Transcript

Facade · First15 Devotional

0:04
[SPEAKER_00]: In day two of our series on honesty, today we're going to look at the temptation to build a facade and invite God to tear it down as we seek to live more honestly.
0:17
[SPEAKER_00]: May God show you how loved you are just as you are and may His love bring you freedom and life as we rest in His presence right now.
0:54
[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.
1:02
[SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Matthew 23 verse 27, Scripture says, Woe to use scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.
1:14
[SPEAKER_00]: For you are like white-washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within our full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness,
1:28
[SPEAKER_00]: The greatest testimony you could possibly give is to have the audacity to live honestly.
1:37
[SPEAKER_00]: It takes courage to be yourself.
1:40
[SPEAKER_00]: It takes security in the unconditional love of your heavenly father to acknowledge not just your strengths and successes, but also your weaknesses and failures.
1:54
[SPEAKER_00]: But in doing so, your life will proclaim the powerful, beautiful work of God.
2:01
[SPEAKER_00]: And in doing so, you will experience the peace and joy only freedom from building a facade can produce.
2:11
[SPEAKER_00]: A facade is an outward appearance that is maintained to conceal a less pleasant or credible reality.
2:20
[SPEAKER_00]: so often to cover up what we know to be imperfect, we devote ourselves to creating a false picture for others.
2:30
[SPEAKER_00]: We even devote so much energy to building a facade that we try and deceive ourselves.
2:38
[SPEAKER_00]: We muster up our pride and look only at what we've done well, all while ignoring what we need
2:47
[SPEAKER_00]: As a result, we spend all our time living a life apart from reality.
2:54
[SPEAKER_00]: And to live apart from reality is to live apart from the grace and love of our ever-present holy, real father.
3:05
[SPEAKER_00]: In Matthew 23 verse 27, Jesus passionately rebukes those who try and build facades.
3:13
[SPEAKER_00]: He says, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like white-washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all
3:32
[SPEAKER_00]: God solely cares about the heart.
3:36
[SPEAKER_00]: He's not worried about perception.
3:40
[SPEAKER_00]: He's not worried about status or societal acceptance.
3:45
[SPEAKER_00]: He cares about what is real.
3:48
[SPEAKER_00]: He knows that any energy spent devoted to building a facade is energy you can't devote to receiving help, healing, and grace for what's real and important.
4:02
[SPEAKER_00]: He knows that all your efforts to be accepted aren't a value because the opinions of others are nothing in comparison to his unconditional love for you.
4:15
[SPEAKER_00]: And he knows that ultimately all the sods will be torn down and we will be seen and known by him for who we truly are.
4:27
[SPEAKER_00]: God longs for you to live fully known and fully loved.
4:32
[SPEAKER_00]: He longs for you to live out a revelation of his love and grace, rather than striving for affection and acceptance by building up facades.
4:44
[SPEAKER_00]: Take time to experience his love and grace today.
4:48
[SPEAKER_00]: Assess your heart and tear down your walls.
4:54
[SPEAKER_00]: May freedom burst forth in your life today, as you proclaim the glory of God's grace by being who you really are.
5:25
[SPEAKER_00]: as we begin, reflect on the importance of living in reality, allow Jesus' words to stir up your desire to tear down any facade you've built up.
5:40
[SPEAKER_00]: Matthew 23 verse 27 says,
5:48
[SPEAKER_00]: for you are like white wash tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
6:33
[SPEAKER_00]: And next, where are you striving for acceptance or affection by building up facades?
6:45
[SPEAKER_00]: Where are you portraying yourself to be something you aren't?
6:50
[SPEAKER_00]: Why are you doing it?
7:31
[SPEAKER_00]: And last, ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to be yourself today.
7:36
[SPEAKER_00]: Tell others of your weaknesses today.
7:42
[SPEAKER_00]: Don't be afraid to be yourself with all your strengths, successes, weaknesses, and failures.
8:15
[UNKNOWN]: You
8:31
[SPEAKER_00]: May God's grace and love empower you today as you live honestly.
8:37
[SPEAKER_00]: May you stop devoting your energy to appearances and give yourself to what's real.
8:44
[SPEAKER_00]: And in doing so, may you encounter the unconditional acceptance and affection of your loving father.
9:11
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for listening to today's podcast.
9:13
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh with First 15.
9:16
[SPEAKER_00]: One of the greatest gifts God gives us every day as we make space to experience his love is the gift of being who we actually are.
9:26
[SPEAKER_00]: As you go about your day today, look for opportunities to practice honesty, choose to admit where you felt short, choose not to exaggerate a success or experience, choose to be honest rather than impress.
9:43
[SPEAKER_00]: and rest in the freedom and joy that comes from seeking to be nothing more and nothing less than who you are today.
9:52
[SPEAKER_00]: If today's episode was meaningful for you, make sure to leave a rating or a review or shoot us a note at podcast at firstifteen.org.
10:03
[SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you seek him.