Joe White Drive Time Podcast

"We look back at the century that proceeded the 20th first century. We looked back at the 50 some of us that are old like me, and it was an age of rock and roll. And then we see the 60s is a decade of drugs. The 70s were the decade of hard rock. The 80's the decade of acid rock and punk rock. But the 90's those of us who remember, uh, it was the, it was the decade where the public learned that lying has no consequences."

Family Discussions:

1. Why does God hate lying?
2. Why is telling the truth so vital in good family relationships?
3. What do you and I need to do just as far as confessing our sins for lies that have been told?
4. How do we need to turn that around and become a dad, become a mom to become a friend who always tells the truth?

Transcription:

00:14 If there's one, three letter word, it has to be the most hated word in all the English languages, it's this one. But there's another side of the coin of this word and the other side of the coin is a word that people love more in relationships than any other. The word of truth. And I want to tell you about that truth today. We're in Hebrews chapter six verses 13 through 18. Listen to this. This is awesome. "For when God made the promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself" Isn't that great? "I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you. If so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise for men swear by one greater than themselves and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end to every dispute. In the same way, God desiring even more to show to the heirs of promise, the unchangeableness of his power interest post with an oath so that by two unchangeable things in which is impossible for God to lie in which it is impossible for God to lie.

01:18 We who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope that is set before us." This is one thing that's impossible for God. And you know, always, we look back at the century that proceeded the 20th first century. We looked back at the 50 some of us that are old like me, and it was an age of rock and roll. And then we see the 60s is a decade of drugs. The 70s were the decade of hard rock. The 80's the decade of acid rock and punk rock. But the 90's those of us who remember, uh, it was the, it was the decade where the public learned that lying has no consequences. We turned on our television and we'd see the famous trials of the great football player who won the Heisman trophy and then we'd see the trials of a president who was caught in, lies with ladies that worked for him and, and you, and you know what?

02:11 These were our heroes. Our nation's heroes in athletics, in politics that we could watch for hours on CNN and Fox and look directly into the camera and through the mouths of their attorneys tell lie after lie and bend truth to the breaking point. And, you know, we thought, man, if our leaders can lie, you know, why are we bound to tell the truth. And folks, before you point your fingers too much at those two people look in the mirror and, you know, we could see the same thing happening in us. I can't point the finger and I hope you can't either, but you know what, in a relationship where love really matters if you don't have trust, you know, you don't have anything. You know what I trust my wife and my kids, you know, and they trust me, you know, they're my best friends and our family sticks together like glue because there's trust in our family.

03:08 You know, I know when I look into their eyes that I could see trust personified. You know, I trust them with everything I've got, you know, uh, when we've had problems, you know, in this area, in our relationship, maybe we've corrected them and then we moved on. Because without truth that a family, a family doesn't have a family, you know, and by the grace of God, that's why our family's tight. Integrity is in everything. Secondly, man, you know, God is our only true hero in if he sets the standard for truth, you know, he could build or destroy the universe with a word. He could mold a man out of, out of a lump of clay and he can mold a woman out of that man's rib but there's one thing that God cannot do and you can do anything but God cannot lie.

03:55 And when he says your sins are forgiven, you can take it to the bank. When he says you're his child. You can bet your life on him. When he says that he has a wonderful plan for your life and you can count on it. You know, there are 8,000 promises in the Bible for you as a child of God. And all 8,000 are coming and will come true. He gave his son to prove that he gave his son to prove that he's a person of his word. You know what? And telling the truth is our response to that, the most incredible truth ever told. And here is the questions for the day. Why does God hate lying? Why is telling the truth so vital in good family relationships? And then the last question today is what do you and I need to do just as far as confessing our sins for lies that have been told? And then how do we need to turn that around and become a dad, become a mom to become a friend who always tells the truth?

"Paul says here to be sure you're ready to go every single day."

Family Discussion:

• How does this pop quiz today keep you ready for the final test?
• How can you know for sure that you're going to pass the final test?

Transcription:

00:04 Today I want to tell you about one of the most memorable college professors, but I want to tell you more importantly about one of my most memorable bible verses. In fact, there's a Bible verse that you and I need to have tattooed on our eyelids so that every time we blink we see it. It's in Second Corinthians chapter 13, verses 5-6. And it says this, "examine yourselves to see whether you're in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Otherwise, of course you will fail the test, and I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." Those pop quizzes; studying medicine with average brains in college and playing football with average talent in college was brutal for me. The only thing that was worse than getting beat up by a national championship team on Saturday was getting beat up by my organic chemistry teacher.

01:09 My professor, Dr. Harold Jeske, was a master at giving pop quizzes and exposing my lack of studying discipline on test day. He was at his best and I was at my worst. When from out of nowhere, we get these, these missiles, these pop quizzes that would land right in the middle of our desk, a dreaded pop quiz from the great master, as we called him. I trashed so many of them, I can't count, but you know what? Scripture is clear when it gives the warning that we should give ourselves pop quizzes. In fact, today to give ourselves a pop quiz to make sure we'll pass the final exam. We never know when the final exam is coming. There are surprise accidents that kill people of all ages every day. But Paul says here, "be sure you're ready to go every single day." So think to yourselves and make sure you get all the following questions answered correctly.

02:13 Here's a little pop quiz today. Number one and most important, do you have a personal relationship with Christ? First John 1:12 says, "if you receive him, he'll make you a child of God." Secondly, does he really live in your heart? Revelation 3:20 says, "I'm staying at the door knocking and you can go open the door and I'll let you in." John 3:3 asks this question, "have you been born again?" Have you been spiritually rejuvenated by the spirit of Christ coming into your heart? Is your faith real? Is it a living faith? Galatians 5:22 asks, does your faith produces fruit? James asked this: are faith and works both alive in your heart? Does your faith in Christ produce the fruit of Christian living? Then this question on your pop quiz: Does your love for Jesus make you want to obey him in every area of your life? And then this pop quiz from 1 John 1:9, when you fail, which we all do (probably me more than anybody) do you ask him for forgiveness? And do you sincerely turn to him from that sin and walk in the opposite direction?

03:29 And the questions today to take it home. How does this pop quiz today keep you ready for the final test? If it comes as soon as you walk out of the door, as soon as you get in your car, as soon as you head to the office, how does it make you succeed and pass the final exam? And then lastly, how can you know for sure that you're going to pass the final test? And the thought for the day is this: If you do well on the pop quiz, you'll do well on the final exam.

"I've got a good friend and I'm kind of a second dad to this friend. And she was one beautiful little girl. She trained in acting. She had an agent. She went to Hollywood. And you know what? She never really got a part other than a few little support parts because she wouldn't read the scripts. The scripts were full of trash and because of her good looks. They wanted to put her in movies and TV shows that honestly we're against her relationship with God."

Family Discussions:

1. Can you think of a way in your life that you're not living honestly before God right now?
2. What is it that God's telling you that you need to change in your life so that you can be truly honest with him?
3. What about leaving a false impression? What about telling half of the truth and not all of the truth?
4. What's God saying to your heart about that today?

Transcription:

00:14 I think today's passage is going to encourage you in one of the most difficult things in the whole wide world. The context is in the book of Acts. It's the days of the early church. And in that day, all the Christians had banded together because of all the pressure and they decided to give everything that they had. And they all begin to live off of the community wealth. And um, and here's what happens. And by the way, the issue on this one is not money. The issue is honesty. But in verse one it says this, "but a man named Ananias with his wife's Sapphira sold a piece of property and they kept back some of the price for himself with his wife's full knowledge. And bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles feet. But Peter said, and Ananias has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the piece of the land while it remained unsold?

01:11 Did it not remain your own and after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God. And as he heard these words and Ananias fell down and breathe his last and great fear came over all who heard it? The young man got up and covered him up and after carrying him out, they buried him." Um, I admire honest people. I've got a good friend, in fact, I'm kind of a second dad to this friend. And she was one beautiful little girl. She trained in acting. She had an agent. She went to Hollywood. And you know what? She never really got a part other than a few little support parts because she wouldn't read the scripts. You know, the scripts were full of trash and because of her good looks, they wanted to put her in movies and TV shows that, um, that honestly we're against her relationship with God.

02:13 She just couldn't be honest and take those scripts. So she never got one. She eventually left Hollywood. And I don't think she has any regrets about that. I have another friend who is a very, uh, noted athlete. He was offered $100,000 by a beer company to do a commercial for their beer. And he said, I don't care what you pay me. I'm not doing a commercial for your beer. I don't like your beard. I don't believe in it. And I'm not going to do that. Um, I see kids, I mean, in fact, you know what? I see lots of kids in our sports camp. I mean, some of the kids that I had admired with all my heart. They'll be in a relationship. A girl being in a relationship with a guy, and they'll realize in the middle of the relationship that that relationship's not going to honor God.

02:57 And they'll go home and they'll break up with that person because they know that relationships not the truth. That relationship would be living a lie. Um, I think they're the heroes. I think they're the heroes of this country and the heroes of this world because they're going to tell the truth. They're going to tell the truth of their life, and they're going to tell the truth with the way they walk their talk. Let me ask you a question today. Can you think of a way in your life that you're not living honestly before God right now? Let the Holy Spirit examine your heart. And I know, man, if you, if you're like me, boy, you can just, uh, you can just be really honest with God and you don't have to fear one thing. Uh, what is it that God's telling you that you need to change in your life so that you can be truly honest with him?

03:46 And then let me ask you a more difficult question. What about leaving a false impression? You know, what about telling half of the truth and not all of the truth? Um, what's God saying to your heart about that today? And here's a lifeline today, uh, as you searched your heart, um, especially in your relationships with your family. Um, tell the truth with them. Be honest with them, even if it means that you're going to have to humble yourself and get on your knees and say you're sorry and watch over the long haul, those relationships heal.