That time you didn’t tell the truth.

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If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.

Mark Twain

I have a dear friend that I remember when we were teenagers always ended a statement or answered someone else with “This is true!” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were the case? That everything we said was true?

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is told in Acts, chapter 5. This couple had sold a piece of property and then brought part of the profit to the apostles. The problem was that they claimed it was the full amount when it wasn’t. Peter confronts them and asks if it is the full amount and Ananias replies that it is. Here is where it gets interesting:

Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”

Peter makes it clear that Ananias did not have to give the money to the church, it was his money, he could as he wished. The problem was that he lied, not to them but to God.

As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.

Ananias paid for his sin immediately…can you imagine if that were the case today? That if you lied, you died!

Things got worse from there because about three hours later his wife, Sapphira, walks in and Peter asked her the same question he asked Ananias and she told the same story, the same lie. Look at the beginning of the chapter again: He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Sapphira not only knew about the lie, she was in agreement with it. So, when she walked in and lied to Peter?

And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” Instantly, she fell to the floor and died.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25

I love this quote! It is so much easier to tell the truth because you don’t have to remember the lie that you made up. Yes, sometimes the truth hurts,’ but a lie will follow you forever. Whether it is in the guilt or the worry that you will be found out, or the condemnation that trails you…as the saying goes, Be sure your sin will find you out!

If you have lied? If the guilt is weighing you down, Jesus is in the forgiveness business! He wants you to come to Him, to confess your weaknesses. He is ready and willing to forgive and forget. Don’t let the enemy intimidate you and make you think that forgiveness can’t be found. That is also a lie! He is the father of lies and wants you to believe that you are stuck with that guilt and condemnation. Not so, friend, not so! Repenting is turning around, away from the sin and not repeating it over again. Confessing and giving it to God is the best remedy for that guilt. Do it today!

It’s so much easier to be honest, so much easier to not have to apologize later or worry you will be found out. And most of all, your heart is right with your God and that is worth it all.

For the kingdom

 

Count It All Joy?

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Every time I hear the phrase “Count it All Joy” I can’t help but go back in time and hear a little girl in the fictional town of Odyssey sitting on a bar stool in a malt shoppe. A wonderful older man, Mr. Whitaker, would be counseling her about the “trial” she was going through at the time, and her little doubt-filled voice would remind you of Eeyore of Winnie-the-Pooh fame. “Count it all joy, count it all joy.” She could barely lift her head up, it was all such an effort…(if you are an Adventures in Odyssey fan you can hear the music in the background…”Hi this is Connie!”)

It started out with Erica complaining to her friend Kim about practically everything in her complicated middle-school life. Kim gets so tired of hearing it she “blows up” and tells her friend she doesn’t know how good she has it and she should, “Try being happy once in a while!”

When Erica shows up at Whit’s End, the favorite hangout for the kids, she runs into Jenny, who is blind. Erica asks her how she always seems to be so happy even though she cannot see. Jenny tells her that she lives by James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 NKJV.

She said whenever she gets down or starts to feel sorry for herself she just starts saying, “Count it all joy; count it all joy…” and it usually works!

So, Erica gives it a try. In every situation that comes up she tries to use Jenny’s formula. Every time she gets upset she says, “Count it all joy; count it all joy.”

She loses her homework, “Count it all joy.” But it doesn’t work. She is still mad. Every time she tries it she only gets more agitated and what works for Jenny seems to backfire on Erica.

Mr. Whitaker offers some wise advice that we all can learn from. Erica has confused joy with happiness. Joy has nothing to do with the way that we feel.

We cannot always be happy but we can always be joyful!

We count all things joy because God is working in all situations, even when we think He has forgotten us, they are for a purpose.

Our instinct is to avoid conflict, turmoil, anxiety and personal pain at any cost. We even spend a good deal of time and money on counseling, exercise, nutrition, anything that will help us to avoid things that will bring us discomfort.

But according to scripture; trials, heartaches and suffering WILL COME in the life of a Christian.

Looking at the tenth chapter of the book of Hebrews, it seems that they approached their struggles a little differently: “Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.” Hebrews 10:33-34 NLT.

These things happened all the time for the early Christians; they were daily occurrences! So how did they get through?

They kept their eyes on the reward!

“They knew that the persecution, that was only temporary, could not begin to compare to the eternal reward. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18.

This is what our Lord and Savior did. He was able to endure the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV.

There is still joy in the everyday living. You can and will get through each trial if you are trusting in the living God.

Trials produce steadfastness in your life, making you unmovable!

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“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love… for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-10 NKJV.

You cannot always be happy but you CAN always be joyful if you know Jesus Christ.

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Do you CHOOSE Joy? What we go through on this earth will not be able to be compared to what is waiting for us in heaven! As the old song says,

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus,
Our trials will seem so small, when we see Christ!
One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase,
So bravely run this race, ‘til we see Christ!

Were you an Adventures in Odyssey fan? Come on, I am admitting I loved it as much as my boys! We all listened to it as a family on vacations. Let’s get the conversation going!

 

Kingdom2

When less is more

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When less is more…. It’s been forever and a day since I have written a #FiveMinuteFriday post! So glad to be back even if for one week. Today’s word prompt is More and I hope it is an encouragement to you to give what you have for you never know who might be needing it. Happy FriYay!

“Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford – she gave her all!” Luke 21:1-4 The Message.

It’s not often that I use The Message version of the Bible as a reference but today’s was too good to pass up. Here Jesus is observing those in the temple give offerings. Many gave but few had it hurt or make a difference in their pocketbooks. Then the poor widow approaches and gives two measly little pennies and I love what Jesus says here. She gave the largest offering! And? The others gave offering they would never even miss. They wouldn’t notice it was gone from their abundance, they had so much and could have given more but were actually holding back from giving til it hurt.

But the poor widow gave her all, she had nothing left and didn’t know where the next meal might come from or when she could give another offering. She just gave because that is what you do when much has been given to you. You give back however you can.

Fulton Sheen said,

If your offering doesn’t hurt, doesn’t cause you to ask yourself if you could have given more, if it isn’t a sacrifice to you then was it really an offering? Why does Jesus want us to give sacrificially anyway?

Because  He wants us to trust Him.

When we give out of our heart we are putting it back on Him to supply our need. Whether it is monetarily or not, we  are to give to the Church for the furtherance of the Gospel and the necessities of life. We are to give to others, to those less fortunate and the needy and then we are to give of ourselves, to pour Christ into those around us who are desperate for His touch that may come through you!

What do you have to give today? Are you holding back from reaching out to someone at your work or school? Someone you know from the carpool or daycare? You just never know who is struggling and desperate for a gentle touch, an “Is everything okay?” or “How can I pray for you today?” Sometimes that is all it takes to break down the walls that a hurting soul has put up. They just want to know that someone cares and may have prayed a prayer that very morning for God to send someone their direction.

Will it be you? Will you find out today that less is really more when Jesus is behind it all. Let Him guide you today to be that encouragement to someone that is hurting and looking for Him. Your offering might not be two pennies, it might be two listening ears or two helping hands. Let Him work through you today!

For the kingdom