Lies We Believe

What is the biggest lie you have ever believed? How did you feel when you found out it wasn’t true?

What’s the Problem?

The Church has lost its ability to discern what is true.

Jesus tells us we should humble ourselves and do everything in our power not to cause any person to stumble into sin.

Imagine a girl saying “Men need to be better at controlling their lustful thoughts. Therefore, I’m going to wear whatever I want and it doesn’t matter if it’s modest or not because I’m doing this in order to help men develop their ability to withstand temptation.”

And it is better that we do not add to them with our own deceit, lies, and manipulation.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

This is pretty strong language. The type of person that does lead children astray is one who is a subtle liar. They are good at shrouding lies with hints of truth.

This type of liar leads people down a slow path to Christian frailty, doubt, and destruction.

Do you remember that fine, athletic young man who was for years among us, and almost envied for his robust health and remarkable vigor? Exertion was to him a pleasure. He rejoiced as a strong man to run a race. Strong as an oak, upright as a palm tree, and comely as a cedar, you had only to see him to admire him.

Alas! we miss him from his usual seat, and his place of daily service knows him no more. He cannot mix in our assemblies, and never will again. He rises very late in the day, and the slightest motion is labor to him; he has a horrible deep-seated cough, and he is reduced to a skeleton. His cheeks are sunken; there is a peculiar brightness of the eye; but, with the exception of that, there is nothing about him that reminds you of what he was. And if you should take a stranger to see him, you would say, “You cannot imagine what that young man used to be.” His mother weeps to think that this is her son, once the image of manly power. It pains her inmost heart to know that this is certainly her boy, her once strong and healthy boy.

Yet he is not dead. No, but it is grievous to see how near death he has come, and with what difficulty he breathes, how weak are his lips, how languid is his pulse, how small his appetite! The strong man is now weaker than a little child. In fact, man as he is, his father has to take him in his arms and carry him up and down stairs, for he cannot otherwise come out of his chamber.

Here is a sadly truthful picture of what a Christian may become in spirit. He may suffer spiritual consumption, and decline from weakness to weakness until life barely retains its hold. He shall not die, for his life is hid with Christ in God, but he may gradually backslide until he is weak as water, and full of doubts and fears and a thousand ills.7

The world is full of these types of lies. Most of the time they are hidden in plain sight which sometimes makes them harder to see. An example of one of these would be probably the biggest form of deceit that plagues a lot of the western church today.

The Bible teaches us that we aren't blessed because of our circumstances, we are blessed because of our savior. It teaches us that if we want to bless others we should lead them to Jesus.

The Biggest Lie Today

Have a positive mindset and blessings will come.

What is the Truth?

Living our best life is not about a change in our mindset, it's about a change in our servanthood.

The Bible teaches us that we aren't blessed because of our circumstances, we are blessed because of our savior. It teaches us that if we want to bless others we should lead them to Jesus. Living our best life is not about a change in mindset, it's about a change in our servanthood.

Instead of changing our mindset to think happy thoughts (like Peter Pan would say), instead; we must change our mindset to include all of God's character and His reasoning which is a very difficult thing to do because it means we have to believe some things that maybe we have a hard time with, but it is also necessary and helpful if we are to become more like Him. It is more important for us to believe the truth about God than it is to believe the truth we want. If we do the latter then we are living deceived and unless you are mentally disturbed no one wants to live a deceived life because then it's not a real life. You are then living in a shadow rather than living in the light.

This is one of the biggest lies invading the church today. Why? Because it's a lot easier to tell someone to think positively then it is teach them what it takes to develop their character. Helping someone become more like Christ is hard and dirty and it means you have to tell them things they don't want to hear, which it's hard to make money off of selling things people don't like. Which means a lot more money can be made doing the other.

I'm about to say some things that are going to challenge you:

It's difficult challenging what other people say.

It's difficult to look up whether or not the Bible actually teaches what someone is saying. It means you have to think hard about things sometimes and study. Let's face it we didn't like it in school and we don't really like it now.

It's difficult to go against the status quo. What everyone thinks is right, this is especially true when the community you are already a part of is already going against the status quo. (I.E. Christians)

It's difficult not giving into pier pressure.

It's difficult being seen as intolerant and a bigot or to have anyone dislike you.

Well, get ready because it only gets more difficult from here.

It's difficult to disagree with someone you look up to.

The truth is more important than who you like by the way.

It's difficult crucifying your flesh and living your life for Christ.

It's difficult to think that you might be wrong.

It's difficulty to think that you might be guilty of evil.

It's difficult to obey God.

It's difficult to pray sometimes.

It's difficult to worship sometimes.

Most of the times, the hard things lead to the best treasure.

It is not he who begins well who is perfect. It is he who ends well who is approved in God’s sight.

Ritzema, E. (2013). 300 Quotations for Preachers from the Early Church. Lexham Press.

It doesn't matter if you once had an incredible relationship with God and all of these amazing things were happening and you were being transformed into something new every day. What matters is how you end your life on earth in relationship to God. Where are you when you finish he race is what is most important to God. Don't let anyone cause you to finish in the wrong race or to not finish the race strong or at all.

Summary

We need to be careful not to lead others away from God into sin.

Our words hold weight with others. Every word we speak to others has influence whether we want it to or not. Your words hold the power of life and death. Do not think for one second the words you speak do not mean something important to somebody.

Be intentional with every thought presented and every word that is spoken.

We need to be careful not to be lead astray into sin by others.