🤔Believe The Lie👽

🌃The picture looked great, but the finished portrait was awful. 🫣

Have you ever been lied to? I’m sure you don’t have to think real hard to remember a time, a day, month and year. Maybe not that detailed but you remember. Sometimes when someone lies to you it makes you a better person. 

It was a Friday night and my wife and I went just to look and see what was out there as we needed a car. Just look mind you. That’s not what happened at all. The salesman told me one lie after another. I was young and had seen my dad make deals with a handshake. I didn’t realize that those days were gone and now a handshake meant nothing, it's what the contract said. Money had taken the place of being honest and character. That evening I learned, things had changed and not for the best. That night I learned, read the paper work after hearing promising words for they may not be the same as a handshake once was.

God spoke Words, life giving words. The serpent spoke promising words but it was all lies. On that day as he talked with Eve he the devil our enemy became the father of lies. 

John 8:44 (KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

It was a good try but not a successful one. Forty days have went by and the Bible tell us that Jesus had, had nothing to eat and that He was hungry; I guess He was. Great time for the lair to appear. Oh this should be good. How will Jesus handle the lair? Will He fail the test as Eve did? Let’s see.

Luke 4:2 (KJV) Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

The devil struck low and tempted Jesus at the weakest point, He was hungry. The devil our enemy does the same to you and I. Oh you say you don’t have any weak points. Oh yes you do and the enemy knows them and will attack you there, rest assured.  

Hebrews 12:1 (KJV) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Did you read those word “so easily beset us” that means especially that sin that distracts us. Those wondering eyes that leads the mind in the wrong direction. That wondering walk, that wondering talk. I’m sure you get the picture. What we fail to see is the full portrait of the finished work of our sin. The grass that looked so green on the other side will soon be just as brown as the grass on this side. Had Eve known the day of her encounter with the devil what she knew the day after she would have never bought into his lying. Yes it was a lie she never forgot and neither have we. The drug that you thought had now finally gotten you over your shyness now has you entrapped and ruined your relationships. The drink that made you the life of the party has now entrapped you also. The woman or man you sold your marriage off for has turned out to be an awful decision that now has entrapped you. The money you thought had finally brought you real joy and has brought you way more sorrow than you ever thought. Oh you saw the picture but not the finished portrait. Jesus overcame the devil’s temptation. How by knowing what His Heavenly Father said. It’s all recorded in the book of Luke chapter 4 verses 1-13. The reason we lose is we know not what our Heavenly Father has said. So what does God say about alcohol? Lying? Fooling around? About marriage? About wanting what you can’t have? About how we should react toward Him? About how a husband is to treat his wife? Parents are to treat their children? How children are to treat their parents? Do you know? Being unlearned is a choice one makes. 

If only I had known how I would feel today  after deciding to follow what I knew was  wrong yesterday, I assure you I would have done differently. You think? 

Matthew 24:43 (KJV) But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Oh my, my wife just asked me what time it was, I said 8:20 and all of sudden I just realized I had lied. She would have never known. She didn’t run to a clock to see if I was right. I knew it was 8:23 so quickly corrected myself and told her the truth. She didn’t jump up and say “why did you lie to me.” Oh that’s no big deal you might say. I know, but small lies lead to big lies. Just a small example of how quickly wrong takes over. 

🥳Is It or Not❓

 To know what we know and not what others tell us.

The book we call the Bible, is it really God’s Word? Or is it a book written by men of long ago with good teaching and advice? Many have no idea and have never look into it. Maybe they feel it just isn’t that important. Now buying that new jacket at a great price we must read the reviews. We must see if it’s true what the seller is saying before we spend our money. I wonder how much we have put into knowing if the Bible is true or false? I think much more is riding on that than a jacket or whatever else we are reading reviews on. Eve did the same thing she believed a lie.

Genesis 3:1 (KJV) Now the serpent was more subtil (Sly,Crafty) than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Well Eve, what did God say? This is what Eve said. Genesis 3:2 (KJV) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

Genesis 3:3 (KJV) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

That is close. What did God say?

Genesis 2:16 (KJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God said nothing about touch. Although that would have been  an appropriate thing to do. Stay far away, don't look and don’t touch. The enemy, the devil didn’t question that but he did question the eternal life issue.

Genesis 3:4 (KJV) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

That’s a good one, so good that the enemy, the devil, is still using it. The Bible it’s not God’s Word, God is Love. He is not going to send people He loves to hell. When life is done it’s done so live it up and enjoy life. Stop!! Where did you get that kind of thinking? What book did that come from? Who told you that? Why do you trust and believe that? Have you taken the time to know and see if that is true? Eve did the same thing she believed a lie and because she did she paid the price. Are you sure you don’t have time to see if your thinking is correct? Oh don’t believe what I’m saying for that’s no better than believing Joe or Betty at work. No go read and understand about the Bible. Look it up, how it came to be in printed form, how it has stood the test of time. Has God protected it? When others have tried their best to destroy its existence and failed time after time. Good books come and go but the Bible stays the course year after year. Oh don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself. Or believe someone else. I did that in college and because I did I made the lowest grade I ever made. We were given an assignment to have finished before the semester was over and it was to be half our grade. Well many said they weren't going to do it and said “he won’t fail the whole class.” Sounded good at the time until just before the end of the semester the teacher said “if you don’t have the work done you will fail this class!” I wrote that to say that those I listen to didn’t know. 

👏Applauding Each Other👏

O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

As the book of Psalms comes to a close the last 5 chapters have always been very interesting to me. If you pay attention you will notice that Psalm 146 starts off with this phrase “Praise ye the LORD.” The last chapter Psalm 150 closes with the same “Praise ye the LORD.” Now the phrase “Praise ye the LORD” is only mentioned  23 times in the whole book of the Psalms. With that being said from Psalms 146-150 it is mentioned 11 times.  If you look at those Psalms 146-150 with the phrase “Praise ye the LORD” you will notice each one of those chapters starts off with “Praise ye the LORD” but it also ends with “Praise ye the LORD.” They call that an inclusio. Inclusio alerts the reader to a particularly important theme. Inclusio is like the refrain in a song or poem 

Allelu allelu allelu alleluia, Praise ye the Lord (x2)

Praise ye the Lord, alleluia, Praise ye the Lord, alleluia

Praise ye the Lord, alleluia, Praise ye the Lord.

Another fact is the phrase “Praise ye the LORD” is only mentioned 25 times within the whole canon of scriptures. So outside of these 5 chapters in Psalms it is only mentioned 14 more times and not once in the New Testament. Now don’t misunderstand. I'm not saying there isn’t Praising the Lord in the New Testament for there is. The word praise is mentioned 26 times in the New Testament. Could it be that the Lord maybe saying after all I’ve done shouldn’t you be Praising me more?  

Maybe we are too busy Applauding each other. 

🧐Knowledge Tested🫨

 Ignorance is a choice, knowing God is the knowledge wherewith we fly to heaven.  

We can have no knowledge of that which does not exist. God has a perfect knowledge of all His works. Human knowledge is very limited, and is mostly gained by observation and experience. 

Knowledge is knowing. As spring begins bugs and bees come out. There is a bee that is called a carpenter bee. They drill a  perfect ⅜ inch diameter round hole. The male carpenter bee cannot sting while the female can. How do you tell the difference? Males have a white face and females a black face. If you were to grab hold of the male you would not get stung. Now you know the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say. Mark Chapter 4 is one of my favorite chapters. It’s a chapter that ends up with a test of the knowledge of trust being taught. Jesus says let us go to the other side then Jesus and His disciples entered a ship and began their journey. All is well at first. Jesus heads off to the rear of the ship and goes to sleep. Then a storm comes upon them. The disciples fight hard but the storm overtakes them. They are in real trouble before they ever go back to the rear of the ship where Jesus is still asleep. Asleep? How can this be possible? The ship is rocking, water is splashing everywhere, it is a ruff ride but Jesus doesn’t wake up. Why is this? I believe it was a test from what the disciples should have learned. Jesus plainly said “Let us pass over unto the other side.”  What did that mean?  It meant exactly what Jesus said. Jesus didn’t say let’s see if we can make it to the other side. Our Bible tells us that we are ALL sinners. 

Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Not a few or some but not you. Oh no it is plain “all have sinned” When Jesus told His disciples to get into the ship to go to the other side He meant that they would arrive on shores at the other side. No matter how bad of a storm they would come in contact with. I look at it as a short view of our lives. No matter the storms in this life that will take place, it will always be more than we want. Some will be umbrella storms; those are storms that we will have some protection. Others will be almost more than we can bear. Oh but the storms that rock our boat, coming in on uu will test our knowledge. In 2004 a 21 year old young man was on his way home when an awful rain and wind storm began. He continued on his way with the rain beating on his windshield to the point it was hard to see. The roads slippery from the rain cause him to lose control. He ran off the road and hit a tree head on. His lungs were punctured and before they could fly him to a trauma hospital he died. On that stormy night a storm hit the home of a mother and father. Their only child lost his life. Just as it was the night of that storm as the disciples fought so hard but failed, so did this man and woman. Where was Jesus? He was right there in the storm as He was with those disciples. He can and does calm the storm. So what was the answer of the storm? Mark chapter 5 the very first words.

Mark 5:1 (KJV) And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

That’s why our knowledge must be in Christ Jesus. My close friend told me just a few days ago he was ready and can’t wait to see heaven. You may ask how could he say that? Because of his knowledge of who Jesus is and what Heaven is like. 

We can have no knowledge of that which does not exist. Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace. 

🌧️Do You Know Why🌈

 When you know your WHY

you’ll know your WAY.

Michael Hyayy

Colossians 4:5 (KJV) Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Colossians 4:6 (KJV) Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Why is it so important that we know why we believe what we believe?  All believe in something even if it’s wrong. Just because one believes doesn’t make it a correct belief. That is why Paul  said for us to examine ourselves.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

 This is not guest work, ask yourself questions, look over your life, prove yourself. 

• Question one: Do you have “faith?” 

Faith in Jesus Christ as the savior of your soul? where do you think you go when death comes knocking on your door? 

• Question two: What kind of proof do you have?
• Question Three: Don’t you know your own self?

This is too important of a matter to just let it go. My dad would say to me sometimes when punishing me “I want you to think about what you have done!” Paul says there is a three question exam, now think. 

• Do you have Faith? 
• What is the proof of your Faith? 
• Do you know yourself? Who are you really?  

Was there a time when you knew you were a sinner? Was there ever a time when you asked Jesus Christ to forgive you? It was a last minute decision for a man dying one day outside the city of Jerusalem. 

Luke 23:39 (KJV) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Luke 23:40 (KJV) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

One of the criminals insulted Jesus. But the other criminal said to him: "Don't you fear God at all? Don't you see and understand we are condemned? We will die today!

Luke 23:42 (KJV) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Many think that their sins are too many, too awful and why would God even care. After all I have done and been a part of, forgive me? Fat chance of that ever happening. Oh no it’s not, here we read of 2 men and both are dying a slow death. Then one of those men realizes he can be forgiven and simply asks for forgiveness with a true heart. What was the answer from Jesus Christ Himself? 

Luke 23:43 (KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

What? Are you kidding me? No it’s true. The problem with most is that they tell themselves that what they have done was not that bad. I mean compared to others. That is not wise thinking.

2 Corinthians 10:12 (KJV) For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Do you know who you are? Do you really know? Is what we read in the Bible true? How do you know? Or are you just repeating what others have told you because it sounds good? When our oldest son was going to college to get an electrical engineer degree he almost never left his room. Weekends would come and go and he kept studying only to come out and eat. One day I asked him why? This is what he told me “ he said Dad, I don't want to just know how to pass the test and get a degree. I want to know how it works and why. In order to do so, there's a cost I have to be willing to pay. One can’t really know that they are going to heaven, that sounds good, I mean it was told to me by a respectable person. Is it true? It doesn't matter if it were told to us by a respectable or a non respectable person is it the truth? The Bible says we can know.

1 John 5:13 (KJV) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. See, one can know!

🤦‍♂️Questioned🙆🏻‍♂️

 No one is dumb who is curious.

You may not have been questioned in a courtroom by a lawyer but without doubt you have been questioned. Oh I’m sure you have been questioned by your parents. The only time my mother ever questioned me about going to school was when I hadn’t been. Wayne, she would say “did you go to school today?”  I might as well have said no because she already knew. Do you think I said no? Well to tell you the truth I didn’t. I kept holding on to the thought that maybe she really didn’t know. That was always a mistake. 

One day a lawyer asked Jesus a question 

Matthew 22:35 (KJV) Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, 

Jesus is sitting in the temple, teaching a multitude of people. The people are fascinated with everything about Him! He can perform the impossible; He cares about the needs of the people; His knowledge and wisdom are superior to any other! The minds and hearts of some of them are beginning to believe that this is the Promised One–their Messiah! Fast forward to our day and time. All the hustle and bustle, being here and there being on time. Many go to sleep the alarm goes off the next morning and they hit the floor running. I know of one who is up at 4:30 each morning, on the road headed to his job by 5:00. He arrives at his job a little after 6:00 and will not see his front door again until 7 or 8 that night. That is the way many spend their week. Jesus was questioned by this lawyer.

Matthew 22:36 (KJV) Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

We need to have answers when asked questions. My dad was in the hospital many years ago. I went one night to spend time with him. As I walked across the parking lot headed toward his room. I felt like the Lord wanted me to speak with the man in his room. Now I didn’t know there was anyone in the room with him. When I got to his room there was a man in there with him. Not long after being there I asked him about his relationship with the Lord. His answer was short and to the point. He told me that his relationship was private and he refused to talk with me on that subject. During the night that man died! I was the last one who ever spoke to him about his soul. If today you were asked about where you would spend eternity what would be your answer? Peter teaches us that we need to have an answer. 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

If someone asked you about your career would you have an answer? Why did you decide to become a business major? Lawyer? Plumber? Electrain? Mechanic? Why did you become; you fill in the blank. I'm sure you would have an answer. What if someone asked you about the reason for the hope that is in you? What would be your honest answer? That is an important question but the answer is more important. Why did you say you were a carpenter? Ok what if you were asked what is a 4 and 12 pitch would you know? If you were a carpenter you would. Then if you were asked show me how to cut one? Could you take a square and show me? If I asked you how I could know I’m going to heaven could you take your Bible and show me?  

🧐Do I Really Know❓

 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

The Apostle Paul was excited about his New Life.

Philippians 3:10 (KJV) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Paul was excited because he knew what a penalty was and meant. Oh, I do too, you say, and we do except when it comes to us. You see I really didn’t mean to do that my emotions just got the best of me; that’s not who I am. Now when someone else does the same thing it is so easy for us to say “what were they thinking?” Paul understood the penalty but he also understood when the penalty was gone, lifted, forgiven. Paul wrote because I know what a penalty is. I want to know more about Jesus “That I may know him.” The pardon of a penalty has to have proof. 

Who can grant a pardon for a federal offense? Only the President of the United States can grant a pardon for federal offenses. The Lord our God doesn’t give forgiveness for just one sin oh no He forgives all our sin. In the book of Luke and Chapter 7 we read of a sinful woman oh let me just go ahead and tell it like it is. This woman was not someone you and I would invite to our home to have dinner. Oh for this woman was a woman who was of the night or the red light district. Oh no not in a million years would we have her over to our house for a get together. What would you talk about? Gail what kind of job do you have? Do you enjoy your work? Oh no that’s not what you would want your family to hear. In Luke we read of just the opposite there was a woman like that who came to  Simon’s home. To make things even worse Jesus himself was there at the table. This woman came uninvited, she entered in while everyone was at the table. Oh what is that in her hand? This woman knelt at Jesus' feet weeping and then she began to wash Jesus feet with her tears and then she wiped Jesus feet with her hair and then she began to kiss Jesus feet and then she anointed Jesus feet with the perfume she had brought. Oh my what a scene at this respected man’s home. Now why was this woman doing such a thing? 

Luke 7:47 (KJV) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

She understood who she was, what she was and she understood that Jesus had forgiven her of ALL SINS. When you and I realize and understand what this woman understood we too will be excited because of the MUCH we have been forgiven for. That’s why Paul said

• I want to know more about Jesus.
• I want to know more about His Resurrection.
• I want to understand more about His fellowship, His sufferings.
• Paul says I want to be comfortable unto His death.

So I have to ask myself, do I want to know who Jesus really is? Do I want to know why Jesus died for me? 

Am I willing to suffer? 

Have I ever given any thought to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? 

Oh it is so exciting to think on, without doubt. Jesus Christ got up from the grave. I don’t know of anyone that has done that. Oh there is coming a day in the not so far off future where there will be. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (KJV) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (KJV) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

There you go there are more resurrections coming. Now do you see why Paul wanted to know more?

Philippians 3:10 (KJV) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Don’t you want to know Him?

🤵‍♂️A Question Asked👀

 Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you. Walt Whitman

In Matthew chapter 22 we read of a lawyer asking Jesus a tricky question. His question was a question to entrap and expose Jesus to the people as a very ignorant man. Good luck on that Charlie. 

Matthew 22:35 (KJV) Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

Matthew 22:36 (KJV) Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Which is the “great commandment” ? Which commandment has more magnitude than the others?  Jesus responses by saying;

Matthew 22:37 (KJV) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Matthew 22:38 (KJV) This is the first and great commandment.

“Thou shalt love the Lord” How?

1. “with all thy heart”
2. ”with all thy soul”
3. ”with all thy mind”

That my friend is a tall order. In the New Testament “heart” is mentioned 106 times. The first time it is mentioned is in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 8 and it reads Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Free from moral defilement. This reminds me of the hymn “Is Thy Heart Right With God..

 Is thy heart right with God,

Washed in the crimson flood,

Cleansed and made holy, humble and lowly, Right in the sight of God?

• Is there no more condemnation for sin?
  Is thy heart right with God?
  Does Jesus rule in the temple within?
  Is thy heart right with God?

• Are all thy pow’rs under Jesus’ control?
  Is thy heart right with God?
  Does He each moment abide in thy soul?
  Is thy heart right with God?

Jesus told that lawyer to Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul and mind. I need to ask myself, is there love in my heart for my Lord? Or is it filled with other loves? The love of wealth, power, people, positions, prestige, is there any room even left for loving the Lord? Follow Saul’s life until he became  the Apostles Paul. See if we can say that we had that big of change in our lives? Saul started out under men of his day, men with power, prestige, men in high places. Men who were looked up to. Saul sat and watched and even held the clothes of those who stoned Stephens. Saul consented  unto Stephen’s death. Saul made havock of the Church. Saul  went into people's homes and took men and women and put them in prison leaving children without parents. Saul was not a good man. We say that was awful and I will agree but we were just as bad in other areas of our lives. Then it happened Saul was on his way to Damascus when he met up with the Lord and that my friend changed his life for eternity. Can you identify? Don’t be like the lawyer questioning the Lord God. Be like the man who got a new life and a new name, a new love and started learning about the Lord his God. Are we learning more, loving more of the Lord we say we love?