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Transcript

Living Honestly · First15 Devotional

• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: In the last devotional in our series on honesty, today we're going to focus simply on what it means to live honestly every day.
• 0:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: My hope for today is that God will empower us all to continue this journey of honesty and humility on a daily basis.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's open up our hearts in real intentional ways today as we experience the power and love of our Heavenly Father.
• 0:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
• 0:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from James chapter 1 verse 26, Scripture says, If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
• 1:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: There is no substitute for the peace and joy of living honestly.
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you find courage from the unconditional love of your Heavenly Father, to truly be yourself, you alleviate yourself of the pressure and stress of keeping up appearances.
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when you're free from keeping up appearances, you have time and energy to devote to that which is real, that which is eternal.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: James won twenty-six says, If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
• 2:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Did you know you were capable of deceiving your own heart?
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: James makes an incredibly strong statement here.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: How could my religion be worthless if I simply tell a small lie here or there?
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: How could a little deception in my heart make my religion null and void?
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: This verse illustrates just how important our hearts are to God.
• 2:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: First Samuel 167 says, for the Lord sees not as man sees, man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Your religion is only as valuable as it is true.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: The parts of you that are outward, your words, actions, and appearance are only as valuable as they are a true reflection of your heart.
• 3:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: James is speaking here to those who think that what they say and do defines them.
• 3:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's speaking to those who believe their value and identity are wrapped up in their good works.
• 3:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: But God flips our worldly paradigm on its head.
• 3:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: He values actions done from the heart.
• 3:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: He values appearances that are a reflection of the beauty in our hearts.
• 3:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: He values words that come from a place of deep honesty and vulnerability.
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: He values religion, that is the fruit of his spirit, loving, leading and filling our spirits.
• 3:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: As we close out this week on honesty, take time to truly assess whether you're deceiving your own heart.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you looking to that which is outward to define you?
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you see yourself related to what you do or are your actions the result of who you are in Christ?
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: May your time be filled with the loving kindness of your Heavenly Father and clear revelation from the Holy Spirit.
• 4:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on what scripture says about living honestly, James 1 26 says, if anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
• 5:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: And next, are you looking to that which is outward to define you?
• 5:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you see yourself related to what you do or are your actions the result of who you are in Christ?
• 6:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: and last.
• 6:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Take time to receive revelation of how God sees you.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let him show you how deeply he values who you already are.
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let him reveal his grace and loving kindness to you.
• 6:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Take time
• 7:16
  [UNKNOWN]: You
• 7:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: to live honestly is to value what God values.
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Only in consistently encountering God's value of the heart, can we begin to live out of who we are rather than working to become who we feel we should be?
• 8:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: only in seeing ourselves as God does, when we value the wonderful identity we have as His sons and daughters.
• 8:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: May your life be forever changed as you value honesty above appearance.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: May you find freedom and rest in the unchanging affections of your heavenly Father.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening to the last episode in our series on Honesty.
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with 1st 15.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: If this series was especially meaningful for you, we would love to hear about it.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: You can leave a rating or a review on your podcast app or send us a note at podcast at first15.org.
• 9:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: We would love to hear how God is using 1st 15 to draw you closer to him.
• 9:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you see Kim.