Be Honest and Find Joy

Have you ever considered that you could be bearing false witness against yourself? Most of us think that's a ridiculous idea, but then again many of us wind up repeating lies about ourselves. You know the lies that sound like, "nobody loves me", "nobody cares about me", "I'm not smart enought", "I'll never amount to anything". Yes... those lies. And they are lies because they are not what the word of God says about us. In last weeks message, titled "The Principle of Honesty", we looked at the 9th commandment and how that not only applies inside the judicial context, but it really expands beyond that even to our every day life. 

Honesty is a mirror to self,
a bond to others, and
a dialogue with God.

When we start speaking the truth in every area, we start to see a correct reflection of who we are in Christ, we start to build bonds that repair relationships and build community, and we start to commune intimately with our God. Here are a few Scriptures from that sermon that remind us to be honest and find joy.

• Be Honest with Yourself

1 John 1:8 (NKJV)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

• Be Honest with Others

Colossians 3:9-10 (NKJV)

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.

• Be Honest with God

Psalm 32:1-5 (NLT)

1 Oh, what joy for those 

  whose disobedience is forgiven, 

  whose sin is put out of sight! 

2 Yes, what joy for those 

  whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, 

  whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 

3 When I refused to confess my sin, 

  my body wasted away, 

  and I groaned all day long. 

4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. 

  My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you 

  and stopped trying to hide my guilt. 

  I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” 

  And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 

Additional Resources:

Watch: Click here to check out an excerpt from this sermon.

Listen: To listen to the full sermon, titled "The Principle of Loyalty", seach for Full Faith Church Sermons in your favorite podcast app, or you can click here.