HONESTY 5 - God can change cheaters.

Honesty 5 - English files

Ehrlichkeit 5 - German files

Devotional Thoughts about Luke 19:1-10

For Jews and others in the Roman world, publicans or tax collectors were considered the scum of society because of their corruption. Their universally-hated status is implicitly referred to most of the times they’re mentioned in the Bible. And among the publicans, Zacchaeus was a leader, and a rich one.

Publicans were also one of the people groups most interested in Jesus and His message (along with sinners and harlots). This was definitely true of Zacchaeus. When he did what it took to get a glimpse of Jesus on His visit to Jericho, he risked attracting unwanted attention and losing what dignity he may have had. He could hardly have expected the results.

As Jesus put it, salvation came to the publican’s house that day; his repentance was obvious. He was changed from a greedy hustler who’d worked the system to his own advantage to someone whose new values motivated him to contribute generously to the poor and reimburse his victims at the rate given in the law (see Exodus 22:1).

Lord, thank you for saving me and changing my life. Please help me trust You to keep changing me and others so we'll become more like You.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson files, simply click on the appropriate link above to download them in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. This blog conclude the Honesty series. The next topic will be Peace.

HONESTY 4 - Someone who deceives others will be deceived himself.

Honesty 4 - English files

Ehrlichkeit 4 - German files

Devotional Thoughts about Genesis Chapters 27-31 and Chapter 37

What a rogue Jacob must have been! Of all the people in the Bible, this patriarch, from whom the nation of Israel has descended and gets its name, is someone whose life clearly shows us the sordid reality and results of deceit. When Pharaoh asked his age (47:8,9), Jacob answered that his days had been "few and evil". Maybe he was remembering his brother’s hatred for him or the excruciating 20 years he’d spent grieving for his favorite son. Both situations had been caused by deceit.

Many of us have trouble compre­hen­ding why God chose to bless Jacob of all people and to make him a founding father of His people. Maybe one reason is to show us He can use and change anyone. The remaining chapters of Jacob’s history show us an altered man who believed God’s promises and was concerned with passing on what had been given to him.

When we’re tempted to cut corners and see what we can get away with, we probably don't often think of the reciprocal nature of deceit—and indeed of any sin (see 2 Timothy 3,13). The law of sowing and reaping can make an ugly family drama out of self-serving behavior or turn a secret affair into public ridicule (see 2 Samuel 12:11,12; 16:21,22).

Lord, help me live for You without scheming to get what I want.

 Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson files, simply click on the appropriate link above to download them in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next blog will conclude the Honesty series. 

HONESTY 3 - A white lie is still a lie.

Honesty - English file

Ehrlichkeit 3 - German file

Devotional Thoughts about Genesis 12:10-20 and Chapter 20

The main emphasis of these twin stories seems to be God showing egotistical kings that He is God, and they’d better keep their hands off of Abraham and Sarah. When their kingdoms suffered from plagues and infertility, those rulers clearly got the message and were anxious to back off, loading Abraham up with gifts to win his good favor.

But the elephant in the room is Abraham’s lie at the outset of each encounter. Even the man who was called the friend of God (James 2:23) succumbed to hedging the truth, as we all often do. The unflattering honesty of the Bible mirrors people’s true condition. The narrative doesn’t comment directly on the lies but records justified reproaches from both Pharaoh and Abimelech.

These examples of a white lie show that even before the middle of Genesis, the first Bible book, people had already begun refining sin, making it seem more reputable. The English term “white lie” implies purity of motive. "Notlüge", the German expression for the same thing,  indicates a situational justification, which is what Abraham claimed.

I sometimes catch myself rehearsing phrasing that I hope will put my actions in the best possible light. But God already knows my slightest thoughts and motives, and I need to remember that He’s the one to whom we’ll all answer (Hebrews 4:12,13). Lord, when I’ve lied or am tempted to lie, help me to notice, turn away from it and tell the truth for Your glory.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson file, simply click on the appropriate link above to download it in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next two blogs will continue the Honesty series. 

HONESTY 2 - You can't fool God.

Honesty 2 - English files 

Ehrlichkeit 2 - German files

By the way, the picture at the left shows the finished craft project belonging to this lesson. Instructions are included.

Devotional Thoughts about Acts 5:1-11

The account of Ananias and Saphira is quite unnerving. We’d constantly be having funerals if God judged each sin immediately. This story shows clearly that sin is still a problem in daily life for Christians—even for those active in church.

The couple hadn’t even done anything spectacularly awful by our standards. Who cared any­way how much money they’d gotten for their land or how much of it they gave to the church? It was nothing illegal. God’s issue with them was the discre­pancy between their actions and their own account of them. Peter said they’d lied to the Holy Ghost. It’s a sobering thought that God is the one wronged by our lies.

Lying is so common that most of us probably consider it to be the most innocuous of sins, but that’s not supported by the Bible; lying ranks in many of its lists of sins (for instance 1 Corinthians 6:10, 2 Timothy 3:3, Revelation 21:8). Jesus called the devil the father of lies (John 8:44). Lies often complicate other sins and spawn further lying in our attempts to cover them up.

Although we say we believe God is omniscient, we go to elaborate pains to hide our lies from others in daily life. We seem to forget that He’s the invisible, well-informed witness. (See Hebrews 4:13.) This story is a wake-up call to take God and sin seriously. Lord, help me keep coming to You again and again, asking for mercy and forgiveness.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson files, simply click on the appropriate link above to download them in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next blogpost and lesson will be the third in the topic: Honesty.

HONESTY 1 - A lie ruined the perfect world.

Honesty 1 - English file

Ehrlichkeit 1 - German file

Devotional Thoughts about Genesis Chapter 3

Can you trust anyone these days? It’s a valid question with the news full of imploded marriages, hackers and corruption in public life. People don’t seem to need a legitimate excuse to attack another country or to help themselves to goods they don’t own. And aggravatingly, they often seem to get away with it.

Those of us concerned about it aren’t only victims; we’re perpetrators, too. Ever since the Fall, we’re part of what’s wrong with this world. If we were honest with ourselves, we’d see that looking out for ourselves is at the top of our list of priorities. We justify in ourselves what we condemn in others.

Well, how do we even know what’s true? Social media is full of self-proclaimed as well as credentialed experts all claiming to offer the real lowdown on certain foods, therapies or do-it-yourself projects. But as many of them flatly contradict each other, we're left looking for another information source.

God Himself is the truth that people have been rejecting ever since the Fall. He’s revealed to us the unchanging truth in His Word. Lord, thank you for the good news You offer to this fallen world: that Jesus took the punishment for our sins, and we can come to You in faith. Help me keep returning to You in repentance.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson file, simply click on the appropriate link above to download it in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next blogpost and lesson will be the second in the topic: Honesty.