Lies – Kawaiahaʻo Church

Self-deception – Lies, Mistakes

Kawaiahaʻo Church — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0000

“Be not deceived; God has not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall

he also reap. For him that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;

but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Galatians 6:7-8 KJV

https://www.bible.com/1/gal.6.7-8.kjv

This passage is so clear. The flesh is weak.

Did you know it’s easy to deceive ourselves? I can count many times in my life

when I would talk myself into sin by creating a false rationalization. Here

are some of my favorites:

1. It’s ok to tell a lie to save someone’s feelings. After all, what’s a little white lie

if the lie is to serve good?

2. Wow! It’s so nice when my homosexual son shacks up with another man. God

needs to get with the times. If the Bible was written today, God would change

His mind in what He said. Hey, everyone is shacking up so it must be ok with

God.

3. I’m actually enjoying watching adultery and murder on TV. It’s ok because

they are only actors.

4. Swearing about God in music is ok too. Come on, it’s only a song!

5. Those violent video games where I shoot innocent people are ok. It’s just a

game!

God will not be mocked. God knows everything you do. Excuses or ways to

deceive yourself to think sin is fine will not fly with God. Yes, I know a few

people who tell me to lighten up on this. Sadly, they are deceiving themselves

too. Today, I think I’m going to pray and ask God to reveal any actions I truly self-

deceived and don’t remember anymore. I am sure there are many. I need to

review them and ask God for forgiveness. I may not be able to control the

actions and rationale of others but I can control my actions. I am going to stop

mocking God by deceiving myself that sin is ok. Jesus is the same yesterday,

today, and forever.

by Kent Brosh a Kawaiaha’o Blog Contributor

Alberta, Canada

Trust the Heart? – Lies, Reflection

Kawaiahaʻo Church — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 04:19:00 +0000

““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”

Jeremiah 17:9-10 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/jer.17.9-10.NKJV

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,”

Mark 7:21 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.7.21.NKJV

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Genesis 6:5 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/gen.6.5.NKJV

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/ezk.36.26-27.NKJV

I am often reminded of the common phrases given to me by deceived believers who visit me. Many tell me to pray on their truths and listen to my heart. The Bible is clear that our hearts are wicked so how can it be trusted? I need to pray and ask God to first change my heart before I can trust it. My heart is corrupt at first until God transplants a new one.

If we can’t trust our hearts initially, what should we trust? The first source we can trust is the entire Word of God itself. This means we go to the source itself and pray to ask God to reveal His truths to you. The ask is broad to allow God to lead you to truth without any

preconceived notions. You need to clean out your virus filled operating system entirely and allow God to build an entirely new operating system through the Holy Spirit. Pray and ask God that you do not know the truth as the world is swimming in deception. Ask Him to show you in His Word and through opportunities to take you by the hand and lead. I have prayed this early on as a Christian and boy did He lead me to the truth! He gave me a bonus by showing me and continuing to show me the deception traps through His Word. That’s one of the main reasons God gives you the Holy Spirit.

So, when you are approached by those deceived who tell you to trust your heart, share the above passages with them. Show them how the heart is wicked and in need of transplantation by God first before it can be trusted. Tell them that they need to first look beyond the heart to reach the truth. Show them that Satan deceives and they need God to take their hand and lead them. Above all, share these verses with them:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

I John 4:1-3 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.4.1-3.NKJV

“I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’ “Rain down,

you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.”

Isaiah 45:5-8 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.45.5-8.NKJV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.2.8-10.NKJV

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Romans 8:5-8 NKJV

https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.8.5-8.NKJV

So, when you are approached by other “believers”, ask the key test questions:

1. In your belief, Who exactly is God?

2. In your belief, Who exactly is Jesus Christ?

3. In your belief, how do you get salvation?

Check the answers with the Bible and share your findings. God is three persons and one God. Jesus was man and God. There are no other Gods. You cannot become a God. Jesus came to pay for all the sins of true believers through His death a resurrection. You are saved by grace alone. It is a gift from God if you accept it. You need to respond to God and get to know Him and that requires daily prayer and reading. There is Heaven and Hell and nothing in between. The Bible is black and white and is well balanced with “blessed” and “woe”. One understands the Word of God through the Holy Spirit. Understanding is God lead and inspired and not based on human understanding or any preconceived ideas or planted thoughts.

I pray that you not only make disciples of new believers but help those deceived get back on the narrow road towards Christ.

by Kent Brosh a Kawaiaha’o Blog Contributor

Alberta, Canada

Helping a Sinner – Lies, Mistakes, Saved

Kawaiahaʻo Church — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 06:24:00 +0000

“This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.””

https://www.bible.com/114/jhn.8.6-11.nkjv

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

https://www.bible.com/114/jas.5.19-20.nkjv

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”

https://www.bible.com/114/jud.1.22-23.nkjv

Working with the Disabled who have mental health issues, I had to learn how to change behavior. Frankly, what I have learned has mainly come from the Bible. This approach actually works in many situations when one wants someone to change for the better. This approach even works when you are having loving discussions with those lost from Christ or deceived away from Christ.

The three key concepts are:

1. Do not condemn and be generous with forgiveness:

We are all sinners. When Jesus was writing on the sand, He was actually writing each Sin down that the accusers committed (John 8: 6-8). His point was they are just as guilty of Sin as the one they are accusing. Jesus told the woman He does not condemn her either (so she is justified) but do not sin again (repent and sanctify).

2. Be humble and compassionate (All 3 verses) :

When approaching and talking with others, always separate the person from the behavior or destructive thoughts. We all make mistakes. Understand their rationale, mirror their thinking by rephrasing what they said, asking good questions and respond with a thought provoking answer. I find many times, I simply plant a seed of rationale and let God do the rest. When you turn a brother or sister, you are doing God’s work and saving a soul.

3. In extreme situations, take control (Jude 1 passage): When I have had a person raging out of control, I need to take the bull by the horns. I have been known to give firm, short, directive conversations on serious, life threatening behavior. However, I am quick to turn back to humility and compassion once the other person gains back their rationality. Think of how the police operate. When they are in the heat of the incident, they are very directive. However, once things cool down, they become more civil and respectful.

by Kent Brosh a Kawaiaha’o Blog Contributor

Alberta, Canada