When We Are Living a Lie

Some profess to know God but contradict that in how they live. What they say on Sunday and how they live does not match up. This gives ample reason to question the genuineness of their faith. - Clint Decker

Your spouse says they love you, but you find intimate text messages to another person. Your business partner says the company is extremely profitable and doing well, but you discover unapproved bank transfers going into an offshore account of theirs. Your church’s youth pastor says very biblical things and is an excellent youth leader, but you learn about his abusiveness toward his wife and children at home. (Image by pexels)

When someone says one thing, but does another, it can be a crushing discovery. The Bible speaks about this regarding a situation with some church leaders, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:16)

This strong, but accurate statement, hits on a theme of the Bible. It springs from a problem in the human heart that causes one’s words and actions not to align with each other. This type of living is a lie. It is deceptive and manipulative, leading to a lack of personal trust and integrity. It is spiritually dangerous, potentially causing the damnation of one’s personal soul.

Jesus addressed this when He asked a rhetorical question to His listeners, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) In other word’s Jesus is asking, “Why do you say you believe in me, but do not obey my commands?” This was also dealt with hundreds of years before Jesus, as God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, “Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely…then come and stand before me…?” (Jeremiah 7:9-10)

It is a life of contradictions. On one hand, people profess to know God through their words or Christian activities but contradict that in how they live. What they say on Sunday and how they live the rest of the week does not match up. This gives ample reasons for someone to question the genuineness of their faith, and if they have truly been saved.

They say with confidence, “I pray”, “I believe”, or even “I have asked Jesus to forgive my sins.” Yet, their life is a walking illustration of a religious lie when sins like drunkenness, sexual immorality, anger, bitterness, profanity or others mark their life. How can this be? They may respond with, “No one is perfect.” Yes, but it is not a justification for continuing to do what one knows is wrong. In a situation like this, the person has become a “hypocrite”, otherwise known as, a religious actor. It is written, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man…” (Romans 2:1)

This is a widespread problem. Many have chosen to live this way because there is no cost to it. It is a vain attempt to have two kingdoms. God’s and theirs. It provides the benefits of religion where one can pray, believe in God, experience His blessings, or even enjoy worship and take the Lord’s Supper. And in return, they have created a false sense of peace and seared their conscience as they justify living however they choose.

Those who teach or believe this, are embracing a dangerous lie. For God strongly condemns this and will not be deceived or mocked. Jesus will one day say to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)

To enter into God’s Kingdom, you must walk away from your kingdom, and into His. There might be relationships that need to end, places you need to stop going and habits that need to be broken. This is repentance and is costly when you turn from self and toward Jesus by faith.

If God were to examine your life, what would He see? Just empty religion or a life that is sold out to Christ?

A prayer for you – Lord God, examine my life. Help me to see what you see. If I have been living for two kingdoms, show me. From this day forward help me to live fully for Christ, the One who suffered, died and rose again that I might truly live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Come Into The Beautiful

There is one thing that is good, beautiful and sacred in this world, which has not been touched by all the perversion it, however, it is not of this world. - Clint Decker  

Is there anything left in our world that is good, beautiful and sacred or has all become lost? We live in a world of perverted and disgusting things. The profanity laced rants people go on are disgusting. The acts done upon innocent children are repulsive. Those who prey upon our elderly are sickening. The types of sexual behaviors that have become normalized are appalling. 

However...there is one beautiful thing that has not been touched by all the distressing things around us, but it is not of this world, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens,” the Bible says. (Isaiah 51:6). Then while looking to the heavens Isaiah the prophet once wrote, “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” Isaiah then described angels he saw, “Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.” Isaiah recorded how the angels spoke in response to what they saw, “And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’ Immediately, Isaiah felt something move beneath his feet, “And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.” Isaiah never experienced anything like this. It was a supernatural occurrence. Incredibly, He was staring at Almighty God on His throne in heaven while being enveloped in the majesty of God’s incomprehensible holiness. Isaiah humbled himself before the wonder of it all and spoke, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Is. 6:2-5)

This extraordinary experience from Isaiah tells us that in the middle of all the uncleanness in which we dwell, there remains something that is good, beautiful and sacred. The holiness of God.

What is holy or holiness? It is primarily a religious world that means separation. Separation from what? All that is depraved, immoral and filthy.

Read what is written about heaven, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false.” (Revelation 21:27). Heaven is God’s holy dwelling place, and He will not allow anyone who is sinful to come into His holy presence because He must separate Himself from such things. Why?

The root of His holiness is His moral perfection. In His eternal existence He has never once been immoral, prideful or selfish. Never! It is not that He chooses not to, like us. No. He does not, because He cannot. He is perfect. He is holy. And this holiness is what makes God beautiful.

When Jesus was transfigured on a mountain before His disciples the Scriptures say about Him, “…the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white…” (Luke. 9:29)

What were the disciples seeing? The beauty of the holiness of God in Jesus.

The holiness of God also manifests itself with a blazing purity and an unrivaled power, and one day, like Isaiah, all of us will stand before this holy God, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians. 5:10).

What shall we do? Come into the beautiful! Follow Isaiah’s example, and humble yourself, then believe by faith, that through Jesus, He can make you holy, as He is holy, “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us all our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will lift our eyes above all the filth of this world to see the beauty of your holiness. Then search us, to see if there be any uncleanness within us that we might be made holy as you are. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

5 Ways Jesus Valued Women

The life and teachings of Christ and the Bible laid the foundations for the advancement and ethical treatment of women across the globe today. - Clint Decker

Long before Mother Theresa, was Mother Cabrini. She built 67 hospitals, schools and orphanages in the United States and around the world while facing immense obstacles. She was a small of stature Italian immigrant Catholic nun that turned the world upside down, and one of those obstacles was being a woman. One church leader questioned whether she was able to lead a mission and urged her to go home. Another pointed out that missionaries were typically men, to which Cabrini responded, “If the mission of announcing the Lord’s resurrection to his apostles had been entrusted to Mary Magdalene, it would seem a very good thing to confide to other women an evangelizing mission.” (Image by magnific)

Though challenges still exist for woman, much has changed for the better. Who is the cause for many of these positive changes? Jesus. The life and teachings of Christ and the Bible laid the foundations for the advancement and ethical treatment of women across the globe today. We see that in Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. (John 4) Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery. (John 8) The women Jesus invited to follow Him. (Mark 15) The women He ministered to. (Luke 8) And the women who ministered to Him. (Jn. 11-2)

Here are five ways in which Jesus gave value and purpose to all women.

1. Defense. Jesus had celebrity status gathering crowds in the thousands around Him. They hung on His every word. Through His platform of influence, He defended women when society tried to demean and dismiss them.

2. Challenging the status quo. Jesus put His life and reputation on the line challenging the unjust ways in which women were treated during His day. Though knowingly opposing cultural rules He became a voice for the voiceless.

3. Equality. Jesus demonstrated that women were as equally valuable as men. He saw no difference in a man’s worth over a woman. Both were created in God’s image.

4. Compassion. Jesus showed kindness toward women of all ranks in society - upper, middle and lower classes. He offered peace, hope and freedom to all women who would choose to believe in Him with all their heart.

5. Accountability. Even though Jesus offered promise to women, He also called them to repentance. He realized true freedom is not just found in changing laws or cultural ideals in how women are treated. He provided the liberation of the soul through forgiveness of sin. When women are delivered from their sin, they receive a new mind and heart and a new future that lasts for eternity.

Jesus and those who follow His example offer a message to women around the world. Those in abusive relationships, oppressive cultures and feeling on the fringe of society, can find worth in Christ. While publicly standing against one woman’s accusers Jesus said to her “‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” (John 8:10-11) That day, the unknown woman discovered her value in Christ. She was so valuable, that He died and rose again that she might be free from her greatest enemy, not men or systems, but her inward sin.

A prayer for a woman – Lord God, You created every woman in Your image. We are all beautiful in your sight. May we find our worth in You and forgiveness through Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.