As part of my yearly training at the Prison, I attended a character building class Monday.  The trainer focused on the characteristic of honesty that day.  I thought it was so ironic that just the day before I was preaching to Team Church about temptations, and then I kinda got a follow-up message about giving in to the temptation to lie at my workplace.  It is so cool to hear people work through ethics dilemmas outside of the church atmosphere.  At work, they removed the religious filter, and just said what they really believed.

The trainer asked, “Do you think you’re an honest person?”

I heard answers that started with basically, I am; on the whole, I am; generally, I am; and overall I am an honest person.

The trainer asked, “Why do you think you’re an honest person?”

One answered, “Because I tell the truth more than I tell lies.” (interesting answer, no? )

Another person turned the tables on honesty by saying, “what do you do when your wife asks, ‘honey, does this dress make me look fat?’”  But then in the same breath she said, “we just better stick to talking about honesty at work.”

So, I’m guessing from that that we’re supposed to always be honest at work, but we have some wiggle room at home or either when the truth is not so convenient???  The trainer then asked a very pointed question, “how many lies does it take for us to be a liar?”

On Sunday I was pretty much thinking about the temptation we face “in the dark.”  In other words, I was imagining temptations we have when we’re usually alone, when no one knows what we’re up to, the dark and seedy things that would ruin us if they were ever revealed. But temptations can come in all sizes…isn’t it amazing that we’ll even succumb to the temptation to lie even when it was just as well to tell the truth.

I hope you’re watching out for those temptations this week–No matter if it’s a temptation to begin an affair, scan some internet porn, or even tell a “little white lie.”  Remember, all of our temptations have potential…potential for great harm as well as potential for your victory through God’s help.

I mentioned David Letterman’s admission on Sunday. Last weekend he admitted to being the target of an extortion plot, and then he confessed to (at least some of) the things the blackmailer had against him. Even if the suspect goes to prison, we all know that the info will eventually come out. Letterman knew that too, and went ahead and uncovered the secrets before someone else could.

Luke 12:2-3 NIV says…

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

We face temptation all the time to do things in secret, and then we believe the lie that they will stay hidden.

Our perspective is that what happens in the dark, stays in the dark.

To be more specific…

• what happens behind a closed door, stays behind closed doors…
• what happens at the office, stays at work…
• what happens at school stays at school…
• what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom…and so on

But God’s perspective is very different from ours. He knows all that we do and think. He even knows the motivations behind what we do and think. And yet, with all that dark data, He still loves us and pulls for us to pass the tests that come our way through temptation.

Giving in to temptation has serious, serious consequences!  And even Letterman faces that.  Not only did he have to face up to this extortioner, he also had to testify about all he had done in front of a grand jury.  And on top of that just last night he made another announcement on the subject.  This time it was an apology to his wife about the affairs.  He said that she had been horribly hurt, and that he had his work cut out for him to attempt to make it up.

What were we thinking the last time we gave in to temptation?  I’m sure we were not thinking of all the consequences we would face when the things we did in the dark finally come to light.

About six or seven years ago I first heard someone say to me that God wanted to give me the desires of my heart.  A group of us were at a small group at the Timmon’s house.  After we finished praying, Tim looked at me, and said, “God has told me to tell you that God’s going to give me the desires of your heart in ministry.”  Not knowing what to say, I stuttered, “Thank you.” Mr. Smith, a wonderfully unique former missionary said, “Steve, I heard the same thing.”

And now, just yesterday, I stood in front of Team Church Lancaster County and proclaimed, “God wants to give you the desires of your heart.“  God’s word says it plainly in Ps. 37.  But, just like I had a hard time believing my “prophets,” I’m sure that the listeners in the AJ Rec building Sunday had a hard time accepting that it’s okay to believe God really does want to give His best to His people.

I’ll be honest with you…even now I still find it hard to trust God that He wants to bless me, and you may too.  But listen to what Scripture says (The whole purpose of this message series is to give up our perspective and take on God’s):

In Malachi 3:10, God literally dares you to believe Him to pour out the blessing of heaven so that you can’t even contain it! And in the New Testament, Eph. 3:20 says that God is superabundantly able to supply far over and above our grandest desires.

All this adds up to mean that God is serious about proving that He will use the stuff we ask for to get our attention. If you dare to believe this, then  get up everyday this week  and say, “God thank you for what you have given me…thank you for what you have in store for me.  I know that you want the absolute best for me.”

Psalm 5:3

³ In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

The Beatles song, Eleanor Rigby, Scott sang this past Sunday asks the question, “All the lonely people. Where do they all come from? All the lonely people.  Where do they all belong?“

Great question.  And there are answers.  I say “answers” because I’m sure there is more than one answer to this dilemma.  In fact, during this month, the sermon series called “The Balcony” explains that there are at least two ways to answer most of our problems…Our Way and God’s Way.  It’s really all about perspective.

Check out Isaiah 55:9

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s perspective is far above ours.  He’s not caught up in the emotional states we often get trapped in like loneliness–He cares, He understands, He’s here to help, but He’s not overwhelmed and paralyzed by our troubles.  His answer to our loneliness  is objectively based on His wisdom and love for us, whereas our answer is usually plagued by self doubt, anxiety, and deep emotional wounds.

So how does God answer the question, “All the lonely people, where do they all belong”?

They belong in relationship with Himself and His people.

The worst thing lonely people do to cope is detach, strangely enough.  We do it out of shame probably.  But, God designed us for relationship with Himself and others.  If you’re having problems with loneliness God is reaching out for you, and so is Team Church.  Pray, and tell God your feelings, and ask Him for His answer.  And tell a friend or one of the pastors.  We’re here to reach out to you right where you are.