2010.10.10 living an honest and open life

1. Be Honest in Your Dealings.

Proverbs 11:3 Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of The integrity of the upright guides them, but the the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. their duplicity.

1. Be Honest in Your Dealings.

Ephesians 4:25 Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each Therefore each of you must put off falsehood of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all neighbor, for we are all members of one body. members of one body.

2. Be Real About Truth.

Ephesians 4:15 Ephesians 4:15 Instead, Instead, speaking the speaking the truthtruth in in lovelove, we , we will in all things grow up into will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is him who is the Head, that is Christ.Christ.

2. Be Real About Truth.

Ephesians 4:29 Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is your mouths, but only what is helpful for buildinghelpful for building others upothers up according to according to their needstheir needs, that it , that it may may benefitbenefit those who listen. those who listen.

1. Be Real About Struggles.

Philippians 4:4 Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Rejoice!

1. Be Real About Struggles.

Matthew 26:37 Matthew 26:37 He took Peter He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.be sorrowful and troubled.

1. Be Real About Struggles.3838Then he said to them, "My Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Stay here and keep watch with me.”me.”

1. Be Real About Struggles.3939Going a little farther, he fell Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." as you will."

LESSON: You don’t have to pretendYou don’t You don’t hurthurt..

You don’t You don’t strugglestruggle with God with God and his ways.and his ways.

Life is Life is betterbetter than it is. than it is.

2 Corinthians 4:7 2 Corinthians 4:7 We have this We have this treasure in earthen vessels to treasure in earthen vessels to show that the transcendent show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to power belongs to God and not to us.us.

88We are hard pressed on every We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed side, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; but not driven to despair; 99persecuted but not forsaken; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed. struck down but not destroyed.

2. Be Real About Weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9 2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”perfect in weakness.”

2. Be Real About Weakness.

Therefore I will boast all the Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. power may rest on me.

2. Be Real About Weakness.1010That is why, for Christ's sake, That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am when I am weak, then I am strong. strong.

LESSON: Our strengths are instructional for people, but our weaknesses give people hope.

3. Use Discretion.

Proverbs 2:11 Proverbs 2:11 Discretion will Discretion will protect you, and understanding protect you, and understanding will guard you.will guard you.

3. Use Discretion.

Proverbs 10:19 Proverbs 10:19 When words are When words are many, sin is not absent, but he many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. who holds his tongue is wise.

3. Use Discretion.

Proverbs 12:23 Proverbs 12:23 A prudent man A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out but the heart of fools blurts out folly. folly.

3. Use Discretion.

Proverbs 17:27 Proverbs 17:27 A man of A man of knowledge uses words with knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of restraint, and a man of understanding is even-understanding is even-tempered. tempered.