Honesty Is the Only Policy
This is the point they missed: I am not the standard or authority
that makes lying or dishonesty immoral.
It’s an absolute in natural law and from God.
No, honesty is not the best policy- a.k.a. the best choice among other equally good options-
honesty is the only policy.
Honesty is more than not telling lies and more than saying something false. Honesty is speaking that which conforms to truth and reality. It is living in integrity and Godly character; which includes moral rightness, truthfulness, trustworthiness and to be free of deceit.
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Patience- When You Think You Can’t Wait
Ever notice how effective that is?
Situations of life that expose our lack of patience can be as varied as life itself. Just when we think we’ve learned to be patient with one thing, we’re taken by surprise with another… and right back to impatience.
Here’s one thing I’m grateful for: on the subject of Patience, the Bible is full of stories of situations as varied as life itself. It really helps to look at how other people deal – or don’t deal – with impatience so we can get a better grip on our own situations. Our Children’s Pastor and I often work together to bring the subjects we talk about into the forefront for the entire family. The hope is that if both parents and kids are working on it at the same time, then perhaps the entire family benefits more…grows more.
To review, we’ve given a very simple definition for Patience and a memory verse to make it easy and practical.
Patience is “Waiting until later for what you want now.”
“Wait for the Lord. Be strong and don’t lose hope. Wait for the Lord.”
Here are some of the Biblical stories that we covered and the Bottom Line for each:
- Hannah Prays for a Baby
- Hannah prayed out of her deep anguish and found God’s Peace. Remember, God doesn’t grant Patience, but He does grant Peace.
Found in 1 Samuel 1:9 – 2:1
Bottom Line: When you think you can’t wait, tell God about it.
- Hannah prayed out of her deep anguish and found God’s Peace. Remember, God doesn’t grant Patience, but He does grant Peace.
- The Golden Calf:
- They were blinded by their own sight. Remember, insecurity gropes for something physical-tangible, which can often result in a dismissal of God’s help in order to make room for your own frantic solution.
Found in Exodus 32:1 – 35
Bottom Line: When you think you can’t wait, don’t forget what’s true.
- They were blinded by their own sight. Remember, insecurity gropes for something physical-tangible, which can often result in a dismissal of God’s help in order to make room for your own frantic solution.
- Esau’s Birthright:
- Esau was consumed with the urgency of his own hunger. Remember, yielding to immediate and overwhelming desire nearly always leads to tragic loss.
Found in Genesis 25:24 – 34
Bottom Line: When you think you can’t wait, think twice.
- Esau was consumed with the urgency of his own hunger. Remember, yielding to immediate and overwhelming desire nearly always leads to tragic loss.
- Solomon’s Wise Words:
- Arresting your immediate frustration gives you greater clarity of mind. Remember, long-term unresolved anger always becomes bitterness…unresolved bitterness often becomes despair and depression. Found in Proverbs 14:29 – 30
“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion (unbridled emotion) is rottenness to the bones.”
Bottom Line: When you think you can’t wait, don’t lose your cool.
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Practice Doesn’t Get Us to Perfect, But Makes Us Better
Personally, when I am faced with injustice- just plain old someone being mean, or unrealistic deadlines that start to build my stress level- I do a couple of things.
First, I Consider the Source
Generally, the people driving me crazy are not drawing from the same source that I do. How do I know this? From the fruits they display.
Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the Fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Yes it happens! I am thankful the Holy Spirt convicts me to the point of an apology and eventually changed behavior. Again, this is developed over time with practice, as God allows opportunities. Sad to say, it doesn’t happen in each of us automatically (wouldn’t that be so much easier!), but does get better as we choose to respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:11-12:
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and say all sorts of false evil against you because of me, rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in Heaven.
It’s helpful to remember that Jesus tells us this injustice will happen when we are living in and for Him. Remembering who I am in Christ and the knowledge that I have all of eternity to look forward to helps me to stay focused and remember what is next!
Practice doesn’t get us to perfect, but in the long run, makes us better. We have much to be thankful for because God’s promises are true. This should drive our behavior. Does it drive yours?
This may not be all that helpful (even to some Christians since in my opinion there is a real lack of understanding on what eternity will be like) to some. Considering this, how can one look forward to eternity if one doesn’t know what it is? Another blog for another time! No one knows for sure what eternity will be like, but God does tell us in His Word a lot about this and it will be terrific for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior! Revelation Chapter 21 is the culmination of this. Halleluiah and Amen!
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Intentional Peacemakers
As I was thinking about Pastor Jon’s sermon last week- as part of his series on Peace- I was reminded of what Jesus tells us in His Sermon on the Mount (also known as the Beatitudes) in Matthew 5:9:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons (children) of God.
This thinking took me back to a time 25 years ago.
When family was visiting us in New Mexico, I was taking six young kids up to the top of the Sandia Mountains for a day trip. I chose the back way up on a single lane dirt road. Since it was shorter and more primitive, it ended up being more excitement than I had planned!
Picture this:
Single lane dirt road
Winding through deep mountain valleys
Limited road width for two vehicles
On this specific day, a pickup truck full of (shall I say) “excited young men” wanted to get around me. There was nowhere for me to go (and nothing to do about it) in my 1990 Ford Aerostar van with six young children. Based on their shouts and gestures, I didn’t want to stop and try talking!
The more this happened, the more irritated I became and knew stopping wouldn’t be the wise thing to do. After about 10 minutes, a place finally came for me to squeeze off the road to let them pass… but it was clear they now wanted more than just to pass. As they started to drive around my van, I could see them getting ready to jump out and approach me. I could feel myself getting very tense!
Looking back at that day, I now know the Spirit of God came upon me. Instead of a fight, I simply gestured that I was sorry for blocking the way. Not a person jumped out of the truck, nothing more was thrown our way and they were completely disarmed.
Keep in mind, at this time I had only been a believer in Jesus a mere six months. I still marvel having reacted in a manner that wasn’t really like me (trust me). I believe the Lord knew that I, as His newly adopted son, wasn’t quite ready to take the high road (no pun intended). Instead, He took over for me in order to teach me and protect my family.
As children of God, He tells us in 2nd Peter 3:11:
We must turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
“Seek” and “pursue” are proactive words! They don’t mean to passively let our old nature kick in, but to let our new nature in Christ call us to action. This takes intention.
Since that time over 25 years ago, I still recall the important life lesson God taught me that day on the mountain pass. I am regretfully still a work in progress when it comes to peacemaking, but growing each day.
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Soul Tattoo- What Defines You?
It’s pretty clear that in God’s big story for mankind, our souls- the essence of our inner most beings- is important to Him- so important that He sent His son to die for our sin, our weaknesses, and our shame. Our soul is the thing that makes us unique. It’s how we relate to others and how we understand ourselves. It comprises who we are.
So the question is this: what defines you?
But with God’s Truth, He tells us that if we place our soul identity in Him, nothing can touch the essence of who we are! When we believe on His name and claim Christ as our Savior, we are a new creation found in Christ Jesus. No longer do we have to be defined by those old things. We are now sons and daughters of the King of Kings!
Hebrews 6:18-19 says“Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls…”
2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (MSG)
Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
Because of God’s overwhelming love for us, it’s that same love that will transform our souls into something beautiful, confident, at peace and blazing with purpose. This is the ultimate miracle- the transformation of the very essence of our being!
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