Stripped

Colossians 3: 9

Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices.

This third chapter of Colossians is Paul’s instruction regarding how one’s life changes after accepting Christ. The context is dying to the old self and putting on the new self which is in the image of Jesus. Within that context Paul wrote identifying those things which are part of the old life, the dead life, if you will. He also contrasts those dead things with the characteristics which accrue to the new life in Christ. We have been stripped of that old person with its dead, corrupt ways and lying is one of the traits which must be buried.

It is not a surprise that lying is one of the old dead habits of an unregenerate soul. If asked, most people, even non-believers would identify lying as an undesirable trait. However, if you listen to unguarded talk and watch the actual behaviors of people, you will very likely conclude that lying is not as abhorrent in actual practice as it is philosophically. In fact, I believe you will discover that lying is actually acceptable in many circles, especially in certain circumstances.

My purpose in writing about this today is to suggest that there is no such thing as an innocent lie. Clearly Paul’s teaching leads to this conclusion. Additionally, Jesus’ teachings are definitive in this regard. There is no such thing as a white lie. They are all black, ugly, and destructive. It is not acceptable to lie and then say, “Oh, I was just kidding.” Truth is a value, and a necessary Christian value.

Having written all this, I readily admit that I am preaching to the choir. You are the people who already know this and who model Jesus’ truths. However, we need to extend our reach. We need to encourage one another. Telling the truth isn’t always convenient and sometimes there are consequences we wish not to face. None the less, God always knows when we lie and lying in His face is an even greater consequence. So you might be the person who needs to help someone else tell the truth when it is uncomfortable to do so. You are also teachers and leaders and so you have a voice which influences others. As we influence others, we all need to encourage, and teach people to speak truths. Teach, train and expect others to value truth too.

Do not lie to one another because that is part of the old self which is supposed to have died and been buried. We have been raised up with Christ and are putting on the new self, which is redeemed in his blood and reflected as an image of his character. Strength, truth and grace to you today!

Steadfast

1 Samuel 15: 29                     NLT

And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!

This verse is an important verse for each of us to know and understand. Without it, much of the Bible loses its efficacy. However, with it, the Old Testament is as vibrant and life giving as the New Testament.

This verse tells that God does not lie. Truth be told, He cannot lie because whatever He says simply becomes. Whatever He speaks comes into being. Besides that, there is nothing which intimidates Him into lying. Why should He lie? He is God after all. This means that we can hold Him to whatever He says. Moreover, since He does not change His mind, whatever He has ever said is as viable as the moment it was spoken.

There is great power in this verse because it means you have an entire book of promises that are available to you. You may enter His throne room and put in your request according to the promise already given.

One other little thought – I think it interesting to see the Father called the Glory of Israel. I would argue that we are a part of the new Israel according to the redemption we received in Christ. So, He is our glory and that is a wonderful name and idea to wrap your head around.

The Unbreakable Contract

Psalm 89: 34

My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.

The most important message in the whole Bible is that God loves you. That is the height of God’s missive to you. Today’s message is important too though. We need to grasp that God is not a man that He can lie (Numbers 23: 19). In fact, I would say that it is one of the foundational ideas, one of the keystones for your personal theology. If you don’t understand this you will have a very difficult time understanding who you are in Christ and who God is.

You may often hear pastors talk about the letters of Paul. Well, our Father God sent us a letter too. This is true. The entire Bible is a love letter to you from God and this is an important revelation for you to integrate. You are never going to see it for its true value though if you don’t first fully embrace that God cannot lie to you. Likewise, He will not, cannot even, break His word to you. His covenant to you is every word He has ever spoken to His kids. His words are promises and they cannot be broken. I want you to really meditate on this and let it sink down into your inner person. You’ve got to understand that the Bible is not a textbook that some random author wrote with whom you have no relationship. It is more like a “How To Manual.” It is the culmination of God’s wisdom for you.

Imagine for a moment that you have the time to write down, for your children, every piece of wisdom you have ever gleaned. Take all of those life-giving messages and put them together in one place for your kids. Better still, what if you got me to write a letter for your book and some other writers as well. Maybe you heard a message preached by your pastor that has the power to alter a person’s life. Record it in the pages of your opus. Now, here is my question for you. If you were going to create a tome meant to guide your beloved children, would you lie in it? Would you take care that the messages presented were correct? If you made a promise in it, would you keep your word?

God has not changed His mind nor has He changed the utterance of His lips. He has not changed His mind about wanting you, specifically you, to be His child forever and ever. He wants you safe and whole. He longs to lead you in right and productive paths. When you can look at the Bible and mine from it God’s heart and His nurturing care for you then you will begin to build your personal understanding, your personal theology, if you will, on the cornerstone of His love. You will find encouragement and protection. You will begin to read the words of the Bible and holdfast to them as a personal promise to you. You will understand and believe down to your bones that when God said He sent His word and healed them (Psalm 107: 20) He meant exactly that and He meant you. When you read Proverb 10: 22 you will have a hallelujah breakdown because you know He sent that good word to you and that He has never changed His mind about it.

God has not changed His mind and He has no need to change the utterance of His lips. If He said it, He will do it (Numbers 23: 19). Let Him minister His truths to you today.

Forlorn, Weeping and Mourning

Psalm 35: 11 – 16            NIV

Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother, I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gather against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing. Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me.

David wrote this psalm from his soul. His anguish is evident. Although we don’t have King Saul hunting us down and trying to kill us at every turn, none the less, I feel confident that most of us have experience with the emotions and thoughts David was experiencing.

David loved Saul. He served him faithfully. What was his reward? Jealousy, suspicion and unwarranted aggression. Can you relate to that? The very person you spend your blood and breath praying for is the one who hurls the javelin at you. When they are sick, when they are hurting, you put on your sackcloth and pray in earnest, even in deep travail for them. You pour out your soul to God on their behalf and then at the first opportunity they plot your demise. It just does not seem right, does it? Sometimes the people that you help the most turn on you. Notice also that these people who repay our good with evil are not the ungodly. David writes that they act like the ungodly. They are likely the people who know better.

These people, these accusers do not tell the truth either. We know that because David called them slanderers. People will lie about you, will frame things in a less than favorable light in order to misconstrue and to give others a wrong impression of you. They are masters at deception and will easily lead others astray so that the naïve will believe their rhetoric although it is all false.

It will take three installments of the Word of the Day to go through the 35th Psalm and see how David dealt with this issue. I think it is worth the time to follow David through this experience. Hopefully by the end you will have a new revelation on this situation. At the very least you will know that you are not alone and will likely feel akin to David.

Believers?

Psalm 107: 6

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses.

As the infamous Joan Rivers used to say, “Can we talk?” Between you and me, we are distressed from time to time, are we not? You can be honest with me. I know that you, like me, hurt and are troubled. We keep a brave face on but truly there are times we just have nothing left to give anyone. Those we have tried to help, those we have prayed for are the very authors of our distress. They take our obedience to our Lord and abuse us with it.

 
Do you think that our mothers and fathers of the faith did not also feel as we do; did not suffer the same severe doubt, sorrow and anguish that we do? Sure they did, so how did they become giants of faith and loyal to the Father?
Sooner or later we all have to make a decision. We have to choose whether or not we are going to believe God or not. Even more significantly, are we going to believe the Word? If I cannot believe the Word, if I have not made a solid decision to believe what it says then where shall I go for comfort? As for me, I have decided that God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23: 19). Has He said it and will He not do it?

Today’s verse says that they cried out to the Lord and He delivered them. So, do we believe this or do we not? Do we believe that if we cry out to the Lord He will deliver us? Are we believers or not?

Set Apart

2 Thessalonians 2: 13

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

Before time began, in the beginning when there was only the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God chose you and predestined you for salvation. That is some good news and you could use a little good news. There has never been a moment throughout all of history that your Father has not has His mind on you. He predetermined when you would be born and He awaited that moment with great anticipation. 

By the grace and love of God you have been set apart, sanctified, to God. You were chosen. The love of God and the Spirit have called you out and you have been called specifically to this point of time. Your sanctification is by the Spirit of God and your belief, your faith in the truth.

The truth is a constant guide for us. Thy word is truth (John 17: 17). Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). The truth has set us apart and we are set apart for the truth. A lie will never lead us into our appointment. The devil is the father of lies (John 8: 44). Lies are what lead us away from our ordained position in Christ. That is what happened to Adam and Eve, they believed the lie instead of following the truth. They lost their way and lost their pre-ordained appointment with God. They were in the most enviable of positions but lost it all because they entertained the lie instead of adhering to the truth.

We all are in the same position today. We have been ordained, set apart, for such a time as this. Each one of us has a God anointed and ordained position in His family. We have been sanctified for this purpose by the Holy Spirit of God. Ultimately, though, it is our choice whom we shall serve. Shall we follow the truth and accept our inheritance through Christ who is Lord? Will we turn our eyes to the Word of truth and fill our spirits with the life of Jesus? Or, will we follow the lie? The world constantly floods our environment with the lies and fear. And those words can be very enticing and, of course, they appear to be the truth if we don’t hold them up to the light because the devil is a deceiver. He makes the false look true and the truth to look ridiculous. It takes an effort to follow the truth but that is why Jesus gave us the Spirit. He will always lead us in the truth and pave the way to our glorious position in the Father. 

Your faith in the truth has set you apart for God’s glory. Never take your eyes off of that which saves.