Hypocrisy – What it is, why it is evil and hated by Jesus
Hypocrisy is an outward pretense masking an inner reality. Jesus condemns hypocrisy, especially in matters of faith. Followers of Jesus …
Tag Archives: Truth
“Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up.” ~Angels about Jesus
“They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over …
Everything Jesus had to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving
Jesus had a lot to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving. Here …
“Beware … ” ~Jesus — What the New Testament has to say on deception by religions leaders
This is a series of quotes to emphasize the seriousness of deception and our responsibility to look out for it …
“I also know your insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil.” ~Jesus
When he finished that talk, a Pharisee asked him to dinner. He entered his house and sat right down at …
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” ~Jesus
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” ~Jesus Source: Matthew 15:19 (NASB) Evil is real. Evil …
“The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine.” ~King Solomon
The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of …
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.” ~Jesus
If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll …
“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” ~Jesus
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter …
“You’re way off base, and here’s why: One, you don’t know your Bibles; two, you don’t know how God works.” ~Jesus
Am I clever? I like to think I am some days. So did the Sadducess (Religious Leaders). They thought they …
“Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible.” ~Apostle John
John nails it, as always. John knows it is all about love. How many times does he remind me? Constantly. …
“Why, then, do you think this was written?” ~Jesus
Jesus was constantly getting under the skin of the religious leaders and scholars. At the conclusion of the story Jesus …
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ~Jesus
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are …
“What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things?” ~Jesus
Jesus is teaching us. He has given us the power of his Holy Spirit. What a gift. What a God …
“I have a dream today.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
I was 9 years old during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. I was living in Atlanta, …
I am compelled, by Jesus our Master, to drop everything that takes me away from talking and writing about the good news of life of salvation
I am compelled, by Jesus our Master, to drop everything that takes me away from talking and writing about the …
“God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?” ~King David
King David asks God a great question. David talks with God all the time and he asks God a lot …
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ~Jesus
I am blind. Jesus opens my eyes and I see. Jesus has a question for me. “Do I believe in …
“Tell me your name.” ~Jesus
Jesus is not afraid to confront evil. Jesus does it time and time again. Jesus knows there is evil and …
“I didn’t make this up.” ~Jesus
How often do I just make something up? I’m pressed to answer, haven’t thought it through well and spew something …
“Don’t respond to the stupidity of a fool; you’ll only look foolish yourself.” ~King Solomon
We all know foolish people. We see them every day on TV or at work. Everyone really knows they are …
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” ~Jesus
Here we go. Fasten the seat belts. Jesus nails it here. He always asks the right questions. I’ve got nowhere …
The Truth About Weinstein, Spacey, Moore, and High Profile Accusations of Sexual Abuse
Originally posted on Crossculture:
WARNING: If you are a victim of sexual abuse, this post could be very painful for…
“For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified.” ~Author of Hebrews
Relax, God is in control. I keep hearing that from our Father. He promised a rest. That is His goal …
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” ~Apostle Paul
Paul reminds me. I am at war. It is an ongoing war. It doesn’t stop. Who is the enemy? The …
“I sent you to harvest a field you never worked.” ~Jesus
Jesus knows how to bring the harvest in. He gives me some clear guidelines on how it is going to …
“What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?” ~Jesus
Jesus has risen from the dead. I guess I could stop with that but there is more. Luke gives us …
“Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear. Jesus is always clear. What am I to do? Jesus says “Staying with it—that’s what God requires. …
“All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!” ~Jesus
Jesus is looking. Jesus is going to challenge me. Am I ready? What will I give? Jesus is looking. Jesus …
“Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life.” ~~King Solomon
My dad was a very wise man. My dad always said it is easier to tell the truth than to …
“Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.” ~King David
We are asked to stand in awe of our mighty God. He is God. And there is a promise. Why …
“Then neither will I answer your question.” ~Jesus
It is stunning and kicks my rear end, but Jesus doesn’t have to answer my questions. Jesus is the Son …
“Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” ~Apostle Paul
The Apostle Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Ephesians. There are many things we need to do. He …
“I don’t suffer fools gladly—and you’ve acted the fool!” ~Jesus
Uh oh! This isn’t good. Jesus tells a great story about different gifts given to different servants. One utterly failed. …
“Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.” ~King Solomon
Jesus challenges me to be vigilant. If I don’t pay attention, I will drift. Jesus has given me the way …
“I try to be as true to my word as God is to his.” ~Apostle Paul
Oh my goodness. Am I as true to my word as God is to His? God doesn’t flip flop when …
"Your task is to be true, not popular." ~~Jesus
Being true to Jesus runs counter to our culture. Of course, being true is exactly how Jesus lived. Jesus calls …
“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.’ ~~Plato
Jesus is light. Jesus shines his truth on the whole world. Jesus said: “I am the world’s Light. No one who …
“The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test.” ~Apostle John
Some tests are hard. Others are simple. This one is VERY simple. Loving others deeply and the way Jesus the …
Subtle Influences
Originally posted on 4th Quarter Musings:
C.S. Lewis wrote in the Screwtape Letters, “The safest road to Hell is the gradual one…
“Love rejoices with the truth.” ~Apostle Paul — The love of Jesus will turn you INSIDE OUT!
The love of Jesus will turn you INSIDE OUT! Jesus was pretty clear that it’s mandatory. “A New Command,” He …
“God is a safe place to be.” ~King David
I can trust lots of people or things. I can trust my wife and family. I can trust my credit …
“Are you being willfully stupid?” ~Jesus
Some days I just don’t get it. Am I being willfully stupid? Jesus knows the truth. It is not what …
“If You’re a Christian and Everyone Likes You… Something’s Wrong” ~Sarah Domon
Jesus challenges us. He has let us know that we will be persecuted for following him and his way. It …
“On the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” ~Jesus
Jesus knew the value of saying the right things. Jesus only said what He heard His Father saying. That led …
“What we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up.” ~Apostle Paul
How often do I keep quiet when I should say what I believe? Too often I think. If I believe …
“While hell can be a paralyzing doctrine, it can also be an energizing one, for it magnifies the beauty of the cross.” ~Francis Chan
Francis Chan sees the seriousness of Church doctrine and its meaning and decides to write a book based on his …
"Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or speak lies about you to discredit me." ~~Jesus
Are people putting me down because of my following Jesus? Do I make others uncomfortable with my passion of our …
"Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin." ~~King Solomon
How do we become wise? As we follow God, seek His ways, listen to Him, we need to store it …
“It’s simply perverse to say, “If my lies serve to show off God’s truth all the more gloriously, why blame me?” ~Apostle Paul
Why blame me? Great question. We aren’t doing God any favors by continuing to miss the mark when it comes …
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” ~Author of Hebrews
We have run with our very lives to God. He is our spiritual lifeline for sure. We have hope. So …
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” ~~Nelson Mandela
Jesus promised us freedom. Jesus is the way to God and all truth. May we all experience the liberty that …
“Turn your back on salvation by self-help.” ~Author of Hebrews
There are a lot of basic and fundamental truths I need to experience as I become a disciple of Jesus. …
“You’re more than happy when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.” ~~Jesus
Jesus knows that following Him may not be a “bed of roses”. Jesus tells us about it in advance. We …
“We don’t expect eloquence from fools, nor do we expect lies from our leaders.” ~King Solomon
It is sad that we have probably come to expect lies from our leaders. It clearly shouldn’t be that way …
"What you’re called does not matter and where you go to worship does not matter." ~~Jesus
It is not about what religious group you are born into. It doesn’t matter what church you go to. Jesus …
Have I mastered the basics as a disciple of Jesus? Am I ready to move on?
There are basics in being a disciple of Jesus. Are the following in place in my life? Do I trust …
"You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day."~~Jesus
Jesus challenges me to worship in a clear way. Sometimes I am just guessing. That is not the way of God’s chosen …
“It’s in the Messiah that you found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.” ~Apostle Paul
Do I see that I have finished the most difficult part? In the salvation that Jesus offers me, I’m not quite there yet …
“It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised.” ~Apostle Paul
I like to think I can focus and sometimes I get close. I try hard. I want to be courageous. “I think I can.” It doesn’t work. …
7,319,049,214
Oh, boy, there are SO MANY people on this Earth! Billions and Billions and Billions. This site said there were …
“The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” ~King David
God lights my path. God saves me. Jesus, the Messiah, has paid the price for my missing God’s goal and …
“Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ~Jesus
I am not sure I would have wanted to have been a part of this. But then again, I know …
“To love another person is to help them love God.” ~~Soren Kierkegaard
This is an amazing truth. God wants us to love everyone we know or come in contact with. How will …
“There will be lying religious teachers among you.” ~Apostle Peter
Being a religious teacher doesn’t mean you are telling the truth about Jesus. This stuns me but I must learn …
“There are a lot of smooth-talking charlatans loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus the Messiah was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being.” ~Apostle John
As a follower of Jesus the Messiah, I have to be careful. There are ministers who are charlatans and frauds. …
“Give the government what is theirs, and give God what is his.” ~Jesus
It is important for me not to confuse my obligations to my country and my obligations to God. God expects …
“On the other hand, perhaps it is new, freshly minted as it is in both the Messiah and you—the darkness on its way out and the True Light already blazing!” ~~Apostle John
I like hearing about the “new thing”. What is the shiny new object? Truth is not new. Truth is eternal. …
“God picked you out as his from the very start.” ~Apostle Paul
I should never lack for anything to pray about. I can thank God, all day long, for my family, friends, …
What is God up to? When you’re down to nothing God’s up to Something!
Here is a truth I need to remember. When there’s NOTHING left I can do about a situation I need to remember …
“Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love.” ~Apostle John
I must be diligent in living out the truth of God’s commandment. I must be consistent and not waiver. I …
“I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best.” ~Apostle Paul
When I have changed my mind (repented), I need to fill my mind with the right things. What should I …
“My aim is to raise hopes by pointing the way to life without end.” ~Apostle Paul
I am God’s slave. Jesus is my Master and he owns me. This has happened because of what Jesus did …
“We keep everything we do and say out in the open.” ~Apostle Paul
God is open and plainly shares truth with us. God has given us good news and made it known without …
“We do not have the excuse of ignorance.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus challenges us to live a completely new life. There is nothing in the old life that is worthy of …
“Exactitude is not truth.” ~Henri Matisse
I appreciate the facts. I love data and analyzing it for conclusions. There is a very precise world out there. …
“An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.” ~Winston Churchill
Should we just agree with someone to appease them and keep the peace? Jesus challenges us to speak the truth …
“There are a lot of lying religious leaders loose in the world.” ~Apostle John
My natural inclination is to trust ministers and the clergy. The Apostle John advises otherwise. He knows that there are …
“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. ~Galileo Galilei
Jesus, the Messiah, challenges us to know that he is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus wants us …
“As a businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth.” ~John Whittier
Truth is the great advantage of any business person. People are seeking after the authentic. The marketplace responds to leadership …
Are we rearrainging the deck chairs on the Titanic as the band plays on?
They didn’t think it could happen but it did. How often does that happen? We believe something that isn’t true. …
“Take on an entirely new way of life working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” ~Apostle Paul
How is my attitude these days? Is it focused on the new agreement we have with our Father? Am I …
“The very one who argued you down, will sometimes be found, years later, to have been influenced by what you said.” ~C. S. Lewis
We never know the influence our words may have when God is moving in someone’s life. His words don’t return …
Remember the early days when we first came to Jesus?
We should remember the early days when we first came to Jesus, the Messiah, and saw the truth. Those were …
“But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is!” ~Apostle Paul
There are many mysteries with God. But His reality is plain enough. All anyone has to do is open their …
Faith is an act. I will say yes to God. I will go even though I don’t know the destination.
God is asking me to move on. I don’t know where but Jesus does. My job is to go, even if …
“The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.” ~~King Solomon
The wise are so powerful in what the say. It is like the very old ad on TV, “When ABC …
“They think religion is a way to make a fast buck.” ~Apostle Paul
Worth watching this short video. Religion is not a way to make a fast buck. How much is enough? Bread …
“Love doesn’t fly off the handle.” ~Apostle Paul
Here is a concept to be considered. Our Father is absolutely perfectly in love with me. He isn’t, can’t, won’t …
“Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.” ~King Solomon
When we think of leaders, how often do we think of love and truth? That should become our normal criteria. …
Transform a life in a moment #goeverywhere2015 #whyibelieve
Imagine Christians all over the world, standing together in a single moment in time, declaring their faith. Imagine millions receiving the …
What is the new plan?
So God had an old plan before the new one. It was the plan based on following lots of rules …
“My word that goes out from my mouth will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” ~God
God has a purpose in what He says to me. There is something He has in mind to accomplish. And, …
“The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.” ~Frederick Douglass
We think a lot about who to elect to office. How about people of combine the virtues of honesty, …
“I will not forget you!” ~God
I see it! I lean in. God holds His hand out to me. My name is carved into the palm of …
“God determined the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene.” ~Apostle Paul
Is this the latest, most faddish message? No, God doesn’t deal in fads. His message of Good News to us …
“We’re writing hoping that you’ll now see the whole picture as well as you’ve seen some of the details.” ~~Apostle Paul
We hear a lot about seeing the “big picture”. The Apostle Paul clearly got that. He realized it is easy …
“Whatever the Father does the Son also does.” ~Jesus
Jesus promises that I will do even greater things than He did. So … how is this possible? Well, I …
"My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into trouble." ~~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to be radically different from most Christians and religious types of people. It will get us in …
"God’s truth judges created things out of love, and Satan’s truth judges them out of envy and hatred." ~~Dietrich Bonhoeffer
God is love. Jesus challenges us to love God and to love everyone else we know or meet. God’s truth …
