Have you ever built castles in the sand? They are pretty fabrications but they don’t last. The wind and the water quickly break down the little fortresses revealing them for what they are—imitations. To me lies are like castles in the sand, they don’t sustain the forces of time that continue to break down the illusions that we sometimes create for ourselves.

While we may not intend to lie to ourselves we often do by not really understanding some important truths about God and about our identity that is rooted in Him.

Lie #1 – “We don’t need anyone. We are independent!”

THE TRUTH IS WE ARE DEPENDENT ON GOD’S GRACE AND ON THE LOVE AND KINDNESS WE HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER

We can lie to ourselves about our self-sufficiency, but the truth is we are dependent on God’s grace. This very day could be the day your immune system fails and you get seriously ill. What then do we do? We depend on medical science, doctors, friends and family to encourage and comfort us and if we have faith we pray that God heals us and helps us to accept His will. We need each other! And most of all we need God! It’s not just the economically poor that need charity. The spiritually poor need charity too. We need to pray for one another that God gives us the courage and wisdom and right judgment to live  honest and honourable lives.

A few days ago there was a “cyber attack” on this page.   Someone with a computer with an IP address from Iran tried repeatedly to get administrative access to this site.  That would have allowed them to alter the content and images on this page. So I upgraded the security on the server and I prayed that God would protect this effort from attacks from the evil one. I depend on God and I depend on God’s faithful servants who are praying and fighting the good fight.

“My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.” Psalm 62:7

Lie # 2 – “We are powerful and that power is a function of our wealth.”

THE TRUTH IS PEOPLE ARE NOT “ALL POWERFUL”. WE ARE ALL VULNERABLE. THE ONLY SOURCE OF TRUE POWER IS GOD. GOD IS OMNIPOTENT. WITHOUT GOD MAN IS ULTIMATELY IMPOTENT.

It is true that economically powerful people tend to have authority and responsibility on earth that exceeds the power and authority of the economically poor, but how powerful are those influential people when the last day of their life comes? Death is inevitable. We will all one day understand that true power is achieved not from material wealth but from God who bestows His blessings and graces upon His people. God can choose to lift someone up to become a head of state, but God can also choose to take that person’s power away. Let us acknowledge God’s goodness and thank Him for His many blessings: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

“LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. LORD, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” 2 Chronicles 14:11

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

“He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” Luke 1:53

Lie #3 – “Men prove their masculinity by how many woman they have had”

THE TRUTH IS MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEXUALITY!

What exactly are men and women proving by being sexually promiscuous? Anyone who has truly loved someone and then lost that person understands that true love is a gift from God. We can’t manufacture it. “Making love” and “having sex” are not the same thing! We can give away our bodies but what exactly does that prove? What does it mean truly to be a man? What does it mean to be a woman? Are our gender differences only a function of our sexuality? Can a woman be as strong in character as a man? Is a man who acknowledges his sensitivity and vulnerability a lesser man or is he a man who is being true to himself?

“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18

Lie #4 – “The man with the most toys wins!”

THE TRUTH IS WE WILL NEVER BE FULFILLED BY STUFF. IT IS RELATIONSHIPS THAT FULFILL AND THE MOST RELATIONSHIP OF ALL IS THE ONE WE HAVE WITH GOD!

Even if you have never heard this statement “the man with the most toys wins”, look at the reports of how people are trampling upon one another in large crowds on days when a big sale is occurring at a store. I have even read startling news reports about people being killed at these times. If we don’t know God we can put our focus on things and experiences. We try to gratify our senses but how gratified is our spirit?

I remember speaking to a man once who was in a lot of emotional pain. He was unable to continue his ascent up the career ladder because of health reasons. He felt his chance to be personally fulfilled was over. I remember whispering to God: “Jesus what do I say to comfort him?” These were the words that came out of my mouth: “Imagine that you are on your death bed. You are thinking about the things in your life that gave you real joy, what are you thinking about?”

He said, “Well, I expect I will be thinking about my relationships with my friends and family, the people I love.”

So I said, “Sounds like your relationships are what fulfills you.” And he said, “Yes they are”

So I asked “Is there anything preventing you from continuing to build these relationships?” And he said, “No there’s nothing in the way. Nothing at all!”

When we focus on the conventional wisdom of society we can be fooled into believing that life is all about power and money and the material comforts we can buy. But when we start to learn about God, we begin to embrace that we are His creatures. We are weak, but He is strong. God will provide for us. God will teach us. God will help us to grow in a relationship with Him and with one another that will fulfill our hearts and our souls.

Be comforted by the Words of Jesus from John 14: 1-7

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus is the Way to the Father

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32