WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DECEMBER 18, 2024
TOPIC: DON’T LIVE A LIE
BY T. O. BANSO
“Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie” (Revelation 22:15 New Living Translation).
The pastor was unaware he had been passing in front of the church for some time, and that one of the messages, “You must be born again”, inscribed on one of the banners had convicted him. On this particular day, he decided to enter the church. He had no intention of attending the service when he left home.
He strolled into the church during the Bible study session, dressed casually, and had no joy written on his face. He was an adult and, therefore, nobody would expect anyone to have forced him to go to church to warrant the sadness on his face. David said he was glad when they told him, “Let us go to the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1). But this young man appeared unhappy to be in church.
He entered the church without a Bible or writing material, confirming that the church was not his original destination. He was attentive throughout the service and stayed behind to see the pastor. The pastor’s discussion with him showed he was an intelligent young man who had gone astray.
He was a university undergraduate studying one of the professional courses in the sciences but was living a lie. He was a good boy at home but a bad boy on campus. He came to the town, where the church was located, from a different part of the country. He went to the city in pursuit of an ungodly cause, which her mother, who is a Christian, would have vouched that her son would never engage in. His father was living outside the country oblivious of the destructive life of his son.
When he came to that church, he had not attended lectures or written any examinations at his university for two years. Nevertheless, he was collecting money from home, giving the impression that he was still on campus as a student.
The parents thought he was making progress in his academics and would soon graduate nut was busy engaging in criminal activities with his gang whose tentacles spread across the nation. He confessed that his mother saw him as a good boy and would never believe anyone who associated him with any of the ungodly activities he was involved in.
The terrible dreams he had been having before then about his imminent death forced him to come to church. Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25 say there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death. This young man didn’t want to die and each time he passed and saw the banner in front of the church, there was the urge to return to the God her mother was serving as a member of a leading Pentecostal church in the country. Before he left that evening, he gave his life to Jesus but he did not leave any information behind for the pastor to follow him up as he promised to leave the town that evening.
There are many people like this intelligent young man who are living a lie. According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, to live a lie means, “to live in a way that is dishonest because you are pretending to be something that you are not, to yourself or other people.” This boy pretended to be a good boy at home
Those who live a lie deceive themselves and others. In other words, someone who lives a lie is a liar. The Bible says all liars will have their portion in a lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). Those who live a lie have no place in the eternal city, the New Jerusalem. “Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie” (Revelation 22:15 New Living Translation). Note the phrase “all who love to live a lie.” The New King James Version says, “Whoever loves and practices a lie.”
Don’t live a lie. Many people do this to impress others. Some do it to take advantage of others. They lie about themselves, saying they are what they are not. They name-drop. They claim to own what belongs to others so that people would have high regard for them. I heard someone went as far as taking photographs of another person’s house, and posted them online claiming to be the owner! Wasn’t that stupid? Imagine a driver driving his boss’ car around and posing to deceive a lady that the car belongs to him. Don’t pretend to be what you’re not. Be authentic; be real.
A businessman, student, minister, etc. can live a lie. Anybody can. But make up your mind not to live a lie. Be true to yourself and others. Don’t pretend to be another person. Don’t lie about your academic qualifications, congregation, profession or career, income, etc. I once heard about someone pretending to be the son of a wealthy person just because his surname and the man’s name were the same. He disowned his father to be accepted or respected by people!
Don’t live a lie. Another word for whoever lives a lie is a hypocrite. Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28 New King James Version). The scribes and Pharisees pretended to be what they were not intending to deceive the people. Hypocrites! The Greek word for hypocrite is hupokrites, which means an actor or a stage player. Hypocrites are not real.
Satan is a super actor, a hypocrite! His servants are also. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, “But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve” (New Living Translation). They are pretenders, impostors; they’re not real.
Jesus warns His followers to beware of false prophets, who come to people in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). That means they are not what they pretend to be. They will easily deceive people who don’t know them well. How does one know them?
Jesus says you will know them by their fruits (verse 16a). Don’t be deceived by their dress or smooth talk; watch the way they act. The New Living Translation says, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act” (verse 16a). The New Century Version says, “You will know these people by what they do.”
In Matthew 24:4-5, Jesus, talking about the signs of the times and the end of the age, says, “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (New King James Version). That’s pretence or deceit. It’s living a lie.
In verse 11, He says many false prophets will rise and deceive many. Furthermore, in verse 24, He warns that false christs and prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mark 13:22 records the same thing. Don’t live a lie and don’t be deceived by those who live a lie. You have been forewarned.
Also, Paul deals with the problem of false teachers in the church. They will present themselves as real but they are not. Paul warns the Ephesian elders, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:29-30 New King James Version). Don’t live a lie. Don’t be a false teacher or false prophet, and don’t follow them. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Do you know that long after God had rejected Saul as the king of Israel in 1 Samuel 13:14, he continued to sit on the throne, ruling and even leading Israel to war? But as far as God was concerned, he was no longer the king. When God rejected him, he was no longer recognized as king. He became an impostor. Unfortunately, the real king, David, became a fugitive, running away from Saul, who wanted to kill him.
In 1 Samuel 16:13, the Spirit of the LORD came on David immediately after he was anointed in his father’s house as the king. But verse 14 says the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit or an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. Before he died in the war with the Philistines, 1 Samuel 28:5-6 says, “When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets” (New King James Version). Because he was desperate, he went to patronize a necromancer, witch, or medium. Saul had long ceased being the king as far as God was concerned.
Anyone whose way does not please the Lord should turn now from his evil way and amend his doings (Jeremiah 7:3; 26:13; 35:15) instead of living a lie. There could be many like that today. People might be celebrating them but God may have rejected them. Living a lie would take them nowhere except hell.
Don’t pretend to be holy; be holy. God says to be holy for He is holy (Leviticus 11:44; 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16). He doesn’t say to pretend to be holy. According to the Apostle Paul, among other things that people will do in the last days, “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (Timothy 3:5 New Living Translation). That’s an aspect of living a lie.
Jesus warns His disciples not to be contaminated with the yeast of the Pharisees – their lifestyle of hypocrisy. Nothing will be hidden forever. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops” (Luke 12:1b-3 New King James Version). Be real; don’t be fake. Don’t live a lie. Don’t be a hypocrite.
If you’re living a lie, stop it. Face the reality of your condition spiritually and in other aspects. God hates living a lie. He hates pretence. He told the house of Israel, “I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies” (Amos 5:21 New Living Translation). Lay aside all deceit and hypocrisy just as you repent of other sins in your life (1 Peter 2:1).
Don’t live a lie. Don’t pretend to be what you are not. Don’t be living with some secret sins in your life and pretending you’re holy. People may not know but God knows. One day, your sin will find you out – you will be punished for your sin (Numbers 32:23). Everything that is now hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light (Mark 4:22).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I repent of all deceit in my life. I shall not live a lie anymore. Holy Spirit, I yield the control of my life to You. My life as a Christian shall no more be a mere pretence. The Spirit of truth shall guide my conduct henceforth.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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