlet for these thoughts about vision. I do not claim to have the answer or any answer. I am merely writing what I have discovered.
When I think of vision the first thing that comes to my mind is that eye chart commonly seen at the doctor’s office. When I was younger, I’d remember being bummed out for having 20/15 vision because that meant I was different. My whole family wears glasses and I felt left out.
Well, I have glasses now, non-prescription “hipster” glasses, but my vision has never changed. I didn’t realize that this whole time I’ve been wanting to have a different vision; I’ve been so concerned with “fitting in” that I didn’t realize how blessed I am to have the gift of a clear, focused vision.
The theme of clear vision has been prevalent throughout my entire conscious life. I don’t exactly understand why I have been given this clear-cut, focused plan, but I do know that there is a specific purpose laid out for my life.
I am going to be able to relate and connect to people that no one else will. I am designed for great things. I know that I will see these things accomplished that have been started within the unique soul that I accept and cherish.
The great visionaries of this world did not just have vision. They believed that the vision given to them would come to pass. Their actions were rooted in faith, hope, and perseverance.
When a nation, culture, people lose sight; when vision is lost, the people become blind.
Vision may change over the years, but it will always belong to the same person. Even if a person influences the vision of another or even causes the other to adopt their vision, they are still making that vision their own.
When it comes to the vision for my life, I truly believe that there are times when I don’t like what I see ahead of me. I sometimes find myself more willing to stumble around in the dark with my eyes closed, than use the vision of which I have been bestowed.
I may not be reaching my full potential simply by reason of my own foolish fears. I am afraid of being in the limelight. I’m an anomaly. I’ll headlong thrust myself into that vision wherein I partake, and will believe without hesitation that it will come to pass. Without a single concern regarding the opinion of man or woman, I’ll somersault into action. The only issue is that when it comes to the details of life that seem outside of some grandiose scheme of life’s purpose… I get concerned.
I have the vision, the plan, the dream, and the capability. I just find want when it comes to the character and integrity that should be seen when no one is watching.
I know the plan. I know that the details are what make up the big picture. I know that life is like doing a puzzle project and that each piece matters. I know these things.
I have discovered that there are times that the only one watching sometimes is that person you see in the mirror every day. I must be able to handle my own criticism, my own opinions, and my own standards. It is not the opinions and standards of others that concern me; the opinion that frightens me the most at times is what I think of myself.
A vision to be put to action needs support and accountability. A vision does not become reality because it is foreordained, but rather because it is believed to occur and placed at the focus.
The vision doesn’t always have to be 100% clear. It reminds me when in a car and when you look ahead to where you are going. By staying focused on what’s ahead, while remaining cognizant of the surrounding details, you are able to make slight adjustments that naturally keep you in line.
By keeping that vision in the forefront, obstacles are more readily avoided instead of overcame. It is better to look ahead and prevent the car from coming near a deer than overcoming all the damages accrued from hitting one.
Sin is like a deer in the road. When the path is impeded by fear, pride, and self-seeking motives, obstacles become harder to avoid. These things handicap us and prevent us from properly reaching our goals, destinations, and dreams.
I know that pride has caused me many hindrances in the past. I now look at pride as a cow in the road that must be removed before I can continue on my path.
Vision is not always clear and circumstances are not always ideal.
Once there is clarity and the vision for your life is made clear, don’t forget what it looks like; stick to that path, no matter what!
Heart Warriors Equipped 4 Battle 