You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor




Exodus 20:16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.





Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #267 ‘Tis the Promise of God (#201 in previous version)





 What you think is who you are. Your thoughts influence the way you think, and this turns into your ideology. It reaches into the conscious, subconscious and unconscious levels, and later takes root in your soul. That is why your thoughts determine everything. There are times when we lie as we live our lives. The Bible teaches us not to lie because this will influence our spiritual state. If you want to be freed from a spiritual state of deceit, you must understand a few things first.





1. You must see the facts
 Joseph didn’t shake before problems or suffering because he saw the facts. On the other hand, his brothers didn’t see the facts and went blind with envy, selling their brother as a slave, and lying about it. If lying comes easy to you, gossipping about others will also be easy, and your inconsideration for others will lead to trouble. If you don’t see the facts, the things you think are correct will turn out to be incorrect. When you don''t see the facts, your whole life can easily become a lie. Therefore, we must be real to others, real to ourselves and real regarding the future. If you stand before your conscience you will see the Gospel, and if you stand before God you will know how important evangelism and missions are.





2. Be truthful before the spiritual facts
 If you truly know what people are, you also know the Gospel. If you don’t take root in the Gospel, your past will become a snare at a critical moment. Many people chase after success, but fail because they are ignorant of the spiritual facts. The Gospel is a spiritual reality. You cannot see it. That is why it is important to correctly understand the Gospel within God’s Word and the mystery of prayer. What is seen was not made out of what was visible (Heb 11:3). Though we cannot visibly see the salvation that comes through Christ, Satan’s persistent trickery, and the angels of God who run His errands, these are all spiritual facts that our physical lives are built on. If you are truthful before these things, you won’t have to lie. We can also save our neighbors. When you place God’s Word in your heart and mind, the Holy Spirit will begin to work. Lay all your lies down before God and present yourself before Him, and pray sincerely. You will experience the answers that will save yourself, the field and the future generations.
 





● Forum Topic - Are you truthful before people, yourself, the future and spiritual facts? Examine yourself before God so you can receive grace to save other people, yourself, and the field. Then enter into the blessing of sincere prayer.






Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 1st Service / 2009.9.13