MIND OF CHRIST MINISTRIES, INC.
PASTOR THOMAS E. OGLESBY
P.O. BOX 85
NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY 07110
website: mindofchristministries.net
Phone: 973-818-2750
e-mail: mindofchrist@verizon.net
October 2023
“Lord I Believe”
Dear Believer (s):
What can we believe today? We live in a society where many people have forgotten about the truth. People would rather lie than be truthful. So many individuals would rather believe a lie than believe the truth. Many politicians lie to get into office. They make promises they know that they cannot keep. Managers and supervisors make false promises to employees. Husbands don’t always tell their wives the truth, and wives are not always truthful with their husbands. Many men and women who are supposed to represent God lie to their congregations. People lie about their accomplishments. Children and young people see adults lying. They do not know what to believe, so they learn to lie also. We are living in a society that thinks nothing is wrong with twisting the truth. Men and women lie to take advantage of each other.
Why does this happen? What has happened to us that led people to be untruthful? I believe it is because we have turned away from God. We do not fear God enough to follow His Word about not lying. Revelation 21:8 says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Psalms 101:7 says, “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.” We are untruthful to please and to make ourselves look good. We want to be fashionable in a worldly society.
I believe that many of the problems our country faces today is because of lies. It seems that we are afraid of the truth. When does all the lying end? How can individuals and our country return to a state of godliness? Those of us who are Christians must take the lead in denouncing what is a lie. Christians must be bold and stand up and support the truth. Why should we be afraid of the truth? As Christians we should want the truth to be known.
We must return to godly values. We must return to the ways of God. In John 14:6,
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” As truth Jesus is the revelation of God. The Bible tells us in Numbers
23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” Titus 1:2 says, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”
How did lying start? Who told the first lie? The Bible tells us that the first lie was told by Lucifer. I like to think he lied to himself. Let’s look at who Lucifer was and what it says about him in Ezekiel 28:13-15, “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.” The following scriptures tell how Lucifer fell. Isaiah 14:12-14 says, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” Lucifer not only lied to himself but he lied to one-third of the heavenly angels and convinced them that he could take over God’s throne, but he failed.
Look what Jesus says about the devil in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
The word Christian means to be Christ like. As God’s people we are to be truthful. We are supposed to have a renewing of our minds according to Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The Bible says in 1John 2:3-6,“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
Let’s look at what 1John 2:20-21 says, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” We as God’s children do know the truth. Let’s you and I live by the truth of God. We also see from the scriptures that the lie did not come from God. The devil is the originator of the lie. “The thief cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) One of the ways that he destroys God’s people is by lying to them. We must read and know the Word of God so that the enemy cannot get us to believe his lies.
Lord, I believe! What this means is that we know the Word of God and we believe it. The devil cannot trap us with his lies when we live adhering to God’s Word. Loving God means that we do not lie. As children of God, we must be truthful. We should do everything we possibly can to live holy, honest and walk after the desires of Jesus. This also means that we should not lie. As Christians, let’s you and I repent of past untruths and ask the Holy Spirit to guide our tongues in speaking the truth.
Let us pray. “Dear God, we ask that you guide our tongues to speak holy and righteous for your name sake. Let us not say that we love you and speak as the evil one speaks. Lord, take our lives and may they be completely used to bring glory to You. Lord, remove the lying spirit that has taken over many of our hearts. We thank You for being a loving and caring God. We pray for family members, our church communities, Christian leaders, national and world leaders, for the unsaved and for those of us who love You. We ask that You provide for all of our needs. We pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Amen!
I need your continued prayers and financial support. I appreciate your helping me to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We live in a world where many are without hope. But as you and I join forces, we are shining light into darkness and allowing people to know that God loves them and that He is the answer to all of their problems. Thank you so much for your help.
If you have a special prayer need, please write, call, text or e-mail me. I am willing to stand in agreement with you for your miracle.
Prayerfully Yours,
Thomas Oglesby
Pastor Thomas E. Oglesby
