Are You for Real?

Have you ever told anyone something that was just too good to be true and they responded with, “Are you for real?” Maybe they just looked at you like you were crazy! Whatever the case, they were trying to determine if you were telling them the truth or not. How important is telling the truth? Let's find out!

Do you know the difference between the real McCoy and a fake? A Chinese boy who wanted to learn about jade went to study with a talented old teacher. This gentle man put a piece of the precious stone into his hand and told him to hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour he took back the stone and sent the boy home. The procedure was repeated for several weeks. The boy became frustrated. When would he be told about the jade? He was too polite, however, to question the wisdom of his venerable teacher. Then one day, when the old man put a stone into his hands, the boy cried out instinctively, 'That's not jade!'" [H. Robinson, Biblical Preaching.]

What lesson do you think the gentle man was trying to instill in this young boy? If it was being able to tell the real think from a fake, then his lesson was very effective. We need lessons like this in our lives so that we will not fall prey to that which is not real.

An estimated 10,000 physicians have phony foreign medical degrees that brought one broker of fraudulent diplomas $1.5 million over three years, a congressional panel was told Friday. Claude Pepper, Democrat-Florida, said many American citizens may be receiving medical treatment from doctors who lied on their medical school loan applications, and used the money not to go to school but to pay a broker for fake documents claiming they completed school and training. Pedro DeMesones, now serving a three-year prison sentence for mail fraud and conspiracy, told the panel that in three years of "expediting" medical degrees, he provided about 100 clients with false transcripts showing they had fulfilled medical requirements of schools they didn't attend. "Clients paid me from $5225 to $27,000 for my services, " DeMesones said. "In all I earned about $1.5 million in those three years. I only got to keep about $500,000 of this total. The rest went for bribes and expenses." [Spokesman Review, December 8, 1984.]

Do you feel like maybe you have been to see some of these doctors? There are fakes everywhere and how do we tell the real from the false! Maybe we have to learn the hard way sometimes but once that happens we should start doing our due diligence by doing some research. We realize how important this is to our physical welfare but what about our spiritual welfare? Have you given that any consideration at all?

There is false or counterfeit religion out there and you need to stay far, far away from it. You will find false Christs (Matt. 24:24); false ministers (2 Cor. 11:14, 15); false Christians (Gal. 2:3, 4); and false teachers and apostles (2 Pet. 2:1) also. What we want to make sure of is that we do not fall into any of these counterfeit categories ourselves. Are you for real? Only you and God know the answer to that question. Just remember that the truth will find you out!

In Christian love,

Are YOU An Honest Person?

The word honest means nothing more than being in a state of uprightness. One would think this would be a very easy position to achieve and hold on to through life. But is it? In order to be an honest person, you have to be honest with yourself.

 

Being honest is a necessity for the Christian person. It is a means of testimony. Peter said to some Jewish Christians that they must abstain from fleshly lusts so that their conducts would be honorable among the Gentiles. If they were talked about as being evil doers, their good works would speak louder and their accusers would glorify God (1Pet. 2:11-12). Just remember that people are paying attention to our actions. Paul, speaking to the church in Corinth, told them that their being honest was obligatory since they were Christians (2 Cor. 13:7). We have been sanctified, therefore our conducts must reflect the change. Others will see the difference, maybe not at first, but they will see that there is something very different about you and that it is good.

Being honest is the sign of a righteous person. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper (Ps. 1:1-3).

Not only is honesty or being honest a necessity, there are blessings to be received by having such conduct. One such blessing is that it makes the honest person acceptable with God. Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart... (Ps. 15:1-2).

Here is a list of honest people that you can be numbered with if you so desire to be honorable among men. Samuel had no fault found in him when he was about to confirm Saul as Israel's first king (1 Samuel 12:1-5). Zacchaeus was considered to be honest when he said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold (Luke 19:8). What about the apostle Paul? Did he not admit to being a persecutor of Jews? After he because a disciple for Jesus, he showed his honorable intentions by speaking the name of Jesus boldly, which gained him honor about the Jewish Christians and the Gentiles.

These are but a few of the honorable men we find in the holy scriptures. There are women that could mentioned as well, but you get the point. God can and does use individuals in His service that are both honest and honorable. Are you one of these people? God is looking for a few good men and women to help spread the gospel. Can he count on you to help fill his church? If so, be honest with those you come in contact with as you share this very important message. Honesty still is the best policy!

In Christian love,

Betrayed!

Have you ever felt betrayed? If you have, you know it is not a good feeling and it is very difficult to forgive the betrayer. Being betrayed means to be deceived, not by just anyone, but by someone near and dear to you. Someone whom you have trusted and put confidence in knowing they would never let you down. These people pretended to be your friend when all along they were your enemy. These types of relationships are very hard to get over and the hurt is to the bone. Here's a couple of people who knew what betrayal felt like.

No treachery is worse than betrayal by a family member or friend. Julius Caesar knew such treachery. Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 was Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he had favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, Caesar first resisted the onslaught of the assassins. But when he saw Brutus among them with his dagger drawn, Caesar ceased to struggle and, pulling the top part of his robe over his face, asked the famous question, "You too, Brutus?" [Today in the Word, August 13, 1992.] 

 

William Tyndale, first translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English, making a Bible for the common people. In 1535 he was betrayed by a friend, taken prisoner to the castle of Vilford, and continued to work on his translation. He was unable to finish his work because he was sentenced to die a heretic's death: Strangulation and burning at the stake. On October 6, 1536 he cried out his last words. [Source Unknown].

 

In Joshua 9:22 we learn that the Israelites were betrayed by the Gibeonites. Remember Samson? He was betrayed by Delilah (Judges 16:18-20). In 1 Samuel we read of the woman of En Dor being betrayed by Saul.

Betrayal is not a new act. It has been going on since the creation of mankind. This morning we discuss two of the more familiar ones in God's word as we discover “Double Agents In Our Midst.”

In Christian love,

Are You A Doubter?

Let me meet you on the mountain, Lord,Just once.
You wouldn't have to burn a whole bush.
Just a few smoking branches
And I would surely be ...your Moses.

Let me meet you on the water, Lord,Just once.
It wouldn't have to be on White Rock Lake.
Just on a puddle after the annual Dallas rain
And I would surely be...your Peter.

Let me meet you on the road, Lord,Just once.
You wouldn't have to blind me on North Central Expressway.
Just a few bright lights on the way to chapel
And I would surely be...your Paul.

Let me meet you, Lord,Just once.
Anywhere. Anytime.
Just meeting you in the Word is so hard sometimesMust I always be...your Thomas?

(Norman Shirk, April 10, 1981, KQ (Dallas Seminary)

Can you relate to this poem? It would be safe to assume that most of us have a little Thomas within our moral fiber and we try our best to conceal him, but he keeps rearing his ugly head. Hopefully ALL doubt and fear will subside once you have listened and digested this morning's lesson from God's word. “How long will you falter between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21)

In Christian love,

Truly Born Again

Birth is a remarkable experience to say the least. The bringing in of new life explodes one's emotions and sets in motion a series of events that are truly life changing. To the mother it is a hardship, a relief and a joy all wrapped up in one precious bundle. To those that witness the event it is also a very joyous occasion and some would remark that it is a miracle. Truly God has given us a gift that is so precious to both the human and animal kingdoms. We are blessed to know that we can bring forth life after its own kind.

Just as the physical birth is so overwhelming, so is its spiritual counterpart, being “born again.” What exactly does this mean, being “born again?” First of all we know that it does not mean a physical rebirth. That is an impossible task, but it is a change that takes place from within, in which a person is set free from an old way of living and given a brand new life in Christ. We all remember the occasion between Christ and Nicodemus when Jesus told him that he needed to be “born again” in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Nicodemus responded with a very honest question, “How can a man be “born again” when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? (John 3:4) Of course Jesus responded, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'” (John 3:5, 6)

So, why is being “born again” so important? It is necessary in order to see the kingdom of God. This is not an earthly kingdom (John 18:36) but rather a kingdom that resides within a person (Luke 17:21). If you wish to be in the kingdom now and hereafter, you must be “born again.” To be in the kingdom is to be saved from the powers of darkness (Col. 1:13). In order to be saved, salvation requires a rebirth, a regeneration (Titus 3:5).

Are you truly “born again?” If so your are blessed. If you are not “born again,” then we want to assist you in coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You too may be asking the same questions as Nicodemus. The Bible has the answers to these and other questions and we would be blessed to share this good news with you today. Just remember, you might not have another chance to become a new creature in Christ, so why delay! Make this MOST important decision right now and begin living a life that has purpose and hope. God Bless!

In Christian love,