GPS-Berenstain Bears and The Truth

SEP 24  / Sunday – Read Read John 8:32, 44 / John 16:13 / John 17:17 / 2 Cor 5:18-19

Overview: It’s simple: lying to others breaks trust at some level. So is trust something that can never be put back together once it’s broken?

 25 / Mon – Stuff happens  |  Read Psalm 34:13 / 1 Peter 3:10-12

In The Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Stan & Jan Berenstain, two bored but rambunctious cubs didn’t follow the do-not-play-ball-in-the-house rule. The result was a broken lamp, Mama’s favorite. She asked for an explanation and they told such a whopper, they couldn’t remember all the details to repeat the story to Papa. What broke Mama’s heart more than the lamp was that her little ones lied to her. Is that how God feels when we lie to Him and/or others?

26 / Tue – What?!  |  Read various scriptures (see below)

What tempts you to lie or tell a half-truth or leave out part of the story? As you look at these ‘heroes’ of the faith, you might be surprised to discover they were guilty of lying too. In Gen 18:13-15, who did Sarah lie to and why ? What was the reason Abraham lied about his wife, twice, in Gen 12:11-19 and 20:10-14? In Gen 26:6-11, you see the influence of a father’s example on his son. What is the missing piece in their relationship with God that might have helped them resist temptation?

27 / Wed – Why?  |  Read Genesis 27:1-35, 42-45 / Acts 5:1-11

The people in both stories didn’t lie because they were afraid. What was their motivation?   Do you know someone like that? (Maybe you have even seen this tendency in yourself.) What lies did they believe which caused them to take drastic measures to achieve their goals? Have you ever doubted that God would give you something you desired and you decided to ‘make it happen’ no matter the cost? What is needed in your relationship with God to keep you from taking disastrous action?

28 / Thu – Compare  |  Read John 8:44 / Gen 2:15-17 and 3:1-5, 13 / 2 Cor 11:3 / Titus 1:2

The devil is the ultimate liar. That is how he caught Eve in his trap. His words cannot be trusted, even when they are mixed with some truth, as in Matt 4:5-6. If you lie, you are speaking the devil’s language. That is a scary thought. Contrast his character with God’s, in whose image you were made. Because He never lies, that is our standard. What can you do when tempted to withhold the truth? God will give you the same strength Jesus had, if you ask.

29 / Fri – Telling yourself the truth  |  Read Lk 15: 17-21 / Jn 8:32 / Rom 9:28

When Mama Bear told Grandma Bear that everything was fine, her cubs thought she had just lied. So she explained…two fine cubs have just learned a very important lesson about telling the truth and what could be finer than that? Nothing is irredeemable when God is involved. He is able to, and does, work all things out for good. True repentance is the key. This wayward son recognized that he had sinned both against God and against his dad. He admitted it to himself and then took action. Could this apply to some situation in your life right now? What will you do about it?

30 / Sat – Reconciliation is possible  |  Read John 21:1-17

This children’s book does, however, contain one lie… trust is one thing you can’t put back together once it is broken. There may be consequences and things might have to be ‘glued back’ together but you can be reconciled. Peter experienced this. During Jesus’ trial, Peter lied three times about not knowing Jesus. After the resurrection, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to affirm three times his love for Jesus . Ultimately, Jesus entrusted the future of his church into Peter’s hands. Do you believe the Lord will trust you even after you have failed Him multiple times? He will.