Are you authentic?

If you were the only person on the planet how would you live?

Get fat and stuff yourself?

Watch Netflix all day?

Lie around moaning and feeling lonely?

Or would you be a true Robinson Crusoe?

If there was no one to judge you.

Noone to impress.

Noone to take advantage of.

How would you behave?

What did Jesus say about this?

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

JOHN 8:31-32

Jesus made it clear what we were to do.

Follow him.

Be more like him.

Copy him.

What did Jesus Do?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

JOHN 14:6

He spoke truth…

and only truth.

So how authentic are you?

Some people are completely false.

They act as a different person in front of others.

Some lie.

Some pretend to be someone they are not.

They act as if they are better than they really are.

Lying on your CV is a good example.

Lying on dating sites is another… age, height etc.

Some say they have done something when they have not.

Pretending you have done something at work when you have not is a good example.

Some say they are busy when they are not.

A social lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.

What does God think about people who lie?

Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

PSALM :12:22

God cannot lie.

God abhors deceit.

If you lie… you are offending GOD.

How can we be more authentic and true?

What type of person are you?

First work out who you truly are.

Then assess whether you are a decent person.

Maybe you are authentically lazy regardless?

Are you selfish?

Envious?

Proud?

Do you return the supermarket trolley?

This is a test of altruism.

There is no reward for returning the trolley to the trolley park. But it makes life better for others.

Leaving it stranded in the carpark, by your car, is an act of true selfishness.

What type of person is Jesus?

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

JOHN 1:14

Jesus is perfect.

Jesus spoke only truth.

How can we become more like Jesus?

Ask God.

Ask and you will receive.

Pray.

Seek the Lord in prayer and he will answer you

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

PSALM 25:5

Let us pray.

FATHER GOD HELP US TO SPEAK ONLY TRUTH. HELP US WE PRAY TO BE MORE LIKE YOU. TRUTHFUL. HOLY. AUTHENTIC AND TRUE. GUIDE US OH LORD TO OBEY YOU AND GUARD OUR TONGUE. IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.