Sometimes the thought of being honest scares me like no other…

So you may know from either my Instagram, or recent blog posts, or maybe you don’t know at all but I have decided to challenge myself in 2020 to be more BOLD. 

So far I have been working on keeping up with blog posts once a week, sharing truth in my life as well as being more intentional about knowing it myself…

so with that being said I must share this next word that comes to mind as I dive into, this “Boldness” that like I said before is way out of my comfort zone (see take courage post) 

Honesty, 

I don’t think honesty comes without courage at times, unless your a 3 year old telling your mom how her cooking is, or how her hair looks in the morning ( I may or may not know this from experience) kids they are maybe a little too honest, is that even a thing? 

When we think of honesty, most of us would say it would be a quality that we would like in a spouse, friend, some of us really enjoy being around our family because, they are honest (or maybe it’s the other way around, we dislike the honesty) but when we have honest relationships with others we can be ourselves.

We are being who we are, without that feeling that we need to hide behind a mask which is really something to cherish! 

But does honesty always come as a positive, or does honesty at times bring about conflict, tension, and sometimes maybe even break relationships, how should we use this very powerful tool within ourselves…. 

Let me first start by being honest with you…

Every time I get ready to post a blog post, or instagram post, and in the past Facebook (which I got off of because I was getting overwhelmed with the amount in information that was feeding into my brain, and it was making me feel very anxious) but I get really nervous! I think about my friends and fellow readers, or followers,  people that have decided to read what I have to say.  I want to say the right things so that nobody gets offended, or hurt feelings because of something I may have said, that maybe people think I’m directing my posts at them which is not the case what I write is from a broad observation, of time, expierence, research, listening, study, and my own life, I don’t ever direct any posts to a particular person, but I pray that maybe they would help someone.  Honestly I mostly write because it helps me. 

When I take the time to research and share information I really try hard to make sure I myself am practicing what I share, before you hear about it, and I know I am not perfect… I can always do and be better, I don’t ever want to be put on a pedestal…I get easily embarrassed when there is attention put on me… so honestly, I share because, I care… I spend so much of my time throughout the week in thoughts about how I can help others understand, how I can be a better Christian, wife, mother, friend, neighbor, the list goes on and on, and there are times where, I just feel like I have failed, it’s easy to get discouraged over that but I have to constantly remind myself that I am trying to grow, and that there may be times that growth comes with some hard truths, that feel painful, and difficult to swallow because there are times where, I too don’t want the truth (but I need to hear it)…

Which leads me too this topic of honesty! 

When Jesus speaks parables unto multitudes of people he would often say 

“And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!””

Mark 4:9

This phrase is found a few times in the New Testament, why do you think we need to be told to hear? 

Multitudes listened but only few heard, I mean it should be an obvious thing if we have ears, we can hear right?

But you have heard the statement in one ear and out the other? 

How many of us actually listen to what is being said to us?

Honesty is something that starts within ourselves, honesty starts within the heart and it starts with the individual, can you make anyone be honest with you? 

and is it possible to become unaware of the fact that we may not be honest with ourselves?

in my last post (The Jesus Trend)

I touched on this idea,

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? Matthew 7:1-4 

its very easy to notice the flaws in each other, before we see our own.  WE BECOME BLINDED. Dishonest with our own hearts.  The word of God must be read from our hearts, applied to our hearts, and first change us before we start challenging others.

I find it interesting when I read and see how Jesus often uses that phrase “he who has an ear let him hear”

many heard this, but many walked away assuming nothing was wrong, maybe it crossed their minds as an interesting thought, but never did they stop and really listen to the truth that was being spoken to them.

But some did, Jesus disciples wanted to know more, wanted to know why? they had ears and they heard, they had eyes and they perceived..

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”  Matthew 13:10-23 

They were listening with honest hearts wanting to know the truth about Jesus teachings, what do we do with this information.  Not simply being there to “hear” the message in one ear out the other but really listening with an honest heart.

Lets read of the parable again from Lukes account of the Gospel of Christ.

Luke 8:4-15

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Hearing the word, Hold it Fast (That is to remember it a remind ourselves of it daily) in and HONEST and good heart, we will ….WITH PATIENCE, Bear fruit!

If we look back to Matthews account,  Jesus tells His disciples ( Followers of Jesus)

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.   Matthew 13:17

The prophets, and righteous men before Jesus only spoke of these mysteries that were to come. Jesus, who was The mystery revealed, was standing before their eyes answering their questions, teaching them.

Some of us say, well if I had Jesus standing before my eyes, I would be asking so many questions….Really?….would you?

WE HAVE THE BIBLE!

the before, the present, and the what is to come with Jesus….

The Old Testament, before Jesus, You can read and see our human nature, our failures, Gods patience, Gods guidance, Gods Love, But also Gods seriousness. When He says it He means it.

The Prophets spoke on behalf of God of things to come.  The righteous men were followers of God…But even the prophets and righteous men made mistakes.  Sometimes they questioned their purpose in life and sometimes they even failed.

But Jesus, came knowing His purpose, and did not fail, despite the difficulties that it came with, where most of us would just give up…

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”

 Isaiah 6:8-11 (prophecy about Jesus)

Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness, teach all truth, and complete the Word of God… If I could help you understand all of it I would but I am not capable on this type of platform, nor would I want to do it because I can not perfect it anymore for you than it has already been done, and Im still growing in it, THE BIBLE, has it and we are all capable of learning from it but you must open it and read it with and honest heart, I do not wish to add or take away any of that.

Now if you see the Old Testament, was before Jesus,  the New Testament, is after Jesus, That is after Jesus Died on the cross, and rose again.  The Gospel accounts, are the present Jesus, His life here on this earth MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN.  Each one is the same time period, pretty much the same stories just from different perspectives, the perspectives of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.   When Jesus died on the cross The law that was physical to so many, became a law that was spiritual a law to be obeyed first and foremost with in our hearts, “fruits” are produced when you are obedient to the truth.  Honest with yourself is the only way you can get down and cultivate that soil, trees don’t produce fruit, overnight, usually it takes time and maturity and strong roots.  From the Gospels, we have the establishing of the Church (Acts) and the letters to the either the churches in the different areas, or letters written to individuals, the Teach them the truth, to help them stay strong, and be encouraged to continue on following Christ, Because the enemy works very hard to take that away (with lies)

So I ask, how do you read the Bible, Is Jesus just a story? or is His message Truth? and what do you do with that?  Being Honest with yourself is the first step towards a much better life, both now and forever.

Be thankful for the honest relationships in your life, be thankful for the truth even when it may be difficult to hear, and don’t be afraid to ask difficult, honest hearted questions, that will lead you to the truth.

Thank you as always for reading, I hope and pray that this would help you look closer into the word of God, to search for the truth, and to wholeheartedly seek after knowing it and follow it.

If I can help in any way please let me know.

Beverly