AfterThoughts: March 31, 2019
March 31, 2019
“True To Your Word”
This week, Dr. Bill Johnston continued the “Sermon On The Mount” series. Re-read those verses as you consider these questions.
- Are there areas of your life where your external appearance and your internal reality don’t match? What are they? How are you using your external appearance to hide internal lies/deception?
- In Matthew 5:33, what was the commandment that was corrupted? What do Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12, and Numbers 30:2 tell us about how we should invoke the name of the Lord?
- Think about someone whose words you cannot trust. Why don’t you trust what they say? What about your own words…can they be trusted? Why or why not?
- How do Jesus’ words correct the “misinformation” we get from the world and our culture? What is the best way to know Jesus’ words?
In your time with God this week,
1. Thank God for His Word that clearly shares His heart and character.
2. Ask God to show you the areas of your life where you are lying/deceiving yourself and others.
3. Commit to examine your own words this week and become more like Christ is your speech.
ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY:
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil." - Matthew 5:33-37
"It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep." - Psalm 127:2
"Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue." - Psalm 120:2
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." - Exodus 20:7
"You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord." - Leviticus 19:12
"If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth." - Numbers 30:2
"But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation." - James 5:12
"For Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;" - 1 Peter 3:10
“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." - Colossians 3:9-10
"Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." - Ephesians 4:25