Prayer Journal

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

I'm sure the preacher failed to choose the right word to get his message out. He just couldn't have meant what he said. Yeah, that's what it was. It must have been bad communication - no way it was an open lie from the pulpit. Why, we wouldn't stand for such a thing... It was then that I heard a few muffled "amens" echo off the walls and I realized: either no one truly heard what he said, or they believed his nonsense or no one, including me was willing to stand up and refute it openly.

I've always considered the church pulpit to be a sacred place, a place where only the word of God is spoken and because of that, a place where you expect to hear the truth proclaimed - and nothing but the truth. But sadly, I'm afraid when compromise creeps in, lying creeps aren't far behind.

Do lying "Christians" give you a problem? Then you likely have a similar problem with hypocrites, because a liar professing Christ is more than a hypocrite, his biggest lie is the one he's telling himself about his salvation. You see, you aren't saved if you think you continue to speaks lies with impunity. Scripture says more than once that heaven has no liars. Proverbs tells us "he who pours out lies will perish." (19:9)

Perhaps you've heard it before: "I'll never be a Christian. I've seen to many hypocrites to believe there's a God in heaven." Granted - most of the people using that excuse are doing so because they refuse to address God's expectation of them. It's called denial and no, it's not a river in Egypt! Too many people think refusing to hear truth relieves them of responsibility for ignoring it.

Are you in denial? Are hypocrites keeping you from being what God expects you to be? I have good news for you. No one is a bigger hypocrite and liar than you are. You are your own worse enemy if you use that excuse and think it holds water.

Liar, liar - pants on fire! That rhyme from our youth has a lot of truth in it, I think. Do you have a problem with lying? If so, you need to check and make sure the Holy Spirit is living in you. Why? A person who continues to lie because they think God turns the other cheek is deceiving themselves and that fact makes them a hypocrite. But now you know: the terms hypocrite and liar are synonymous and interchangeable, while the term, "Christian" is an opposing term. The terms hypocrite and liar describe someone who is lost and perishing outside the grace of God. I trust that's not you.

Just Thinkin'... WebServant

Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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I'll pray today for...
* My spouse
* My children
* Their friends
* My friends
* My employer
* My city
* My country
* Civic leaders
* Schools
* Teachers

* The sick
* The lost
* Those in despair
* The hospitalized
* The grieving
* Widows
* Orphans

* My church
* My pastor
* Church leaders
* Other churches
* Persecuted church
* Missionaries
* Myself