Tag: Truth

Devotionals

Speaking the Truth from Sincere Hearts

Loring Schultz

 “……speaking the truth from sincere hearts”. Psalm 15:2b NLT

“Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So, stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” Ephesians 4:24-25 NLT

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            According to the ‘Bright Futures’ website; “an average person lies 1-2 times per day, 60% of people lie at least once in a thirty-minute conversation, men lie 6 times a day on average while women lie 3 times a day on average, and politicians lie on average once every 5 minutes during a debate.” (1)  There are many other key lying statistics, but you get the point. Speaking the truth is not always automatic, and most likely doesn’t always come from a sincere heart.

            The preceding statistics on truth-telling may not be surprising to some, but couple that with today’s muddy definition of ‘truth’ and one will wonder if anything they hear from anybody is absolute truth. The Bible says Satan is a liar, in fact he is the father of lies, and has been a liar from the beginning. I believe it is safe to say that when we lie, we are participating with Satan’s deceptive practices. So how can we separate ourselves from the temptation to ‘not exactly tell the truth’ in whatever the occasion or circumstance?

            David in Psalm 15, describing ethical integrity and moral responsibility said to speak the truth from a sincere heart. Paul, the apostle, said to the early Christians in Asia Minor, “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Eph. 4:24 NLT) Receiving Jesus Christ as your savior gives you a new nature, the old is gone. (2 Cor. 5:17) We also have changed hearts, perceiving the world through the eyes and mind of Christ, along with the Holy Scriptures enabling us to have love and compassion with a sincere heart. “So, stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” (Eph. 4:25 NLT) And let us always be ‘speaking the truth from sincere hearts.’

Read: Psalm 15 NLT – Psalm 15 – A psalm of David. Who may – Bible Gateway

(1) 27+ Lying Statistics: The Truth About Lying (2023) (brightfuturesny.com)

Devotionals

Tell the truth

Loring Schultz

“But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.’” Acts 26:25 NASB

            When I was a young boy there were certain times I was afraid to tell the truth. These occasions were associated with something I had said or done wrong and telling the truth would have dire consequences for me in the form of punishment. Making up a good story was not an option; my parents would never buy it. They would know I wasn’t telling the truth. So out came the truth with the consequences of punishment along with it.   

            Today, many years later, telling the truth can still have consequences for me although not due to the same circumstances. The apostle Paul in his defense of the gospel said, “I am not out of my mind…….but I utter words of sober truth.” Today if we preach Jesus Christ, the true gospel message, even using His words we are sometimes accused of being irrational or “out of our minds.” We are accused of being insensitive, offensive, and narrow minded.

            One very important point to remember is that we are not making up a good story, we are telling a good story, the Greatest Story ever to be told. And we are commanded by Jesus Himself to tell the story (Mt.28:19-20.) Yes, there may be consequences, but Jesus promised never to leave us or forsake us (Heb.13:5.) Let us not be afraid of the consequences, Let us not be afraid to ‘Tell the Truth!’