Getting Over Ourselves - Pride & Humility

Virtue or Vice:: Today we look at the topic of spiritual virtue.

I want to help us to understand and contrast wholesome living as a virtue and sin as a vice.

Humility is our topic — contrasted by Pride. Virtue and Vice.... 

Our world is obsessed with itself. We have shaped life as individuals and not as people of community.

Did you know? There are millions and billions of selfies taken and posted to social media. Over 9 million selfies are taken daily with 24 billion selfies annually.

Reading 2 Peter 5:7 we find the virtue at a main theme. Humility is mentioned more often Olin this passage. — Humility is opposite of Pride. 

Humility is Defined: FREEDOM FROM... pride or arrogance. The quality or state of being humble. (Merriam-Webster)

― CS Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.” 

I like what the author of an article that I read recently from “Never Thirst” website: 

“Satan’s sin was pride! The angel was in love with itself and wanted to be like God. Ezekiel 28:17 says, “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty” It (Satan) was impressed with itself. and wanted to be a god.” - Never Thirst website: https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/what-is-root-cause-of-all-sin/

Today, I want to encourage us to GET OVER OURSELVES (so we can live for the “good pleasure of God’s Glory.”

If humility is freedom from pride, pride is like being in chains!

A vice is contagious...like an addiction, it ultimately will destroy. Our culture is addicted to SELF! 

As an aside; You’ve heard about the man with the strange addiction? He was addicted to SOAP. Crazy right?! But, the good news, he’s been CLEAN for 6-weeks now! 

—-

CS Lewis says that “…pride is the grossest of sins. All other sins are mere flea bites compared to the sin of pride.”

Pride hurts us because it pushes us away from God. 

“By means of symbolism, Satan's position is defined in terms of attitude. Pride is rightly considered to be "the father of all sin," “ - John W. Ritenbaugh (What the Bible says about Pride as Father of all Sin)

But, the Bible tells us to live a life of humility. 

A few scriptures to go with that would include the following: 

2 Peter 1:5-7; Gen. 41:16; Ps. 25:9-10; Mark 9:33 & 36; Matthew 18; 2 Corinthians 3:4; 2 Cor. 3:12; James 4:6; Prov. 6; Prov. 16:18; Psalm 84:10 & 11:

Key passage: ** 2 Peter 1:5-7**

“For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7. and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”

How to have Humility. (The how-to's of getting over yourself!)

Kingdom Living --

Genuine Love --

Gracious Life-style --

In the outline provided for you I will qualify each of these expressions and hope to bring greater meaning to what they are about. 

——

Purposeful Kingdom Living: Remember where you are going. (God‘s Word never returns void.)

When we become a Christian we inherit gifts and abilities that come from God. It sets us on a course with a purpose. Daily we learn to live on purpose, not just be skating through life with a set of selfish ambitions.

Colossians 3:10 :: Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

We are told that we need to accumulate more, consume but in reality we can do nothing on our own without God's Kingdom perspective.

Having a Kingdom perspective is like Joseph when he was interpreting the dreams for the pharaoh…..

Genesis 41:16 (Joseph interpreting the pharaohs dream...) 

Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

If we live on purpose - according to the WORD OF GOD (which never returns void) we will find true humility. It is not in our giftedness nor in our successes that we find purpose. These are mere tools for the work before us. As we invest into others, based on our eternal home and rewards, we find meaning both in this life and the next. 

As we help teens at our White's RFS Campus, we purposefully see our work in doing God's work. We exist to help children and youth find the hope and help that ONLY God can provide!

--100 teen students on campus (Residential ministry over over 170 years. Compass Rose Academy as our latest ministry to girls 14-18.)

--150-plus children/youth in foster care around the state.

--Also, through vocational training (50 East Cafe & Garden Center).

Humility frees us from ourself and other manmade chains…

Helping students to "Get over themselves" is a big part of what we provide in our ministry. It is often, at no fault of thier own that we intervene in the lives of children and youth but it is helping students to understand God's plan for their lives. We are helding students to understand the chains that bind (pain, anger, hurts, fears, disappointments, abuse....) in the midst of broken pieces find the peace that passes all understanding ... that will gaurd their lives.

Pride come from self ... even painful disappointments that we make idols of ... We become victims of....

The kingdom living person is obedient to the things of God-His Word. It is about living God’s purpose. ….. 

Do you want to get over yourself? Be Purposeful - KINGDOM Living!

2. Professing Genuine Love: Investing In Others. (God’s love is eternal.)

Our world will consume you. We are addicted to self. 

Humility reminds us that we are mortal and dependent on God for our daily lives.

Psalms 25:9-10

He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Isn't it interesting...the more you see the needs of others, the less our burdens become. I find that when I pastored and ever felt down or overwhelmed by my situation, IF I visited others in the hospital or did a funeral (seeing the hurts and pain of others) changed how I dealt with my own. 

Jesus overheard the discussion of the disciples who argues over greatness (pride): 

“Who is the greatest?” - Disciples Asked Jesus -- Mark 9:33; Matthew 18; 

Mark 9:33: "Whoever wants to be first, must be last!"

Mark 9:36: He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

C.H. Spurgeon, in an exposition of Mark 9:30–40, writes: “This is the only way to get to the front of Christ’s army—he who would be chief, must always be aiming at the rear rank, willing to do the most humble service and to be the lowest menial in his Master’s service. Only in this way can we rise. In Christ’s Kingdom, the way to go up is to go down. Sink self and you shall surely rise.”

Passages that relate to this include: Psalm 84:10, Matthew 20:20–28, Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10–11

3. Practicing a Gracious Life-style. (Boldly Living for Christ.)

Reading on this subject futher we find that we have a meaning that is lost in today's culture. Meekness does not mean sheepish or with retreat. .... Meekness is knowing and having the internal confidence that God is in control.

Reading from the Inner Resouces for Leaders, "Spiritual Meekness: An Imperative Virtue for Christian Leaders" --

Author Mark E. Caner: 

When exegetically analyzing the New Testament connotation of “meek”, it is essential to dissect it in Greek in order to correctly interpret its meaning. 

**In this dialect, the word used is prautes,which connotes a total lack of self-pride, to the point of a lack of self-concern.

The poor and oppressed are often labeled as such, but not because they are cowed but

as a result of their humility for their own position, and therefore place a greater emphasis on serving others.

**Another analogous Greek word for meek discerned via linguistic and historical analysis is praus, which is Meekness - expressed as a decided strength of disciplined calmness.

**Consequently, meekness does not mean weakness! ** It doesn’t mean that we must cower or retreat from our

principles, and does not involve the surrender of our rights.

Meek men and women of the Bible demonstrated firm resolve, courage, conviction and strength. Furthermore, meekness in our organizations, as

well as toward God’s word, requires speaking out against immoral behavior and wickedness.

Thus, it demands that we deny ourselves and act on behalf of our followers.

© Inner Resources for Leaders | School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship | Regent University | Virginia Beach, VA 23464

2 Corinthians 3:4 :: Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ...

-Our strength is in the things of God not self.

Our staff theme at White's RFS is from -- 2 Corinthians 3:12 :: Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. Because of what Christ did on our behalf, we can live radically. We can have a Reckless (radical) HOPE!

James 4:6 -- But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Sometimes we assume that confidence resembles pride but the truth is that as we live to bring him glory, confidence is a good quality to have. 

Tony Dungy writes in his devotional dated November 19. “It’s a realization that God has given us certain abilities and created us to fulfill a unique role that no one else can fill. It’s a humble recognition that life is not about us but about using our gifts and abilities to their fullest to help others and contribute to society.”

He goes on to say, “Pride, on the other hand, is all about building ourselves up in the eyes of others. If you want to keep from falling, we need to learn the difference.”

** Essentially, “Be confident in God-given gifts and abilities, but always avoiding pride.” - Dungy. 

—

My favorite philosopher, Forrest Gump says about life: “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you might get.”

It is not important what happens to you, it is how you respond to it. Practicing gracious living is all about finding a humble position for which you stand; knowing that God is with you!

Living our lives out loud is essential as we practice gracious living.

-Letting others "play through" at the grocery line.

-Demonstrating patience in a harsh situation.

-Being kind in return.

"Truth never needs defended. Proclaiming the Truth — “Truth is like a lion, you don’t have to defend it, simply let it out if the cage.” - Augustine of Hippo

Proverbs 6 is "life in the summary" -- Living these three principles are spelled out in this chapter. 

Vs. 16 - There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abonination to him: 

• haughty eyes, 
  
• a lying tongue,
• hands that shed innocent blood,
• the hear the devises wicked plans,
• feet that make haste to run to evil,
• a false witness who breathes out lies,
• and one who sows discord among brothers.

A haughty spirit or having haughty eyes means that we look down upon others in a condescending way. We think more highly of ourselves than we should. This is where we look scornfully, disdainfully, or almost arrogantly at others. The expression “looking down our nose” at someone applies here.

1 Timothy 6:17 and 18; Philippians 2; 1 Corinthians 8;

“C.S. Lewis’ chapter on pride in Mere Christianity is so helpful because he talks about just the root of sin being pride before God. “ - David Platt serves as pastor at McLean Bible Church in Washington, D.C. (https://radical.net/podcast/1149-the-root-of-all-sin-ezekiel-281-2/)

Being Humble is living on Purpose (God's Kingdom First), Professing Genuine Love, and Practicing Gracious Living.

CS Lewis on pride: 

“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man... It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.”

Proverbs 16:18 -- Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. ** It is better to be of lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoils with the proud. 

Better to be a doorman in the house of God ... Than dwell in the tents of the wicked.... Read Psalm 84:10 & 11:

Walk in the way of God -- Better is one day in your courts

    than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

    the Lord bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

    from those whose walk is blameless.

Closing prayer - 

Commitment to Kingdom Living .... 

Commitment to Love and the Service of others ....

Commitment to Live Boldly in the Name of Jesus ....

Patriotism Is Still In Vogue!

I love a parade. My favorite part is when the veterans march by carrying flags of patriotism. I am grateful for the sacrifice of those who have served our country!  It makes me stand up and tear up. Those that have sacrificed so that I can enjoy the freedoms I have should be honored! They have done what many refuse to do while so many also benefit from their sacrifice. 

Before you swipe to ignore this post, please read further because you may be surprised by what I say. Many automatically slap a label on such a post, calling this just another “nationalism,” feel good, exclusive post for Americans only. Yet, it is not that and it is more than that!

I respect and honor those that have served in the military and I appreciate the historic perspective, at the least, that America has done well because of the positive Christian influence. Okay, go ahead and label me as a Christian Nationalist. While it may seem like it, I am actually a Christian globalist. I believe that my faith makes a difference in the world for the good of others. That being said, I cannot deny that I am a Christian who lives in this world! My religious values and American ideals can and do meet with the healthy values of charity, love, and goodwill.

However you may feel, please know that the point of this blog is to help explain my faith. 

It is because of the sacrifice of Christ (His death on the cross) that I can be saved from sin and can become loving, caring, and giving toward others. 

Back to the point of my blog.... Patriotism is still vogue. It is still considered in-style to be patriotic!  It is not bad to join a popular patriotic sentiment.

What has kept our country free from tyrannical control  is the sacrifice of soldiers who gave, paying the price for my freedom and the freedom for others. 

Today, I say THANK YOU TO VETERANS! You are heroes who invested in our freedom. You have lived out what is written in John 15:13: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

What can we sacrifice so others can enjoy freedom? 

Book Review: Hinge Moments.

Today I begin a little project to read and summarize my findings from the books I am reading. 

I begin with a great read by Dr. D. Michael Lindsay, President of Taylor University. In fact, as I read his book, Hinge Moments, Dr. Lindsay is just beginning a his new role as newly elected president. He is experiencing transitions in real time! 

This book looks at several interviews of popular individuals that have experience transitions in their lives. It is a book that perhaps was intended for college students has become more popular among others as well. In the book he differentiate between change and transition. 

One of the quotes that I found most compelling is found in just the very introduction of the book that reads; “For all of us there is only one thing that remains the same – the fact that nothing does.”

Taken from his own personal experiences and also interviews with very popular and interesting people, Lindsay helps define the principles and ideas that deal with the transitions in our lives. His book is an easy read and very compelling.

I’m a person who loves to underline the interesting facts found in books and articles. Sometimes it’s one sentence out of a paragraph that jumps out at me but in this book, I find myself underlining far more. My guess is that I will re-read the book and extend my highlights with my yellow highlight marker to draw out distinctive from my first read.

A summary of the book can be found on page 20 when the author simply states; “There are at least three kinds of changes we face: those we wouldn’t choose but we can see coming, those we choose ourselves, and those that flood our homes at two in the morning.” (Referring to my personal experience as a child when this home was flooded.)

And interesting diagram is provided as an outline for the book that begins with one axiom going up call confidence in another axiom moving right called time. Within these are a series of steps that occur through the transitions in our lives.

Each chapter unpacks each of these beginning with discernment, anticipation, and intersection that reduce our confidence but over time, we begin to unpack the remaining chapters he unpacks the following outline beginning with landing, then integration, the  inspiration, and finally realization.

This book is not written just for the young adult but for everyone who anticipates and experiences life’s transitions. It’s a book that helps each of us make the most of life’s transitions (also the sub title). 

Don’t I Wish....

I WISH … I could lose a few pounds … I made more money … I could change this or that …. We all have made, “I wish” statements. It is common to all of us. We remain positive and determined. This optimism is what keeps us moving forward and a healthy dose of wishful thinking isn’t bad. 

Of course it’s not enough just to wish for something. It is not enough to just wish. We must do something to achieve our dreams. Actions are necessary. While many just wish upon a star, many others ask, seek, & knock. (Matthew 7:7) 

It’s also important to realize that God has a purpose for us and we can make a difference in the lives of others. Perhaps there is something you wish for in others and not from others. Maybe there is a blessing you can be to someone else instead of just yourself. God is in the business of granting wishes but likely for the potential of helping another along the way.

Wishing has to include his companion call to action. A healthy combination of both wishing and doing might yield the kind of return that we hope for. Not everything can be determined by our persistence but if we don’t lean in we may never discover it.

What is your first step of action after wishing? When will you begin?

The More You DON’T Know!

The more you know, the less you really know. It makes sense when you think about it. It seems that the more you discover the more questions you really have about the discovery. Inquisitive minds are interested in unraveling the mysteries of this world. Truly the inquisitive mind is humble enough to admit their need for answers.

Some of the smartest people are also humble enough to admit that there’s so much more to learn. Smart people ask good questions. You met them and so have I; they are the ones that ask because they seek to understand. They explore the things we are too afraid (too intimidated) to explore. They don’t settle with just knowing and are not too proud of what they have discovered.

I’m certain that you’ve met them too; the know-it-all’s! Really good information comes from planting often and waiting fir a good return on our pursuits.  

Wisdom can be traced to asking good questions of the One who created us. Solomon knew that the awesome fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. 

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom.

Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10)

Start asking questions to discover Truth. The answers are like buried treasures. Their value is in the searching and once found, it is cherished. Yet, it caused the truly interested sealer to see for deeper meaning with every new discovery. 

Star today by asking these simple questions: Why do I exist? What is God teaching me about myself? How does that inform my decision making?

Don’t You Wish?

I WISH … I could lose a few pounds … I made more money … I could change this or that …. We all have made, “I wish” statements. It is common to all of us. We wish for what we don’t have and may no want to put in the effort to achieve.
It is not enough to just wish. We must do something to achieve. Whether it is a possession, or goal, or even achieve our dreams, we cannot just desire it. Actions are necessary. We have to take the first step. 

A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at. –Bruce Lee

While many just wish upon a star, many others ask, seek, & knock. (Matthew 7:7) This passage is like a proverb, it promises us something based on action and truth. It is good to have goals but every goal has a trade-off. We have to give up something to take on new objectives. 

If you want to accomplish anything in life, you can't just sit back and hope it will happen. You've got to make it happen.Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris jokes are my favorite ones. Like the one, “On the 7th Day of Creation, God rested....Chuck took over.” It is okay to just simply laugh. 

Good goals are not just human actions. We also must know the mission and purpose God has designed for us. After all, God made us on purpose and with a mission bigger than just human (earthy) goals. God put eternity into our heart. It is bigger than life itself! 

What is your first step of action after wishing? When will you begin?

Finding Meaning Through Divine Interruptions

People often as me the question, “What you doing today?” Too often I look at my calendar to answer the question without really comprehending the opportunities. I often have missed the significance of such a question. I am too often skipping through my day without even a thought of God’s plan for my day-to-day activities.

I’ve come to learn that God actually has another plan for my daily activities. That is usually very different from what I would assume to be his plan. But in actuality, God works in mysterious ways. If I would allow him, they would be far more surprises and reasons for personal testimonies. I would perhaps see more God sightings if I thought more clearly of His plan that I often overlook.

We’re all filled with distractions. We put our minds to work on the natural and often miss the supernatural. You see, if my day is planned by myself, any good that may come of it is quickly stolen away by my bragging which leaves little room for God’s Glory!

Often we pack our schedules leaving little room for God to do what he would choose to do if only we let him. Nevertheless, God does interrupt our day. He does this usually to remind us of the importance things of life; God’s plan. We can miss tremendous opportunities that only God could orchestrate.

Colossians 4:3 — And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

I am taking back by this passage of Colossians because it challenges me to think about God‘s perspective and to realize the supernatural; divine appointments that he could set up if I only we let him. Divine interruptions are God’s way of nudging us to action; His way! 

What if we thought in terms of Colossians 4:3 every day? Making if we made this our daily prayer? What if we spent time asking God for opportunities so that we would proclaim his truth in the life of another? What if that interruption, though annoying as it may be is just really God’s way of nudging us to a deeper and more meaningful experience both with him and in the lives of others?

There are many in our world today that are longing for God‘s meaningful touch in their lives. And yet there are many who fill their schedules so that they can find meaning of their own lives. I wonder, could God make a plan that would both satisfy the needs of those looking for God‘s touch while also satisfying the needs of others looking for mean in their lives? 

For more related articles go here! 

Meeting The Most Powerful....

Who is the most powerful person you have ever met? For Christians, the most powerful meets us where we are. In prayer, we speak with God through Jesus, who intercedes for us. Prayer, simply put, is talking to God through our intercessor, Jesus Christ. 

I enjoy having conversations with strangers. I make every effort to move the conversation from the day-to-day into the extraordinary. One way I do this is asking people, How can I pray for you? I phrase the question this way because I’m not asking them IF but how. It is a question that usually elicits a response that is affirming rather than them giving a flat-out answer, “No, you cannot!”  I often hand them a cross to let them know that God loves them! 

Prayer connects us to God because of what Jesus did on our behalf. It is through Jesus that we have an advocate, bringing our needs before God in heaven. Without going into depth theologically, prayer is simply the lining of our will with God‘s Will.

When we pray we seek wisdom, direction, help, and hope. Through God’s Grace we have access to the most powerful, who is God. Prayer not only changes things, it changes us. “Cast all your concern on Him.” (1 Peter 5:7)

What do you need to talk to God about? 

For Even One!

Matthew 18:12-14

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

God demonstrates His love by coming to the least and lonely. He left His heavenly home to become our sin offering! 

God’s message, woven through scripture is that He reaches down to you and me. We are the lost sheep Jesus is talking about!

After the disciples had grumbled with one another about who was the greatest, Jesus instructs them using the example of a child. He reminds them to care about what matters to God!

Matthew 18:2He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

I want to share with you how the scripture applies to each one of us as we think about our responsibility in God’s Kingdom, for His sake and for His glory.

I want a key in on the following passage in Matthew 18:12 - 14. It is about the good shepherd.

Our Good Shepherd has extended his grace for even just one of us!  

— The least!

— The last!

— The lost!

We love children and youth (& their families) because Jesus cares about them. **We ARE THAT ONE JESUS LEFT THE NINETY NINE TO RESCUE!!** 

Understanding of the good shepherd, who would die to protect his sheep. And even for just one, leaving the 99 for JUST ONE!! 

Children are the example Jesus gives to define the importance of the Shepherd. He notes that children are near to his heart, they are the vulnerable!

We read further that the intent for understanding the parable is to know that Jesus is divine!

John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

And further, verses 14-16. Vs. 14: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

Here we read that Jesus is the Greatest Shepherd, God with us! He is our protector and defender. He is willing to lay down his own life!

He does lay down his life as our sin offering to atone for our wrongdoing (sin). He also rises from the dead to declare his Lordship over sin, death, and the grave! 

There are three questions we are encouraged to answer as we reflect on the Word of God. 

The least! Who is beneath you?

The last! Who is behind you?

The lost! Who is outside of your vision?

Do Good!

Do good! These simple words are hard to live by – all the time by everybody. Yet, doing good is protected by many “Good Samaritan Laws”. These are laws making it possible to do good for others in need.When it within your reach and capacity to help others, it would be an ethical violation to not do good for others in need. The 9 qualities of love are eternal values. (See Galatians 5:22-23)

Galatians 6:9 :: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

God responded to our need by giving grace to everyone and He makes it possible to “do good” (against such there is no law).

In the New Testament we find encouragement to discern what is BEST in all our doings. Philippians 1:9-10 — “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ....”

Discerning what is best requires careful planning and yielding to God’s plan. It involves prayer to seek God’s best. Excellence is found in what God does and as we follow Him, we seek to not just be better but to do what is best. 

What can you do today to help others? When do you plan to do good for others.

The Lies We Tell.

Read the background story on Peter’s denial of knowing Jesus in Luke 22:54-64.

Luke 22:60-62

But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

Today we can relate to Peter. Today we can understand how Peter is not all that different than you and me. 

Peter is caught lying! 

It was in Peter’s denial of Jesus that we find ourselves in the story as well. In this brief picture we hear the groans and see the tears of a man who is broken. Peter’s denial of Jesus brought Peter guilt and shame. 

Peter’s denial of Jesus reveals his most vulnerable weaknesses! 

Peter’s denial of Jesus becomes the central theme of the entirety of the cross, his death, and resurrection of Jesus. A lie precedes the Truth! 

Lies have their origin in a fallen world - in a world of sin!  Human nature is on full display, and none of us are excluded. Lies make us prisoners, in chains we are captive.

Can you hear them? Have you spoken lies to yourself? Have you lied to others?

The lies we hear.... 

In our children, we know them well enough that we could even hear the lies they tell us. Catching our kids with their hand in the cookie jar. We ask, what are you doing? They respond, “NOTHING!” 

In our closest friend, we know them well enough that we can even hear the lies they tell us. We ask, “How are you doing?” Catching them in a lie, we ask about that one thing that brings them burdens as they respond, “NOTHING IS WRONG!” 

In our spouse, we know them well enough that we can even hear the lies they tell us. We ask after a long day at work, “What did you do today?” Catching them in a lie, we know that look anytime as they respond, “NOTHING IMPORTANT!” 

You and I hear lies every day! Typically there are subtleties that we pick up on. Other times they are obvious. At yet other times, we know the truth already! 

Jesus knew a lie when he heard it! Half truths that are disguised as the right answers....

Satan confronted Jesus in the wilderness when he told Jesus three lies during a time when Jesus was most vulnerable. The lies Jesus was told began with, “IF 

IF you are the Son of God.... (Matthew 4)

Jesus knew the truth! No matter what he heard — though the lies were convincing — Jesus answered the accuser by the Word of God! 

In the reading of Peter’s denial....we can hear the lies that were told. 

In this short exchange of the last supper and around the smoke of a campfire, there is both a confrontation of a lie as well as a message of the Truth of redemption.

The lies we tell.... 

1. The lies we tell ourselves... 

They are all too common. We say we are strong enough, likely, we attempt to convince ourselves. We pride ourselves in our abilities and overlook our vulnerabilities. We say that we are strong enough! 

The lies we tell ourselves are not all that different than what Peter told himself. “I am strong enough!”

The lies we tell ourselves are many...each one of us are capable of telling ourselves lies! We do this daily! We hear a lie and potentially convince ourselves of it’s substance and tell ourselves those lies.

Have you heard and believed those lies?

• I am worthless.
• I am not capable.
• I can’t!
• I doubt it!
• I can’t believe that!
• I ...precedes ...the lies we hear and tell ourselves.

Most of our untruths are things we were told to believe and we repeated these lies by telling them to ourselves! 

Too often we have deceived ourselves. We believed ally that we heard and we have repeated that lie to ourselves. Peter found himself at that moment repeating what he has heard and believed from the master deceiver himself, Satan

But there is more! 

1. The lies we tell others....

When confronted by Jesus during their last supper together, Jesus predicted the betrayal. Perhaps deep down inside Peter knew to defend himself against what has become the inevitable. “Lord, I will be with you! I will not leave you!”

But Jesus knew better. He could peer into the very heart of Peter - as too in all of us. 

He knows Peter best. Jesus spent three years with his disciples but he knew them even before we met them. Jesus, as God in creation knew the vulnerabilities and the trespasses & deceptions of a man’s heart!

The lies we tell...

Stemming from the lies we tell ourselves are the lies that we tell others. You can see, as we attempt to convince ourselves, in own strength, apart from the power of God in our lives, we convince ourselves! 

We may believe that we can do far more than what we can in reality. We even verbalize those beliefs by telling others. 

We believe a lie, convinced of its merit, and repeat that to others! 

Perhaps, it’s the lies that we were told, those half truths that we were convinced of that make this passage real for us today! 

We identify with Peter who was caught in a lie; in his tragic exchange during his denial, the rooster crowed! He looks up to see Jesus looking back at him! 

• his hand is in the cookie jar.
• his dishonesty to his best friend is brought to light.
• his report to his spouse of his day was worse than he first admitted!

On this Good Friday, with the overshadowed darkness that was to consume the earth through the death of Jesus, we are confronted with the lies we hear, and the lies we tell ourselves, and the lies we tell others. 

We are reminded that it is Jesus, who is acquainted with our temptations, (though he never sinned), in-which he would understand the humanness of mankind! As Jesus went to the cross He knew His purpose; that of redemption!

We are filled with guilt but God’s grace is filled with an abundance of hope!

Through the cross, we are confronted with sin but in this we discover the Truth of God’s amazing Grace! 

It is NO LIE...

... we are redeemed through the unselfish love of a mercy we don’t deserve,

...a hope we cannot manufacture, 

...a grace we cannot buy, 

...a redemption we receive,

...which is unmerited favor of God through Jesus Christ! 

Lies make us prisoners but, through Jesus Christ, the truth shall set us free!