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...You desire truth in the inward parts... Psalm 51:6 If we're brutally honest, we'd have to admit that sometimes the truth seems inadequate to do what we need done. We want our bosses to like us, so we flatter. We want our friends to admire us, so we exaggerate. We want people to respect us, so we live in houses we can't afford and charge bills we can't pay.
Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and gave a portion of the money to the church. But they lied, claiming the land sold for the amount of money they gave (Acts 5). Their sin was not in holding back some money for themselves; it was in misrepresenting the truth. And their deceit resulted in their deaths. You say, 'I'm glad God doesn't strike people dead today for lying.' Don't be so sure. Lying results in the death of: 1) A marriage. Falsehoods are termites in the trunk of the family tree. 2) A conscience. The tragedy of the second lie is that it's always easier to tell than the first. 3) A career. Just ask the employee who got fired for embezzlement. 4) Faith. Think: How can God use us if we won't tell the truth?
Every American football team has a player assigned to carry the play from the coach to the huddle. But what if the player doesn't tell the truth? What if the coach calls for a pass but the player says the coach calls for a run? The coach won't call on him very long. God says if you are honest in small things He will trust you with greater things (Matthew 25:21). So, can God trust you?
Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and gave a portion of the money to the church. But they lied, claiming the land sold for the amount of money they gave (Acts 5). Their sin was not in holding back some money for themselves; it was in misrepresenting the truth. And their deceit resulted in their deaths. You say, 'I'm glad God doesn't strike people dead today for lying.' Don't be so sure. Lying results in the death of: 1) A marriage. Falsehoods are termites in the trunk of the family tree. 2) A conscience. The tragedy of the second lie is that it's always easier to tell than the first. 3) A career. Just ask the employee who got fired for embezzlement. 4) Faith. Think: How can God use us if we won't tell the truth?
Every American football team has a player assigned to carry the play from the coach to the huddle. But what if the player doesn't tell the truth? What if the coach calls for a pass but the player says the coach calls for a run? The coach won't call on him very long. God says if you are honest in small things He will trust you with greater things (Matthew 25:21). So, can God trust you?
