TOPIC: FINANCIAL DISCIPLESHIP, THE BIBLE ON HONESTY
BIBLE REF: 1 Chronicles 29:10-12, 14-20 AMP
Therefore David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly and said, “Blessed (praised, adored, and thanked) are You, O Lord God of Israel (Jacob) our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and on the earth; Yours is the dominion and kingdom, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand is power and might; and it is in Your hands to make great and to give strength to everyone. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You. For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope [of remaining]. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy Name, it is from Your hand, and is all Your own. I know also, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness and integrity. In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. So now with joy I have seen Your people who are present here, make their offerings willingly and freely to You. O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the minds of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You; and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do all [that is necessary] to build the temple [for You], for which I have made provision.” Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless (praise, thank) the Lord your God.” And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed down and honored the Lord and the king [as His earthly representative]._
*“ And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:32*
If the truth will make you free, then what will a lie do to you?
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And there’s only one way to the Father: through Him.
Jesus made it very clear that the truth saves us (John 8:12). His word was what gave us access to His Father (John 8:31). And now that we are here to do His work by bringing others into the Kingdom, that means our word is also the introduction to someone else’s salvation. Lies and deceit not only harm us, but they harm them too.
God is not One that He should lie (Numbers 23:19). And we were created in His image. So, we should not lie (Deuteronomy 5:19). Even when it’s hard. Even when it’s painful. Even when it’s ugly.
Think about a time someone you know was living a lie. You may have given them an opportunity to tell the truth, but they chose to avoid it. They act differently. They flee and hide, and you can’t seem to get in touch with them like you used to. Their life may have taken a turn for the worse. It starts to unravel, and from the outside looking in, it’s disheveled. They’ve now even had to tell more lies to cover up the ones they told in the beginning. At this point, the lie has consumed them.
Maybe you’ve lived this way, too.
But how many times have you seen that telling the truth lifts the burden off your shoulders or the other person’s?
Yes, there may be repercussions for confessing a lie. But what are the repercussions for not confessing it? (Proverbs 6:12, 15; 19:9)
Lying is one of the seven sins the Lord especially hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). Even in the lie of omission, we must be careful. It’s a form of deceit, which, too, is a lie (Leviticus 19:11).
A lie is never worth it. The lies we tell affect more than our own lives. They also affect our families (Proverbs 15:27; Micah 2:1-3). If you get rich from a business scheme, no matter how good life may feel or how long, the day of reckoning will come. And the money will dwindle (Proverbs 13:11). At that point, it has affected your livelihood and the livelihood of those around you.
Living in the Kingdom requires being honest in every aspect of our lives. Our mission is to breathe life into others and love one another as He loved us. If we’re not completing this mission, no one else can witness our Father and Son's love for us all.
Whom the Son sets free is free, indeed (John 8:36). So, let’s be honest with each other. Let us speak and seek the truth. Because the truth shall set us free.
PLS STAY TUNED FOR CONTINUATION TOMORROW, BY HIS GRACE!
Remember, we love you but God loves you more, stay blessed, focused and be determined to stand out!
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